Investing and Global Finance News

Monthly Archives: July 2011

Reid Out, Compromise In?

With Senator Reid’s bill struck down, many politicians still anticipate a last minute compromise between Democrats and Republicans.  Despite the glimmer of hope from Mitch McConnel, there is a quiet forbodence about where things are in the next 48 hours.

Let me put it this way, despite the claims of compromise, there is a large chance that the Federal gov’t will have some sort of default on Aug. 2nd.  All investors should make the appropriate plans.  Interest rates will rise and the dollar will tank.

Plummeting Euro Stocks

For a third consecutive day there was a drop in European stocks.  This might have been due to the fact that earnings missed estimates from Clariant AC (CLN)  (a Swiss chemical maker) to Merck KGA (MRK) (second largest drug manufacturer in Germany). The former plummeted 13 percent and the latter, 5.1 percent.  Other dives were… Continue Reading

CME Group and Treasury Futures

The CME Group – the world’s “leading and most diverse derivatives marketplace) has increased the price of trading Treasury futures. This, according to a recent Reuters article, is an “effort to curb market swings created by growing fears of a government default.” This latest action comes after CME increased the Treasury futures’ margin requirements.  Usually,… Continue Reading

Spanish Oil in Libya?

Libya’s Political Unrest A report from The Tripoli Post two days ago detailed the sorry situation in Libya as rebels attempt to get rid of the country’s leader,  Muammar Al Qathafi.  They are doing this following “a rule of 41 years.”  The rebels have “appealed to Spanish corporates for financial aid to begin reconstruction of… Continue Reading

Whopping Welsh Investments

Whopping Welsh Investments Over the 2010-11 fiscal year, according to a news article in the Daily Post, Finance Wales (FW) “invested a record £39 million in Welsh businesses.”  However, this led to the company again going over its annual investment budget, with 199 debt and equity investments, rendering the total to over 2,600.Š  To date,… Continue Reading

Australia: Where the Growth Is

Western Australia Wins Based on last month’s CommSec State of the States quarterly report, it seems that hands down, out of the whole country, Western Australia’s economy is the strongest. The way the economic growth test was undertaken was to investigate the following issues: construction work; dwelling commencements; economic growth; equipment investment; housing finance; population… Continue Reading

Stocks Tumble in Early Trading

In an almost eerie omen of what may come if the debt ceiling is not raised on US debt, the DOW Jones tumbled 1.2 percent in early morning trading.  Whether or not stocks pare gains is not as important as the indicator that this reaction to both European debt troubles and stalled negotiations over the… Continue Reading

HTC Buys Its Own Shares

The second largest smartphone manufacturer in Asia, HTC Corp. (2498) is planning on purchasing up to 2.4 percent of its shares.  According to a report in Bloomberg, this move follows a U.S. International Trade Commission rule “that it infringed two Apple Inc. (AAPL) patents.” In practice what does this mean?  While 2.4 percent doesn’t seem… Continue Reading

REDAN and Shelter Afrique Deal

Currently in the midst of negotiations for a $1bn deal is REDAN (Real Estate Developers Association of Nigeria) and Shelter Afrique (a pan-African housing development finance organization).  According to a news article on the subject, he deal – if it all goes through – will lead to the construction of 150,000 “low and medium housing… Continue Reading