Category: News Desk

Stock Market Surge Deceptive


Despite recent volatility in global markets, domestic stocks have doubled in value in the last two years, the fastest such gain since the Great Depression.

And financial shares have fared even better, soaring more than 160 percent since the long stock rally began in March 2009.

But will the broad market in general and financial stocks in particular resume this torrid pace?

Perhaps not.

Consider how stocks have fared over a much longer stretch — since the end of the previous bull market, in March 2000.

Plutonium Found in Fukushima Soil


 

The World’s Largest Arms Importer is Now India, not China


India has spent US$80 billion to modernize its military to keep up with China and now, India has become the world’s number one arms importer according to Swedish think-tank keeping tabs on global arms transactions. India makes up 9 percent of global arms purchases while China has 6 percent of market share in comparison.

Can Cornfields Replace Oilfields and Provide Clean Energy?


The race is on to find alternate sources of fuel and energy and quit dependence on oil, especially with ever increasing and volatile oil prices. But are alternate energy sources as clean and green as most might think?

Here are the pros of cons of corn ethanol, and the truth about just how energy efficient it really is:

UK Budget: Osbourne Targets ‘Squeezed Middle’


Chancellor George Osborne is targeting Britain’s “squeezed middle” to support his budget which aims to tighten the Treasury’s grip over public spending. What can 25 million tax payers expect? Well, income personal tax allowance is expected to be increased by £600 next year, fund a £250m shared equity scheme for new homes and inflation increases in petrol duty.

Saudi Shiites Demonstrate in Oil-Rich Eastern Province


Hundreds of Saudi Shi’ites staged a protest in the kingdom’s oil-producing Eastern Province Friday

calling for prisoner releases and a withdrawal of Saudi forces from Bahrain, activists said.

The world’s No. 1 oil producer and a vital ally for the U.S.,

Saudi Arabia has not seen the kind of mass uprisings that have rocked the Arab world this year.

But dissent is simmering in the kingdom as unrest takes root in neighboring Yemen, Bahrain and Oman.

German Actions re Libya / Nukes / Euro Disturb Allies


Driven by electoral pressures and Germany’s postwar aversion to war and nuclear power,

Chancellor Angela Merkel has deeply strained relations with allies in the European Union and the NATO alliance,

raising new questions about Germany’s ability to play a global role in foreign policy, even as its economic power and influence grow.

By abstaining in the Security Council on the resolution authorizing military action to protect Libyan civilians —

US States Hit Cities With Cascading Budget Cuts


The state budget squeeze is fast becoming a city budget squeeze,

as struggling states around the nation plan deep cuts in aid to cities and local governments

that will almost certainly result in more diminution in services, layoffs and local tax increases.

The reductions are widespread.

Ohio plans to slash aid to Columbus, Cleveland, Cincinnati and other cities and local governments

by more than a half-billion dollars over the next two years

Big Japan Stock Splurge by US Investors


Apparently heeding St Warren of Buffett’s maxim to be greedy when others are fearful,

American investors poured $1.2 billion last week into Japanese equity exchange-traded funds, or ETFs, according to new data.

It was the biggest weekly inflow on record, a trend suggesting that some investors are already betting that the crisis may be just an interruption to a market rally.

On March 16 alone, five days after the earthquake and tsunami and as the nation’s nuclear crisis was worsening,

Beirut, Iran Echoes Worry Bahrain Sunnis


When Bahrain’s pro-democracy movement began its demonstrations in Pearl Square last month, Atif Abdulmalik was supportive.

An American-educated investment banker and a member of the Sunni Muslim elite,

he favored a constitutional monarchy and increasing opportunities and support for the poorer Shiite majority.

But in the past week or two, the nature of the protest shifted —

and so did any hope that demands for change would cross sectarian lines

and unite Bahrainis in a cohesive democracy movement.