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Welcome to Wednesday, Europe. Here’s the latest news and analysis from Bloomberg Economics to help get your day and week started:

  • Incoming European Central Bank head Christine Lagarde says the global economy appears headed for “mediocre growth” -- but no recession. (And she takes a swipe at Aung San Suu Kyi)
  • Almost two weeks after the ECB announced new stimulus measures, economists are still debating whether the plan will work the way it’s meant to
  • Czech’s central bank -- one of Europe’s last to raise interest rates -- is about to show exactly how much the global economic slowdown has blunted its zeal for monetary tightening
  • Nigeria and Benin are embroiled in a trade dispute two months after signing an agreement to free up the movement of goods and services in Africa
  • Weighed down by trade tensions with the U.S., China’s economy is at the weakest it has been all year in the third quarter. Now, ahead of a fresh round of talks in Washington, Chinese companies are gearing up to buy more U.S. pork
  • The U.S. may employ a trade weapon designed to maximize pain against the EU in its retaliation on Airbus subsidies, according to people familiar with the plan
    • Trump’s threat to roll out new tariffs could halt an expansion at an Airbus plant in Alabama and endanger investments at a Mercedes factory in the state
  • Italy’s 2020 budget is still in a state of flux, but one thing appears certain: there won’t be a repeat of last year’s bruising battle with the EU
  • The IMF no longer expects Turkey’s economy to shrink this year, but called into question the government’s focus on growth rather than reform
  • Bank of Japan Board Member Takako Masai put forward a new argument for sitting tight on policy amid heightened speculation the central bank will add to its stimulus measures in October.
  • Vietnam’s campaign to soothe U.S. trade ire has come to a coastal commune better known for growing dragon fruit along one-lane potholed roads
  • Thailand’s slowing economy got one piece of good news in August: The Chinese (tourists) are coming!
  • Mexico’s finance minister said it would be “understandable” if the country’s central bank decided to cut interest rates later this week

To contact the reporter on this story: Michael S. Arnold in Singapore at marnold48@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Nasreen Seria at nseria@bloomberg.net, Paul Jackson

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