Category Archives: Uncategorized

ECB lifts eurozone growth forecasts Central bank extends bank lending facility and holds rates. For this year, it expects growth in a range with a mid-point of 1.6 per cent compared with 1 per cent anticipated in June. For 2011, … Continue reading →

Just before Ben Bernanke’s speech in Jackson Hole last week, Martin Feldstein gave a Bloomberg interview in which the famed economist plainly said that there was not much the Fed could do … Alan Blinder is more direct (via David … Continue reading →

Currency Trading Hits $4 Trillion a Day Currency trading volume around the world has hit $4 trillion a day, fueled by investors in the wealthiest nations looking to diversify beyond their home markets in a time of economic turmoil. Whirlpool … Continue reading →

India Economy Expands 8.8% Expansion in manufacturing and services drove India’s economy to its fastest growth in more than two years in the April-June quarter. U.K. Consumer Lending Growth Slows U.K. net consumer lending rose at a slower rate in … Continue reading →

Bank of Japan Action Fails to Contain Yen The Bank of Japan failed to curb the strong yen with an emergency easing, raising pressure on policy makers to do more in coming days to stop the currency’s rise and boost … Continue reading →

Germany Suffers a Labor Shortage Though German unemployment still hovers around 7.6%, about 70% of German companies report they are having trouble finding enough master craftsmen, technicians and other skilled labor, according to a survey released this week by the … Continue reading →

Swiss Franc Hits Record High Commercial Property Owners Default Like homeowners walking away from mortgaged houses, some large commercial property owners are defaulting on debts and surrendering to lenders buildings worth less than their loans. The ABCs of E-Reading Book … Continue reading →

China will eventually hold all world records. This one is mindboggling, hence the lengthy 1000-word WSJ article with picture and chart. The China Daily was not as impressed: its bare article on The Jam was merely 125 words. A 60-mile … Continue reading →

Fed Split on Move to Bolster Economy At least seven of 17 Fed officials spoke against or expressed reservations on a plan to alter the way the Fed manages its huge portfolio of securities before the move was approved on … Continue reading →

France Dims Outlook for 2011 Sarkozy downgraded the government’s forecast for 2011 growth, but said cutting the public deficit to 6% of GDP next year remained a major objective whatever the level of growth. The government now expects economic growth … Continue reading →

Jobless Claims at 9-Month High New U.S. jobless-benefit claims unexpectedly rose last week to 500,000, the highest level in nine months. Deals Stage Comeback Global merger activity is sweeping to its highest levels since late 2009, presenting a glimmer of … Continue reading →

Opinion: Barney to Fannie: Drop Dead  Wonder of wonders, miracle of miracles. China Allows Ringgit To Trade Vs Yuan China for the first time allowed the yuan to trade against the Malaysian ringgit on the domestic market , the latest … Continue reading →