12 May 2011.
One of the positives of raising interest rates is that they attract foreign capital. On the surface, this makes complete sense. If U.S. rates are near zero and the European Central Bank raises its main rate to 1.25%, the current level, then anyone with a few functioning brain cells can see there is more cash to be had on European money markets than in America.
Ever since the earthquake and tsunami in March, Japan has received an endless stream of sympathy and donations from all around the world. Social media and the Internet, in particular have been praised for garnering support and aid for Japan.
China’s green tech industry raked in US$63.9 billion last year, leading the world in green IT according to a report by The Associated Press (AP).
China ranked second only to Denmark in its green technology sector. The market contributed 1.4 percent of China’s GDP, compared with Denmark’s 3.1 percent noted the study, which was commissioned by the World Wildlife Fund for Nature (WWF).
It turns out BRIC emerging economies account for at least 19 of the to 100 most valuable brands in the world according to WWP – versus only 2 in 2006.
9 May 2011.
Iraq and Afghanistan sit near the top of a list of the world’s most corrupt nations despite years of occupation by Anglo-American forces and more than $1 trillion of US taxpayers’ money having been spent on the two nations since 2001.
Not withstanding the killing of Osama, we are entitled to ask the question: was this money well spent?
Who says miracles can’t happen? After four straight days of steady decline, crude oil prices finally plummeted by nearly 9 percent on Thursday to US$99.80 a barrel – the first time it has been under US$100 a barrel for nearly two months.
6 May 2011.
Afghanistan, which produces 90% of the world’s heroin, as well as the largest share of cannabis resin, could stake a claim to being the “drug capital of the world”. But, in reality, there are many “drug capitals”, depending on whether we are speaking about drug consumption, or drug production.
A competitive and productive economy, the US Economy is apparently largest in the world. It is a capitalist economy, which registered a 2.1% GDP growth rate in the 2nd quarter of 2008. Services form the major sectors of the US Economy.
In a shocking report by Frederick Kaufman that has been featured on the Foreign Policy website, the role of Goldman Sachs and its Wall Street cohort in creating the food crisis has been revealed.
Frederick uncovers the 1991 scheme where Goldman bankers lead by Gary Cohn created a derivative that tracked 24 raw minerals; including coffee, cocoa, cattle, corn, hogs, soy and wheat and how that scheme was then manipulated to raise food commodity prices.
The emerging markets accounted for 51 percent of global light vehicle sales last year. The trend is led mainly by large growth in China according to a report from research firm JD Power and Associates.
