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Australian's housing market ends downturn as rate cut lifts sentiment, CoreLogic data shows

Australia's property market emerged from a shallow downturn in February as the first rate cut in over four years lifted buyer sentiment, although the still-high borrowing costs and elevated prices are clouding the outlook. Figures from property consultant CoreLogic showed prices across the nation rose 0.3% in February from January, ending three months of declines or no growth. Tim Lawless, CoreLogic's research director, said the bounce in prices has more to do with an uptick in sentiment than any immediate improvement in borrowing capacity as rates were only lowered by a quarter-point.

In address to congress, Argentine President Milei promises IMF deal and lauds economic wins

Argentina’s libertarian president Javier Milei signaled late Saturday that a new deal with the International Monetary Fund was imminent, as he used his annual address to congress to project an optimistic picture of his economic overhaul following a divisive first year in office and recent swirl of controversies. In a speech that played to the sentiments of his right-wing base but included little in the way of new policy, Milei promised the crisis-stricken nation that, in the coming days, he would “ask congress to support the government in this new agreement with the International Monetary Fund" even as it seemed Argentina had yet to close the deal. Revisiting the economic themes of his 2023 presidential campaign ahead of crucial midterm elections in October, Milei declared: “We went from talking about hyperinflation to talking about long-term stability.”