At the meeting in Vienna, Austria earlier this month much to the chagrin of a number of the membership in OPEC (Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries). it was decided that limits on output for oil would be abandoned at this point. For awhile it looked like the old limit of 30 million barrels a day would simply be increased by 1.5 million, in order to ratify what was actually already reality. Total exports of crude from member nations was closer to 31.5 […]
The Return Of The Opposition In Venezuela
The tide is finally turning against the leftist populist movement of Chavismo in Venezuela. It has been hemorrhaging support as the economy of the country heads for collapse. Yet the political party founded by Hugo Chavez, has won every election since 1998. Without his stature and the near economic chaos now taking hold of the nation, the possibility for political change has now arrived. Millions of Venezuelans dealing with near catastrophic living conditions in their daily lives and runaway crime, are finally […]
Chinese Yuan To Be Added As A World Reserve Currency By IMF
China is the world’s second largest economy and a leading global investor so the move on November 30th to include the Chinese yuan as a world reserve currency by the IMF (International Monetary Fund)was inevitable. As international demand for the yuan will now increase, the action also continues to undermine the present hegemony of the United States dollar (USD) in global trade. The yuan will join an elite status of currencies that include the American Dollar, the Euro, the Japanese Yen, and […]
An Economic New Beginning In Argentina For Investors
Argentinian voters have tired over the confrontational style and protectionist policies of President Cristina Fernandez, that in the end have impoverished the very people that she purports to want to help. As economic conditions worsened in Latin America’s third largest economy, the government began to fabricate and manipulate the numbers to the point that no one could put any credence in officially posted data. As a result, foreign investors abandoned the country in droves. The endless spending has proved unsustainable with the […]
The Next Financial Crisis: Rising Debt In Emerging Markets
Global growth in emerging markets continues to slow down for a number of reasons which include the collapse in demand for commodities and a rising level of debt that is becoming unmanageable. It is the third financial crisis that began with the collapse of the housing market in the United States, followed by the European debt crisis, which has now moved on to the emerging world. Growth in the developed countries is being constrained by what is now occurring elsewhere. Events and […]
How Terrorism Will Impact The Economy Of Europe
The acts of terrorism in Paris could not come at a worse time for not only France, but the economy of Europe at large. The GDP (Gross Domestic Product) of the European Union (EU) only grew 0.3% in the 3rd quarter, well below what many analysts had expected. Historical low rates of interest and a huge injection of liquidity through quantitative easing, have largely failed to return the continent to growth. The scenes of carnage on the streets of the French capital […]
Germany Leads The Race In Renewable Energy
As a result of a unique set of circumstances, Germany the 4th ranking industrial power globally, has taken the lead in the race for renewable energy among the largest developed nations. It is estimated that the country was able to produce 27% of the domestic electrical demand in 2014 through renewables. These would include the traditional hydroelectrically,but also methane (biomass), solar and wind power. Production of these types of energy has increased 300% in Germany during the last decade alone and has […]
An Economic Recovery Is Increasingly Unlikely In Egypt
As the evidence mounts that the recently downed airliner filled with Russian travelers is a result of a terrorist attack, a chill is permeating through the economically vital Egyptian tourist industry. This sector of the economy, provides 11% of the GDP (Gross Domestic Product). President Sisi of Egypt desperately needs the revenue from foreign visitors, in an economy that is still recovering from the turmoil of the Arab Spring and the brief tenure of the Islamist Mohammed Morsi. The decision by the […]
Turkey Votes For Security and Economic Stability
The ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) just won back control of Parliament which had been lost in June of this year. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had called for the election held on Sunday,when previous attempts to form a coalition government had failed. This summer,was the first time that AKP did not have a majority in thirteen years. The resounding electoral victory strengthens the grip,that President Erdogan has over Turkish politics. It makes him the most influential political leader since Kemal Ataturk,the […]
Turning Of The Political Tide In South America Will Benefit Investors
The tide is turning in South America among some of the most important countries on the continent. Elections in Argentina and political turmoil in Brazil, Chile and Venezuela will at last bring change to the benefit of investors. A presidential election in Peru is now just months away. The near collapse of demand for commodities,has brought a dramatic slowdown in the regional economy. Strategies to promote more growth and investment, have become increasingly more popular among the electorate than the redistribution of […]