Mass default looms as world sinks beneath a sea of debt … As if the fast degenerating geo-political situation isn't bad enough, here's another lorry load of concerns to add to the pile. The UK and US economies may be on the mend at last, but that's not the pattern elsewhere. On a global level, growth is being steadily drowned under a rising tide of debt, threatening renewed finan...Read More
Why Beijing Is Buying [Gold] … If China were to convert a relatively modest part of its $4 trillion foreign exchange reserves into gold, the country's currency could take on unexpected strength in today's international financial system. It would be a gamble, of course, for China to use part of its reserves to buy enough gold bullion to displace the United States from its position as...Read More
Mass default looms as world sinks beneath a sea of debt … As if the fast degenerating geo-political situation isn't bad enough, here's another lorry load of concerns to add to the pile. The UK and US economies may be on the mend at last, but that's not the pattern elsewhere. On a global level, growth is being steadily drowned under a rising tide of debt, threatening renewed finan...Read More
Why Beijing Is Buying [Gold] … If China were to convert a relatively modest part of its $4 trillion foreign exchange reserves into gold, the country's currency could take on unexpected strength in today's international financial system. It would be a gamble, of course, for China to use part of its reserves to buy enough gold bullion to displace the United States from its position as...Read More
More and more, it seems, people are waking up to the importance of graphite.Some of this simply reflects its increased demand as a raw material in the manufacture of brake pads, aerospace components and many other products. But graphite is also attracting attention for its increased use in new high-tech applications, according to Mike Kachanovsky, a freelance writer and analyst of junior mining an...Read More
How Eric Holder Failed the Economy … Attorney General Eric Holder, who plans to step down after more than five years in office, has efforts and achievements to be proud of, no doubt, but will probably be remembered above all for something he didn't do: prosecute top executives for their role in the 2008 financial crisis. – Bloomberg editorialDominant Social Theme: One of the hallma...Read More
Marijuana industry makes political donations … The entrepreneurs of the young U.S. marijuana industry are taking another step into the mainstream, becoming political donors who use some of their profits to support cannabis-friendly candidates and ballot questions that could bring legal pot to more states. The political activity includes swanky fundraisers at Four Seasons hotels and art aucti...Read More
How Eric Holder Failed the Economy … Attorney General Eric Holder, who plans to step down after more than five years in office, has efforts and achievements to be proud of, no doubt, but will probably be remembered above all for something he didn't do: prosecute top executives for their role in the 2008 financial crisis. – Bloomberg editorialDominant Social Theme: One of the hallma...Read More
Marijuana industry makes political donations … The entrepreneurs of the young U.S. marijuana industry are taking another step into the mainstream, becoming political donors who use some of their profits to support cannabis-friendly candidates and ballot questions that could bring legal pot to more states. The political activity includes swanky fundraisers at Four Seasons hotels and art aucti...Read More
Falling Out of Love With Gold … Gold has let down its loyal investors during the past year, declining by about 8 percent. It has failed to benefit, as one might expect, from a series of geopolitical crises and concerns that stocks are overvalued. It has even failed to keep up with government bonds, usually the other recipient of flight-to-quality trades. Moreover, it has responded weakly to...Read More
Hong Kong clashes, arrests kick-start plans to blockade city …. Violent clashes between Hong Kong riot police and students galvanized tens of thousands of supporters for the city's pro-democracy movement and kick-started a plan to lock down the heart of the Asian financial centre early on Sunday. Leaders and supporters of Occupy Central with Love and Peace rallied to support students who...Read More
Falling Out of Love With Gold … Gold has let down its loyal investors during the past year, declining by about 8 percent. It has failed to benefit, as one might expect, from a series of geopolitical crises and concerns that stocks are overvalued. It has even failed to keep up with government bonds, usually the other recipient of flight-to-quality trades. Moreover, it has responded weakly to...Read More
Hong Kong clashes, arrests kick-start plans to blockade city …. Violent clashes between Hong Kong riot police and students galvanized tens of thousands of supporters for the city's pro-democracy movement and kick-started a plan to lock down the heart of the Asian financial centre early on Sunday. Leaders and supporters of Occupy Central with Love and Peace rallied to support students who...Read More
French employer group urges 'shock therapy' for economy … France's main employer group urged the government on Wednesday to scrap the 35-hour work week, raise the legal retirement age and cut the minimum wage to bring down chronically high unemployment and stimulate growth. Medef said its proposals would help Europe's second-largest economy create 1 million jobs over the next...Read More
Rouhani Blames the West for Rise of Islamic State, Demands Apology … Iranian president Hassan Rouhani, whom the Obama administration has considered enlisting in the fight against the Islamic State, blamed the growing threat of the jihadist group on the West's involvement in the Middle East. – National ReviewDominant Social Theme: Those crazy Iranians are at it again. Who believes t...Read More
French employer group urges 'shock therapy' for economy … France's main employer group urged the government on Wednesday to scrap the 35-hour work week, raise the legal retirement age and cut the minimum wage to bring down chronically high unemployment and stimulate growth. Medef said its proposals would help Europe's second-largest economy create 1 million jobs over the next...Read More
Rouhani Blames the West for Rise of Islamic State, Demands Apology … Iranian president Hassan Rouhani, whom the Obama administration has considered enlisting in the fight against the Islamic State, blamed the growing threat of the jihadist group on the West's involvement in the Middle East. – National ReviewDominant Social Theme: Those crazy Iranians are at it again. Who believes t...Read More
Japan's Debt Trap … Japan's government has a lot of debt. Not as much as people think — since much of that debt is owed by one branch of the government to another, net debt held by the public is only 134 percent of gross domestic product, not the widely quoted figure of 240 percent. But 134 percent is still a lot. About 15.6 percent of Japanese tax revenue goes to pay interest...Read More
Cannabis Cash: How Much Money Could Your State Make From Marijuana Legalization? … On Nov. 4, citizens in Alaska, Florida, Oregon and Washington, D.C., will cast their ballots on marijuana initiatives, and other states are also likely to consider legalization in upcoming elections. Colorado, the first state to allow the sale of recreational marijuana, is expected to take in $60 million to $7...Read More
Japan's Debt Trap … Japan's government has a lot of debt. Not as much as people think — since much of that debt is owed by one branch of the government to another, net debt held by the public is only 134 percent of gross domestic product, not the widely quoted figure of 240 percent. But 134 percent is still a lot. About 15.6 percent of Japanese tax revenue goes to pay interest...Read More