European banks could ask for more than a trillion dollars in loans from the European Central Bank (ECB) next month, reported the Financial Times on Monday, as the ECB prepares for a second money auction designed to avert a possible credit crunch.
Twitter has a new censorship policy that has got many up in arms, frustrated over what they perceive as a violation of free speech and basic rights. However, the popular micro-blog has found support and praise from both China and Thailand. But, why?
Twitter has been lauded for its ability to galvanize the masses. Its effective channel of mass communication has been credited with bringing down decades-old iron-fisted regimes like those we saw in Tunisia and Egypt. Even the then-popular Occupy Movement gained much attention and clout via the Twitter medium.
Japan faces a significant population crisis over the next century, said the Japanese Health, Labour and Welfare ministry on Monday, after government forecasts estimated that the population would shrink by nearly a third of its current size by 2060.
A quick preview of the key economic events for the upcoming week:
China is back to business after the conclusion of the first of their weeklong Golden Holidays. With the conclusion of Davos, the latest buzz word seems to be the call for greater economic and social equality. Looking ahead to the week of reports and meetings, the sixth-part of the EU Summit could offer more clarity over the fate of the unified currency.
Last week, Apple released its first quarter earnings to the public, overturning a December 4.2 percent decline into a 4.4 percent gain. Thanks to rocketing sales of its iphone and ipads, Apple’s 116 percent profit growth boosted its cash holdings to $97.6 billion – an amount sufficient to cover Greece’s debt payments for the next two years.
Apple is undoubtedly the most valuable public company in the world, beating the likes of Google and ExxonMobil at $400 billion. But how much cash does it have on hand?
Greece was in collective uproar over the weekend after a leaked German report, obtained by the Financial Times last Friday, proposed that the Greek government cede control over all tax and spending decisions to a eurozone “budget commissioner” in exchange for a new 130 billion euros bail-out.
The International Monetary Fund will conduct a review to determine whether the Renminbi remains “substantially undervalued” in the global currency market, said an IMF spokesman last Friday, after a war of words emerged between the China and the US over the appropriate valuation of the Yuan during the recent World Economic Forum.
With the furore over what many perceive as indecent pay packages, one can be forgiven for assuming that bankers and the traders are the only ones in the top “one percent”. The truth is many other jobs pay just as well, without the media scrutiny and public “we are the 99 percent” antagonism and outrage. What are these jobs, and what did they major in back in University?
Iran is ready to commence talks over its nuclear programme but western countries have been deliberately attempting to dodge any discussions, claimed Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad at a public rally in the southeastern city of Kerman on Thursday.
Almost two-thirds of all undergraduates in America take out education loans, and the total size of student debt is expected to cross the $1 trillion mark this year. With the weak job market out there, how are students expected to pay off their loans? Is the next big bubble really about to burst?
