Economic News 2008, Economy News 2008
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China Economy: 2009 Forecast
Beijing, 24 Dec 2008. The Chinese economy grew a whopping 9.9% in the first three quarters of 2008, and 11.9% in 2007. Forecasts for 2009 are nowhere near as rosy.
China Economy: 2009 Forecast
Beijing, 24 Dec 2008. The Chinese economy grew a whopping 9.9% in the first three quarters of 2008, and 11.9% in 2007. Forecasts for 2009 are nowhere near as rosy.
India Economy: 2009 Forecast
New Delhi, 16 Dec. 2008 started out well enough with growth figures approaching 10%, but 2009 may only achieve 6.5%.
US Economy: Big Three Bailout – General Motors, Ford, and Chrysler
Detroit, 5 Dec 2008. First the most powerful banks in the US were “too big to fail”. Now the same is said about US automakers General Motors, Ford, and Chrysler. The moral hazards continue.
World Economy: The Beginning of a Depression? Not Quite.
New Delhi, 28 Nov 2008. It’s funny that in the midst of a financial crisis while politicians try to calm the masses and restore confidence they also make apocalyptic statements about the economy.
China Economy: Government Role in Economic Stimulus
Beijing, 21 Nov 2008. China can implement economic policy a lot easier and faster than other large economies making it easier to dictate the country’s direction in times of economic need or crisis.
US Subprime: History of the Credit Crunch and Credit Crisis – Unwinding
Geneva, 18 Nov 2008. In the fourth part of this series, we examine what happens after confidence disappears and the effects start to set in.
Japan Economy: Japan Joins US in Recession
Tokyo, 17 Nov 2008. It’s official: Japan is now in a recession. The world’s second-largest economy reported a .1% drop in its third quarter, after a .3% fall in its second quarter.
Singapore Economy: The Moral Hazard of Bailouts and the Dilemma the Government is in
Singapore, 10 Nov 2008. The Singapore government has been put in a tough spot in on whether or not it should intervene in saving citizens’ losses.
US Economy: Barack Hussein Obama Wins US Presidential Election
La Grande, OR, 4 Nov 2008. “The issue of economics is not something I’ve understood as well as I should.” These very words, uttered by Senator John McCain came back to haunt him.
US Subprime: History of the Credit Crunch and Credit Crisis – Confidence
Geneva, 3 Nov 2008. In the third part of this series, we look at the role confidence plays in financial markets.
Thai Economy: Trading Rice for Oil with Iran
Bangkok, 31 Oct 2008. In an effort to address credit, food, and oil woes, Thailand and Iran are planning to barter rice and oil.
Japanese Economy: Carry Trade Becoming Dangerous
Tokyo, 30 Oct 2008. Will the impending economic slowdown spell an end to the Japanese carry trade?
US Subprime: History of the Credit Crunch and Credit Crisis – Bursting the Bubble
Geneva, 29 Oct 2008. In the second part of this series, we examine how the bubble burst with the fall of AIG and Lehman Bros.
World Economy: Price of Oil Drops
Singapore, 28 Oct 2008. While many of us are worried over impending recessions and uncertainty in the financial markets worldwide, we do have one thing to be happy about: Lower petrol prices.
South Korean Economy: Economy Slows with Lower Exports and a Declining GDP
Seoul, 24 Oct. As economies slow worldwide, export-driven South Korea announces it is officially now one of them, reporting decreased exports and declining gross domestic product figures.
US Subprime: History of the Credit Crunch and Credit Crisis – Inflating the Bubble
Geneva, 23 Oct. In this multi-part series, we uncover the events that led to the subprime credit crunch, and analyze future financial prospects. This first installment explains how the bubble inflated.
Indian Economy: India Ranked 70 in World Prosperity Index
New Delhi, 22 Oct. India has made tremendous progress since opening its doors to foreign investment and trade. But it still has a long way to go.
US Economy: Another Stimulus Package?
New York, 21 Oct. Discussions have begun for this year’s second stimulus package to help the ailing US economy.
China Economy: Growth Slows to 9%
Beijing, 19 Oct. Most countries can only dream of 9% growth rates, but for China that’s bad news. Growth is slowing in the world’s fourth biggest economy.
US Economy: The new President will Face Massive Economic Challenges
New York, 17 Oct. Whichever US presidential candidate makes it into office will face massive economic hurdles.
World Economy: Stock Markets Worldwide CrashÂ…Again
Singapore, 16 Oct 2008. Now we know the answer to Monday’s question: No, the markets will not hold their recovery.
US Economy: Treasury Persuades US Banks to Sell Shares
New York, 15 Oct 2008. Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson cajoled the nine largest banks in the US to sell $250 billion of shares yesterday, but not everybody is happy.
World Economy: Markets Recover after European Rescue Plans Announced
Tokyo, 14 Oct 2008. Major markets were up more than 11% after losing almost as much in the past week following news of European plans to resuscitate credit.
US Economy: An End to the US Dollar?
New York, 13 Oct 2008. German, Russian, Iranian, and Venezuelan leaders have all warned that the US dollar will not be the global currency standard in the future.
Asian Economy: Rates are Cut but Panic Ensues and Markets Crash
Singapore, 10 Oct 2008. Ever since this massive financial crisis began, the Asian markets have been up and down. Investors still aren’t sure how the recent bailout plans are going to affect them in Asia.
US Economy: Obama McCain Debate
Nashville, 9 Oct 2008. Popular polls say Obama won the recent presidential debate, and much of his success could be attributed to the current economy.
European Economy: Hit Hard by US Financial Crisis
London, 8 Oct 2008. The European economy has been affected by the financial crisis in the US, with Germany and Iceland being the hardest hit.
India Economy: Outsourcing Alive and Well
New Delhi, 7 Oct 2008. There may be global uncertainty overall but Indian outsourcing is not in any immediate danger.
US Economy: $700 Billion Bill Passed but More Measures Needed
New York, 6 Oct 2008. Friday’s $700 billion bailout plan is designed to create credit liquidity in the market, but is it enough to restore confidence?
Russia Economy: Effects of the US Financial Crisis in Russia
Moscow, 2 Oct 2008. In the aftermath of the Dow collapse and failure for the $700 billion bill to pass through Congress, the world is reacting differently. In this installment, we examine Russia’s condition.
China Economy: Effects of the US Financial Crisis in China
Beijing, 1 Oct 2008. China and the rest of Asia have fared remarkably well despite Monday’s Dow plummet of 777 points. Although yesterday before the markets had closed we reported that the impact on India was considerable, the Indian markets closed with gains.
India Economy: Effects of the US Financial Crisis in India
New Delhi, 30 Sep 2008. It is often said that when the US sneezes the rest of the world catches a cold. This three-part series looks at how India, China, and Russia have been affected by the US financial crisis.
Singapore Economy: F1 a Success but more Tourism Needed
Singapore, 29 Sep 2008. The Singapore Grand Prix contributed to revive tourism in the country, but more has to be done if Singapore is to sustain healthy tourism figures in the future.
World Economy: Hungry Emerging-Market Firms Compete
Beijing, 26 Sep 2008. Firms from developing nations are rising to the top of global business, even acquiring the biggest and best from the west.
US Economy: $700 Billion Bailout Imminent but Opposed
New York, 25 Sep 2008. The past few weeks have made history in the financial markets. Some say the only way to recovery is through a government bailout, while others oppose it.
World Economy: Six Investing Pointers during a Volatile Market
Singapore, 23 Sep 2008. The recent turmoil in the markets has left investors unsure what to expect and how to react. The six points in this piece provide a rational approach to investing during such turbulent times.
China: Post-Olympic Economic Future Challenging
Beijing, 19 Sep 2008. Olympic excitement has worn off, and now the country is back to reality. Despite having organized the biggest, costliest, and most-publicized Olympic Games ever, with nary a hiccup, economic worries are setting in.
World Economy: Market Troubles can be seen as Opportunities
Singapore, 18 Sep 2008. No doubt the recent market swoon has unnerved a lot of people. It wouldn’t be surprising if pretty soon people started stocking up on rice and canned soup.
Iraq: Economy Recovering, Iraqi Property Market Booming
Baghdad, 17 Sep 2008. The economy of Iraq is slowly starting to recover after years of war and instability.
Banking: The Fed, the Banks, and the Buyers – who is to Blame?
New York, 16 Sep 2008. The financial meltdown has hit an all-time low with Fannie May and Freddie Mac being bailed out by the government and Lehman Brothers collapsing. Who is to blame?
Pakistan Economy: The Country’s new President Zardari Faces Major Economic Challenges
Karachi, 15 Sep 2008. Zardari, the controversial new president, has seen his share of troubles – and now he has a whole nation’s set of problems to fix.
US Economy: Oil Profits Rise as Corporate America Declines
Cheyenne, 12 Sep 2008. The increasing cost of oil over the past few years, has been hard on consumers. But it has been good for many Big Oil companies.
US Economy: Palin’s Alaska Drilling at the Cost of the Environment
Anchoarage, 11 Sep 2008. When John McCain announced his vice-presidential running-mate, Alaskan Governor Sara Palin, not many Americans had heard of her. But now she is a household name, with controversy surrounding her family life, religious views, and oil-drilling agenda.
North Korea: Who says they don’t want Foreign Investment?
Seoul, 10 Sep 2008. While North Korea may be closed-off to the rest of the world, the nation is seeking foreign investment – but it has a lot of convincing to do.
World Economy: Will Globalization Polarization Change what we Thought we knew about Outsourcing?
Singapore, 9 Sep 2008. Now we may be seeing reverse globalization in certain sectors, while others will only continue to use outsourcing as the cheaper alternative.
US Subprime: Government Bailout and its Effects
New Delhi, 8 Sep 2008. The US government has announced its bailout of Freddie Mac and Fannie May. How will this affect markets?
Asian Currencies: Why are Asian Foreign Reserves so Massive?
Singapore, 5 Sep 2008. Foreign reserves in various Asian countries are enormous, and they are getting bigger. What does this mean to the rest of the world and the global economic landscape as a whole?
Indian Agriculture: What is the Economic Effect of the Flooding in Bihar?
Patna, 4 Sep 2008. Recent flooding in India has been disastrous for millions. And while this may not significantly affect the Indian economy, it is affecting the economies of hundreds of villages.
China: Shanghai vs. Beijing – Financial Rivals
Beijing, 3 Sep 2008. Shanghai may be the most cosmopolitan city in China. Beijing, however, has gained unparalleled global exposure from the Olympics. Which can emerge as China’s preeminent metropolis?
US Economy: GDP Increase of 3.3% – What does it Mean?
New York, 2 Sep 2008. Seemingly never-ending woes about oil, war, and inflation have had the world bracing for recessions and hard economic times in general. But the US has experienced an unexpectedly high annualized growth rate of 3.3% in Q2.
Energy: How the T. Boone Pickens Plan may have the Water and Wind Power Solution the US Needs
Dallas, 1 Sep 2008. If you’ve ever played the board game Monopoly you would have noticed one of the most strategic moves is to own both the utilities companies: Water Works and Electric Company. T. Boone Pickens seems to be well on his way to doing just that.
GDP and Olympic Medals: What is the Relationship?
Beijing, 29 Aug 2008. At any Olympic games, the big powerful countries always seem to win. How were the Beijing games any different? Were GDP and winnings comparable?
Spanish Property: The Effects of its Collapse
Vic, 28 Aug 2008. Foreign property investment has underpinned the Spanish property market in past years, but will it collapse in the face of the global economic downturn?
Oil, Food, and Inflation: How they are Interlinked
Singapore, 27 Aug 2008. In the last decade, the world has seen tremendous growth, and in the past five years, world GDP has outpaced inflation – but all that is changing now.
Economic Policy: Obama vs. McCain
Denver, 25 Aug 2008. The tightly-contested presidential race between Barack Obama and John McCain may ultimately boil down to one issue: Economic policy. The subprime mortgage crisis and the increasing cost of gasoline have contributed to the widespread escalating economic worry and fears of recession. How does each candidate address the most pressing economic issues?
Zimbabwe Economy: Inflation, Famine and Instability
Harare, 20 Aug 2008. Zimbabwe has been experiencing ridiculous inflation, widespread famine, social instability and an uncompetitive economy. What was the cause of these disastrous conditions, and what can be done to avoid them in the future?
Indian Economy: High Inflation, Slower Growth, an Indian Economy of Gloom?
New Delhi, 19 Aug 2008. Some Indians believe that India is protected from the economic hardships of the outside world, but With inflation reaching 12.44% in August 2008 India suddenly seems human.
Energy: Russia, Georgia & Azerbaijan – Linked & Divided by Oil Pipelines
Baku, 15 Aug 2008. Why was Russia so quick to attack Georgia? What will be the result of Russia bombing the BTC pipeline that runs through Georgia? And what can we learn from history if we look at Azerbaijan’s troubles in the region?
EconomyWatch Special Report – The Global Carbon Market
The worldwide carbon market developed as a response to the threat of climate change caused by the excessive emission of greenhouse gases, and in particular carbon. Today 182 countries are working to limit carbon emissions, although the biggest polluter, the USA, has yet to ratify the accord.
Investing: Are There any Bright Spots left for Investors?
New York, 12 Aug 2008. 2006 and 2007 were particularly good years for most investors, with emerging markets powering ahead the world over, and developed nations bolstered by rising stock and property markets. If 2006 and 2007 were particularly good, 2008 has been particularly bad.
Sports Industry: The Economics of the Olympics
Beijing, 8 Aug 2008. The Beijing Olympics will be the most expensive ever hosted. After the last medals are given out and everyone goes home, what will the impact be on the Chinese economy?
UK Economy: UK on the Precipice of Recession
London, 6 Aug 2008. The latest UK economic data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) continues to be gloomy, and points the way to a recession could kick in this year. If the economy does contract this quarter as most analysts expect, it would be the first time it has done so since 1992.
World Economy: Where Now for WTO World Trade Talks
New Delhi, 5 Aug 2008. After the break up come the recriminations. The World Trade Organization (WTO) Doha Round trade talks in Geneva had been billed as a last ditch effort to save the talks. When they failed, fingers were pointed.
Energy: The Price of Oil
London, 1 Aug 2008. Crude oil has dropped from its mid-July high of $147 to $123 as of 1 August 2008. Is this merely a Fibonnaci Correction on the way to ever higher prices, or has the air been let out of the oil-dot com bubble?
EconomyWatch Special Report – Surge of Interest in Methods of Reducing Petrol and Gasoline Costs
Sky high oil prices are leading to a lot of innovation in the world of energy efficiency, with new methods to extract hydrogen from water and mix it with petrol & gasoline attracting a lot of attention.
Latin America Economy: Latin Amercian Growth Slowing – But Still a Safe Haven for Investors
Rio de Janeiro, 28 July 2008. Latin American growth is slowing thanks to rising inflation, with the causes of its economic growth over the last few years threatening to derail its efforts. It remains attractive as a region to investors, however, thanks to its positive carry trade.
Japan Economy: Japan Exports Fall for First Time in Five Years
Tokyo, 25 Jul 2008. Amid further worrying signs of a global slowdown, Japan’s export figures have fallen for the first time in five years, led by big drops in US and European orders.
Vietnam Economy: Vietnam Grapples with 27% Inflation Rate and Collapsing Markets
Hanoi, 24 Jul 2008. Vietnam is battling with 27% annual inflation and a stock market that has fallen 47% this year alone.
Indian Economy: Update – History Will See This as a Crucial Milestone for India
New Delhi, 23 Jul 2008. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has won the No Confidence vote. Despite the sully of vote buying allegations, being able to push through the US-India Nuclear Deal is a milestone.
World Economy: Last Chance for WTO Negotiations in Geneva
Geneva, 22 Jul 2008. The World Trade Organisation is about to start last-ditch Doha round negotiations in Geneva. Success could add $1 trillion to the world economy, but is far from assured.
Indian Economy: Why Risk Office Over a Nuclear Deal?
New Delhi, 21 Jul 2008. Frantic deal-making is in play ahead of Tuesday’s no confidence vote. Why is the Prime Minister ready to stake everything to try and push through the India-US nuclear deal?
India Special Report – The Wealth Tax
An EconomyWatch.com India Special. What the Wealth Tax is, what is it covers & excludes, and how it is assessed.
Chinese Economy: Chinese Economic Growth Slows – But Still Over 10%
Shanghai, 18 July 2008. China’s economic growth has slowed to 10.1% in Q2 2008 – a problem that most governments in the world would love to have right now.
World Economy: IMF Revises World Economic Growth Forecasts
New York, 18 July 2008. The IMF has revised its world GDP growth forecasts to 4.1% in 2008 and 3.9% in 2009.
Singapore Economy: Good Prospects for Singapore Property Despite Global Economic Slowdown
Singapore, 17 July 2008. The Singapore property market was the fastest growing last year and indicators are good for the mid term.
Australian Economy: Australia Plans to Start Carbon Market in 2010
Sydney, 17 July 2008. Australia has announced plans to create an official carbon emissions trading market, which will launch in 2010.
UK Economy: UK House Sales Slump
London. 16 July 2008. The UK property market is posting some of its worst numbers on record; lowest number of transactions, biggest drop in prices, most sellers to buyers and largest amount of unsold stock on hand.
US Economy: Frannie & Freddie – Differing Views from Krugman and Rogers
New York, 15 July 2008. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have in effect received a government bailout. Krugman believes it is to be expected but Rogers has blasted the move.
Indian Economy: Indian Inflation Rate Through the Roof
New Delhi, 15 July. Indian inflation, as measured by the Wholesale Price Index, has reached 11.89%, almost three times the RBI’s target and the highest figure in 13 years.
Renewable Energy News
Al Gore Urges Complete Shift to Renewable Energy in 10 Years
Use Crops for Biofuel and Biodiesel: Agribusiness
T Boone Pickens Plan: Increase Use of Renewable Energy
UK Households Face Rising Energy Bills
UK Energy Efficiency Could Save Billions
Florida Green Program Terminated
Iberdrola Renewables Sells Entire Output of Yet-To-Be-Build Dry Lake Wind Project
Scrap Tarriff on Chian Energy Saving Lightbulbs: Retailers to EU
Makati Police Cars to Run on Booking Oil: Manila, Philippines
Massachusetts Biofuel Policy: Governor Mandates Biofuel Use by 2010
Artic Circle Holds 90bn Barrels of Oil
Oncor Wind Energy Transmission
Petrobras Opens Biofuel Plants in Brazil
Philippines Geothermal Project
Raser Technologies Goethermal Power Plant
UK Accused of Blocking EU Green Plan
Renewable Energy Bill Fails in the Senate
SEPA Top 10: Solar Electric Power Assocation Top 10
India Energy Policy: India Must Move from Fossil Fuels to SOlar and Nuclear Energy
Vulcan Power Funded by Debnam Capital
Baker Hughes News and Investing
Evergreen Solar News and Investing
Lucas Energy News and Investing
Ormat Technologies News and Investing
Sempra Energy News and Investing
Suntech Power News and Investing
