Well if we thought it is the end of recession now, there are lots to ponder over.
US started it all with its subprime and free dollars.
Indian real estate has already been fed about 60 Billion by foreign remittances in this year alone from NRIS, who are now investing in Indian Real Estate - May be another Bubble in the rising
Dubai Debt Crisis
China pushing up the Commodity prices
Japan's new $81 billion stimulus program, after the earlier trillion dollar programs didn't work. So trying the same thing again and in false hopes. Like someone said about the computer novice who repeats the same actions which didn't work before in the false hope that next time it is going to work.
Greece & Spain of the infamous 'PIGS' (unlike the BRIC countries) (PIGS also includes Portugal & Ireland), whose soverign debt is on Creditwatch negative by Standard & Poor. (http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/markets/credit-ratings-agency-standard-poors-lowers-outlook-on-spain-to-negative/story-e6frg926-1225808872170)
Venezuela on a Banking crisis (http://www.businessweek.com/bwdaily/dnflash/content/dec2009/db2009129_922314.htm).
UK, whose economy has been ravaged by growing debts and ruined Banks that it may be following in the footsteps of Japan's Lost Decade of the 1990's, as per NYT. (http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/21/business/global/21pound.html)
North Korea, redenominated its currency for the first time in 50 years and limited how much old money could be traded for new, likely wiping out millions of residents' savings and much of the cash used in market activities frowned upon by its authoritarian government (http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125963843649570793.html).
Vietnam devalues its currency (http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125912411180263533.html).
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Friday, December 4, 2009
Exchange of Technology & Knowhow
Somalian Pirates setting up a Stock Exchange to manage their investments;
Goldman top executives are stocking up on Guns to guard themselves against any possible public outrising.
May be they can help each other!!!
Goldman top executives are stocking up on Guns to guard themselves against any possible public outrising.
May be they can help each other!!!
Somali sea gangs lure investors at pirate lair |
HARADHEERE, Somalia (Reuters) - In Somalia's main pirate lair of Haradheere, the sea gangs have set up a cooperative to fund their hijackings offshore, a sort of stock exchange meets criminal syndicate. Heavily
http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE5B01Z920091201HARADHEERE, Somalia (Reuters) - In Somalia's main pirate lair of Haradheere, the sea gangs have set up a cooperative to fund their hijackings offshore, a sort of stock exchange meets criminal syndicate. Heavily
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601039&sid=ahD2WoDAL9h0
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Bubble City or a Bubble!
It was a spoof, building a Bubble City in Dubai. Did it turn out true into a Bubble instead!!
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Why look for Bubbles, Just look at Skyscrapers !!!
As per the Skyscraper Index, a concept put forward in January 1999 by Andrew Lawrence, research director at Dresdner Kleinwort Wasserstein, all major economic catastrophes are preceded by the building of tallest skyscrapers.
And the latest in line is Burj Dubai at 2087 ft, and Shanghai World Financial Center presently the tallest at 1614ft.
http://www.moneyweek.com/news-and-charts/economics/a-recession-indicator-thats-hard-to-miss.aspx
http://mises.org/journals/scholar/Thornton4.pdf
Monday, November 30, 2009
The FP Top 100 Global Thinkers
Joke of the Year.
The FP Top 100 Global Thinkers - Bernanke at No1; Obama at No.2;
for fixing the US Economy. True they really succeeded in fixing it! Unemployment in US- official 10%, unofficial 20% or near abouts. growth -ve or zero. A little confused, there. No. of US Banks failing every month in double digits. Gold and other commodities gains in value in an unprecedented manner, more so since there is no currency, which world can depend on anymore.
These days, everyone gets garlanded for their intentions, and not for what they have achieved, starting with the Nobel Peace prize.
Foreign Policy's First Annual List of the 100 Top Global Thinkers | Foreign Policy
The FP Top 100 Global Thinkers - Bernanke at No1; Obama at No.2;
for fixing the US Economy. True they really succeeded in fixing it! Unemployment in US- official 10%, unofficial 20% or near abouts. growth -ve or zero. A little confused, there. No. of US Banks failing every month in double digits. Gold and other commodities gains in value in an unprecedented manner, more so since there is no currency, which world can depend on anymore.
These days, everyone gets garlanded for their intentions, and not for what they have achieved, starting with the Nobel Peace prize.
Foreign Policy's First Annual List of the 100 Top Global Thinkers | Foreign PolicyThe Zen-like chairman of the U.S. Federal Reserve might not have topped the list solely for turning his superb academic career into a blueprint for action, for single-handedly reinventing the role of a central bank, or for preventing the collapse of the U.S. ...
Shifting sands for Dubai's property dream
"In 2008, it was announced that the new Palazzo Versace hotel in Dubai would have a beach which featured refrigerated sand. At the moment the only people getting cold feet are the people looking to invest in Dubai. And while that situation continues, many of Dubai's construction projects will remain on ice."
It uses as much electricity as an entire city. And every time the toilet is flushed they've got to pump water half a mile into the sky," Jim Krane, author of "City of Gold: Dubai and the Dream of Capitalism".
It uses as much electricity as an entire city. And every time the toilet is flushed they've got to pump water half a mile into the sky," Jim Krane, author of "City of Gold: Dubai and the Dream of Capitalism".
Monday, November 9, 2009
It is a "Prisoner's Dilemma"
It is a "Prisoner's Dilemma" - for China and many other countries having huge reserves in USD. If they withdraw funds from US, the USD loses value and their reserves in USD gets hit. If not, in any case USD loses value and your funds gets hit. And the country which acts first by withdrawing from USD loses the least, b...ut gets punished by the US. And if it doesn't withdraw, in any case it loses its assets.Read more
China doesn't look much better off!!
“same boat, mutual help” (help one another, we’re all in the same boat)
—Chinese saying.
The biggest mall in the world is not the famous Mall of America in Bloomington, Minn. It’s the South China Mall outside of Guangzhou, China.
And four years after its construction, the mall sits virtually empty of both shops and shopp...ers.
The Hummer which marked the end of GM is being bought by China’s Sichuan Tengzhong Heavy
Industrial Machinery Co.
China doesn't look much better off!!Read more
—Chinese saying.
The biggest mall in the world is not the famous Mall of America in Bloomington, Minn. It’s the South China Mall outside of Guangzhou, China.
And four years after its construction, the mall sits virtually empty of both shops and shopp...ers.
The Hummer which marked the end of GM is being bought by China’s Sichuan Tengzhong Heavy
Industrial Machinery Co.
China doesn't look much better off!!Read more
Source: www.energybulletin.net
If you plan for a year, plant a seed. If for ten years, plant a tree. If for a hundred years, teach the people. When you sow a seed once, you will reap a single harvest. When you teach the people, you will reap a hundred harvests.—Kuan-Tzu (Taoist, died 645 BC)
"The Dragon spews fire at the Elephant"
""There was a time when
the Sandhurst-trained Indian military personnel retired to the cool hill
stations and spent the sunset of their lives playing bridge or going for long
walks and regaling their visitors with their wartime stories while sipping
wh...isky.
Nowadays, the smart ones among the retired generals and top bureaucrats take up
residence in Delhi's suburbs and overnight transform themselves into "strategic
thinkers".""
"The Dragon spews fire at the Elephant"Read more
the Sandhurst-trained Indian military personnel retired to the cool hill
stations and spent the sunset of their lives playing bridge or going for long
walks and regaling their visitors with their wartime stories while sipping
wh...isky.
Nowadays, the smart ones among the retired generals and top bureaucrats take up
residence in Delhi's suburbs and overnight transform themselves into "strategic
thinkers".""
"The Dragon spews fire at the Elephant"Read more
Source: atimes.com
Asia Times Online. The Asia News Hub providing the latest news and analysis regarding economics, events and trends in business, economy and politics throughout Asia.
Bubble in bubbles - time to close bar
Bubble in bubbles - time to close bar:
Looks like superficial arguments. Positively true for China. But unlikely where India is concerned.
"Asset prices are being driven more by unusually low interest rates than economic fundamentals": where, in India !!!
BloombergUTV: Expert Opinion, Stock Market Expert Columns, Market Expert Interviews, Expert Financia
Source: www.bloombergutv.com
Know more about market with market experts as BloombergUTV.com offers market expert views, expert opinion, stock expert columns, market expert interviews, expert financial advice, stock market expert blogs.
Berkshire on US economy!
"There's a German saying: Man is too soon old and too late smart. We were too late smart. We finally realized that railroads now have a huge competitive advantage, with double stacked railcars, guided by computers, moving more and more production from China, etc. They have a big advantage over truckers in huge classes ...of business." Berkshire co-Chairman Charlie Munger's comment a couple of year back.
Read this along side Buffets statement "an all-in wager on the economic future of the United States".
Do we presume Berkshire believes American economy will be more and more dependent on moving products from China.
Read this along side Buffets statement "an all-in wager on the economic future of the United States".
Do we presume Berkshire believes American economy will be more and more dependent on moving products from China.
Very Un Buffetly!!
3 reasons - 1. The man who says he hates derivatives, used also derivatives ( selling puts) as a way of investing in the railroad industry, BNSF (BNI). 2. Says in his own words "an all-in wager on the economic future of the United States" 3. The man who never agreed to split the Berkshire share, agree...s to a 50:1 split. Is it really a spit or splintering!!!
When the firm has a huge amount of money to invest, it is difficult to find an industry which can last more than 20 years, especially in present day US.Read more
3 reasons - 1. The man who says he hates derivatives, used also derivatives ( selling puts) as a way of investing in the railroad industry, BNSF (BNI). 2. Says in his own words "an all-in wager on the economic future of the United States" 3. The man who never agreed to split the Berkshire share, agree...s to a 50:1 split. Is it really a spit or splintering!!!
When the firm has a huge amount of money to invest, it is difficult to find an industry which can last more than 20 years, especially in present day US.Read more
Source: online.wsj.com
Berkshire Hathaway agreed to buy the portion of Burlington Northern railroad it doesn't already own for $26 billion in cash and stock. The acquisition would be the largest ever for Warren Buffett's
India beats china to it!
“The biggest single central-bank purchase that we know about for at least 30 years in such a short period,”
It is not as much like "it showed large buyers are ready to accept the current price levels", but more like compared to holding USD reserves, it may be wiser holding gold.
Source: www.bloomberg.com
Gold jumped to a record after India’s central bank bought 200 metric tons of the metal from the International Monetary Fund, heightening speculation that there may be more official purchases.
More on India buying gold from IMF.
When one is buying and another selling, it doesn't increase price. If a hype is made, and many more want to buy, and there is not enough available at that price, then only a bubble is created. And now may be a hype is being created.
http://www.bloombergutv.com/experts-opinions/market-experts-column/659/india_shows_hedge_fund_savvy_with_gold_buy.html
More on India buying gold from IMF.
When one is buying and another selling, it doesn't increase price. If a hype is made, and many more want to buy, and there is not enough available at that price, then only a bubble is created. And now may be a hype is being created.
http://www.bloombergutv.co
Saturday, July 25, 2009
Nice little conspiracy theory
What a nice little conspiracy theory. If only it can be true, there are much faster computers, and better software programmers than Goldman Sachs can command!!!
Ever expanding cost of Bailout
As the days pass the reported cost of Bailout is ever expanding!! It has reached 23.7 trillion dollars now, as per Neil Barofsky, "special inspector general for the Treasury’s Troubled Asset Relief Program".
What a title!!
That is almost double the total economic output of USA, it is said.
What Pravda and Putin said one month back, now Rogers says !!
What Pravda and Putin said one month back, now Rogers says !!
What Pravda and Putin said one month back, now Rogers says !!
The World's Largest Heart Factory
“The mortality rate in Narayana Hrudyalaya is much lower than in New York State for similar kinds of heart disease,” says University of Michigan’s C.K. Prahalad. The hospital has been discussed extensively in his 2004 bestseller, The Fortune at the Bottom of the Pyramid. It has also become a case study at Harvard Business School. Adds Kokila P. Doshi, professor of Economics at University of San Diego’s business .....
More on Goldman Sachs
More on Goldman Sachs -
The bank's Lucas Van Prag hit back, calling the article an "hysterical compilation of conspiracy theories".
He went on to ask why Goldman Sachs hadn't been implicated in the shooting of JFK and faking the moon landing.
More to the point he said the bank "rejects the assertion that we are inflators of bubbles and profiteers in busts".
Real war of words there!
How much risk can you take?
How much risk can you take? Well if there is someone as big as US govt to bail you out is there any limit?
Its bankers and traders are sometimes referred to as the Bandits of Broad Street. An executive at a rival bank characterized Goldman traders as “orcs,” the warlike creatures of Middle Earth in Tolkien’s “The Lord of the Rings.”
The FM with no vision
The FM with no vision. Or could not demonstrate any during the Budget speech. And to imagine that he had almost 50 Crores worth of Ad space per TV Channel (taking into consideration that the Budget speech lasted for almost 2 full hours). And PSU'S with lot to hide in their accounts. But still the country with a BBB- rating attracts the most FDI growth rate in 2008. (60% when almost all had collapsed).
UNCTAD.ORG >> Press >> Global Foreign Direct Investment now in decline -- and estimated to have fall
Source: www.unctad.org
Home page of the Press section.
More of the banks which failed
More of the banks which failed. 52 banks that failed in 2009, most of them in April to July 2009. That is 50% out of all banks that has failed since 2000. About 25% of them since April 2009, which is almost equal to the no of Banks which had failed during the period from 2000 to 2008.
Oh, more of AAA bonds and the ghost of Goldman Sachs (bonds) rules!
Oh, more of AAA bonds and the ghost of Goldman Sachs rules!! From Baa2 (junk) to AAA. After all they say, what's in a name.
May be BBB- is better than AAA
An AAA for US and a BBB- for India. And to think that they had given AAA rating to AIG in Aug/Sep 2008 just before it had to be bailed out. Oh, these Credit Rating agencies! May be BBB- is better than AAA.
Are Chinese Banks like the apartments they make?
Are Chinese Banks like the apartments they make?
Read the link given here.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/comment/ambroseevans_pritchard/5675198/Chinas-banks-are-an-accident-waiting-to-happen-to-every-one-of-us.html
Will the Black Swan dance again or will it be the swan song?
Will the Black Swan dance again or will it be the swan song?
He hit the jackpot thrice, first as trader in the 1987 Black Monday stock market crash, then with Empirica in the Tech stock crash, 2000 and now with Universa in 2008.
Does it mean that he will be right a fourth time?
The times when Bachelors did'nt have the right to vote
The times when Bachelors did'nt have the right to vote and had to pay extra taxes.
Benjamin Franklin “a man without a wife is but half a man.” !!
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Chrome, Chromium or Iron
Chrome, Chromium, Iron - No I am talking about browsers, not metallurgy, they are all one of a feather. if you like Chrome, and is bothered about privacy and Google using your browsing data, then Iron is a good one to try.
Weak or Strong Currency - Good for Any Country
"It is painful for the exporters, but look at the other side of the coin -- the consumers. A strong currency is good for a country; it's not bad for a country. They shouldn't just be beholden to the exporters. They should listen to the consumers, who are going to gain undoubtedly because of the strong currency." Wharton finance professor Jeremy Siegel in an old article. How true & relevant even today.
Democracy or Rule of Law (Constitution)
First time we're not sure whether democracy is right or constitution is right: Whether democracy means no rules hold: Or changing goal posts while the match is ending is OK: coup in Honduras.
Friday, June 26, 2009
And now wash clothes without water
And now wash clothes without water, or at least with negligible water
The biggest emerging economies are rebounding
The biggest emerging economies are rebounding, even without recovery in the West
Saturday, June 20, 2009
The diagnosis and the remedy
Wall Street developed a “culture of irresponsibility,” the president said. Lenders didn’t hold on to their loans, but instead sold them off to be repackaged into securities, which in turn were sold to investors who didn’t understand what they were buying. “Meanwhile,” he said, “executive compensation — unmoored from long-term performance or even reality — rewarded recklessness rather than responsibility.”
Friday, June 19, 2009
The first Open Source design car
The first Open Source design car !! No I'm not joking!
Its makers claim that by starting from scratch to build a small, efficient car they can make it commercially viable more quickly than the major auto manufacturers experimenting with adapting more conventional cars to hydrogen. Honda predicts its FCX Clarity hydrogen car will enter mass production in 2018, but Riversimple is aiming to lease its first fleet in 201
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