Mexico's government says it is prepared to consider the addition of "new elements" to the North American Free Trade Agreement, but it will not agree to a complete overhaul of the pact. "NAFTA is not renegotiable. Mexico is convinced that the free-trade treaty has been beneficial for the three countries," Foreign Secretary Claudia Ruiz Massieu said during a visit to the Mexican consulate in the US city of Tucson.

President Nicolas Maduro says Venezuela will issue higher denomination bills "very soon" as soaring inflation and a crumbling currency leave the crisis-stricken country's largest note worth just 3 Australian cents on the black market. Today 5000 bolivars buy just more than $US1 ($A1.30) on the black market, which exists because Venezuela introduced currency controls in 2003 but does not offer enough US dollars to meet demand. Venezuela is believed to have the world's highest inflation, although no data has been published for 2016.

The federal government's decision not to change negative gearing tax concessions shows they are more concerned about investors than they are housing affordability, says Labor. Treasurer Scott Morrison met with state and territory counterparts in Canberra on Friday to discuss how to help the 30 per cent of Australians who rent, half of whom are on low incomes. The treasurers adopted the recommendations of a new report into better ways to spend the $11 billion a year spent on public housing.

Titanic Belfast has been crowned the best tourist attraction in the world. The museum, which opened in 2012, staved off competition from Ferrari World in Abu Dhabi, the Las Vegas Strip and Peru's Machu Picchu to clinch the accolade at a ceremony for the World Travel Awards in the Maldives. Tim Husbands, Titanic Belfast's chief executive, said they were delighted.

US employers boosted hiring in November and the unemployment rate dropped to a more than nine-year low of 4.6 per cent, making it almost certain that the Federal Reserve will raise interest rates later this month. The solid gains in employment likely reflect rising confidence in the economy. Data for September and October was, however, revised to show 2,000 fewer jobs created than previously reported.

Economists this week came to different conclusions about the likely path of interest rates as they looked at building, business investment and retail spending data ahead of next week's economic growth figures. HSBC's Australia/New Zealand chief economist Paul Bloxham said Australian interest rates have reached a turning point and are unlikely to fall further before rising in 2018. National Australia Bank's Riki Polygenis and James Glenn are expecting Wednesday's national accounts to show the economy contracted slightly in the September quarter.