Economics/All

May 18, 2012

Economics/All

Zardari gives nod to bank 'autonomy'

Pakistan's President Asif Ali Zardari has approved a bill that should free the central bank from outside interference in formulating and implementing monetary policy. The prospect that the law will curb the government's borrowing habits remains bleak.

- Syed Fazl-e-Haider (Mar 13, '12)

SPEAKING FREELY

China, EU share same ills

The economies of China and the European Union are, in theory, quite different, yet authorities in both Beijing and Brussels are being urged from within to enact reforms that have a disconcerting similarity - and have a similar small likelihood of being adopted.

- Emanuele Scimia (Mar 13, '12)

North Korea's wealth gap

An Occupy Pyongyang movement is unlikely to set up tents in Kim Il-sung Square any time soon. But the same widening inequalities that plague the United States and elsewhere can also be found inside North Korea.

- John Feffer (Mar 13, '12)

THE BEAR'S LAIR

BRICs lose their shine

Only China of the much-lauded "BRIC" countries is (possibly) living up to its fast-growth billing. The economies of Russia, Brazil and India are facing slowing or suspect expansion, and given their political leadership their outlook is far from bright.

- Martin Hutchinson (Mar 13, '12)

Diplomat's murder raises Bangladeshi remittances concern

The future of millions of Bangladeshi overseas workers - and the billions of dollars they send home in remittances - hangs in the balance following the murder in Dhaka last week of Saudi Arabian diplomat Khalaf Al-Ali and the government's failure so far to discover the killer.

- Syed Tashfin Chowdhury (Mar 12, '12)

Trade pact reveals US hunger

The latest round of the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement involving Pacific-rim countries claimed "significant progress", while civil society groups say it is companies, particularly those from the United States, that will benefit, not workers and communities.

- Neena Bhandari (Mar 12, '12)

CREDIT BUBBLE BULLETIN

Now, sterilized QE

The Greek saga has dealt a serious blow to sovereign debt - the bedrock of global finance - and weakened policy makers' credentials. Markets remain sanguine, as "too big to fail" soars to new heights, with little apparent bound to central bank "quantitative easing" interventions.

- Doug Noland (Mar 12, '12)

Bangladesh fumbles in bid to avert crisis

The Bangladesh government's stop-gap measures to stave off economic crisis look increasingly fragile, with foreign currency reserves again declining, fuel bills soaring and payments to international lenders growing apace.

- Syed Tashfin Chowdhury (Mar 09, '12)

Black sheep of finance

Public-sector banking is anethema to high finance in many countries, while it is a feature of fast growing economies such as China and Russia. The opportunity for corruption is one factor - but with the backhanders linked to private banking and weak regulation in the West.

- Ellen Brown (Mar 09, '12)

Indian growth falters along with Congress

The dismal showing of India's ruling Congress party in state elections offers little hope the government will have the strength to push through policies to boost slowing economic growth, seal important trade issues, or curb persistently high inflation that is hurting voters' pockets.

- Robert M Cutler (Mar 08, '12)

Malaysians fear radioactive fallout from Australia deal

A rare-earth refinery could be a boon for Malaysia as industry clamors for these metals after China tightened their export. But the possibility of lax control of the resulting toxic waste - and the history of a similar plant shut down in the 1980s after instances of leukemia - is worrying activists.

- Baradan Kuppusamy (Mar 08, '12)

Beating China, corporate style

The relocation of manufacturers in China to the US, favored by politicians in Washington, raises hopes of improved employment prospects back home - an illusion that masks the decline in US workers' earning power.

- Hannah Gurman (Mar 08, '12)

Banks in front line of nuclear arms campaign

Funding the nuclear weapons industry is good business for the world's leading banks, such as JPMorgan Chase, HSBC, Mistubishi UJF Financial and Banco Santander. That puts power in the hands of institutional investors - and civilians whose savings they use - to join a global push for disarmament.

- Thalif Deen (Mar 08, '12)

Turkey is top priority for Berdimuhamedow

Turkmenistan's President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow made Anakara his first overseas destination following his recent election victory, expanding links across a range of commercial sectors while underlining the important role Turkey now plays as a trading partner to the Central Asian state.

- Robert M Cutler (Mar 07, '12)

Gunvor joins refinery raids

Western Europe's financial-economic crisis exposes its oil-refining industry to Russian acquisitions - with Gunvor, Rosneft, and Lukoil leading the latest expansion into the region's refining sector. Both the strategy and the tactical timing look auspicious.

- Vladimir Socor (Mar 07, '12)

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Zardari gives nod to bank 'autonomy'

SPEAKING FREELY

China, EU share same ills

North Korea's wealth gap

THE BEAR'S LAIR

BRICs lose their shine

Diplomat's murder raises Bangladeshi remittances concern

Trade pact reveals US hunger

CREDIT BUBBLE BULLETIN

Now, sterilized QE

Bangladesh fumbles in bid to avert crisis

Black sheep of finance

Indian growth falters along with Congress

Malaysians fear radioactive fallout from Australia deal

Beating China, corporate style

Banks in front line of nuclear arms campaign

Turkey is top priority for Berdimuhamedow

Gunvor joins refinery raids

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