The week began with a mini rally in equity markets due to reports that top officials from Russia, Qatar, Venezuela and most importantly Saudi Arabia, had agreed in principle to freeze oil output at the level achieved in January. The meeting had resulted from the financial hardship, that was being caused by crude dipping to prices not seen since 2003. This was causing investors to abandon oil in droves. The two biggest producers are Saudi Arabia and Russia, with daily oil output at […]
Global Investing Blog
Weekly Market Review & Target Fills February Week 2
The week began with global equity markets in retreat, on fears of further recession growing across the world. It followed the poor job creation performance in the United States released last Friday. Although official unemployment is at 4.9% only 151,000 were created last month, when 190,000 was expected. The main driver of news this week was again the price of crude and the effect it was having on world markets. On Thursday, rising oil inventories brought American WTI (West Texas Intermediate) to below […]
More Economic Trouble For The BRICS Ahead Part 2
The only nation in the BRICS that has a rising economy at this time is India. Although China is still growing, it is doing so at a much lower rate. Both statistics of GDP (Gross Domestic Product) as reported by their governments, have been called into question by numerous analysts. The other three nations that comprise the BRICS are Brazil, Russia and South Africa. There are all experiencing tremendous economic and financial disruptions at this time, that has totally derailed growth. India […]
More Economic Trouble For The BRICS Ahead Part 1
As what often happens in the economic and political development of nations, actual events intrude upon the fiction of what many would like to believe is the future. Just a few years ago the rise of a number of nations known collectively as the BRICS, were supposed to massively change the international global dynamic. Labeled as such in 2001, the emergence of these nations was going to dramatically alter the balance of world power. The BRICS are compromised of the nations of […]
Weekly Market Review & Target Fills – February Week 1
This week was mostly watching global markets rise and fall in tandem to crude oil prices. This was especially the case in the United States. Record high inventories, the result of a world output exceeding demand by over 1 million barrels a day, should of kept prices moving downward or at least stable. Instead prices fluctuated wildly, on rumors and pronouncements on possible production cuts. Instability in the energy markets have brought WTI (West Texas Intermediate) American priced oil, back above $32.00 […]
France In A State Of Emergency
France with the second largest economy in Europe, has continued in economic stagnation for four years. There are a number of external factors that weigh heavily on growth for the French economy. However, much of what has been allowed to develop inside the country, is responsible for the dismal economic and investment performance of the nation. As an acknowledgment of the crisis taking hold of the country, President Hollande has now declared a state of economic and social emergency. The French economy […]
South Korea: Astounding Wealth With Precarious Security
What the people of South Korea have managed to create in the past generation is simply astonishing. Through targeted investment, the country has been transformed from a simple mostly agrarian based society, to an economic behemoth that has developed trade ties and business contact around the world. Recognized as one of the Asian Tigers along with Hong Kong, Singapore and Taiwan, it is one of the most incredible success stories of the late 20th and early 21st centuries. From humble beginnings, the […]
Vietnam Has Reached A Crossroad For The Future
It is difficult to develop a modern technological savvy economy without a progressive and forward moving society. Authoritarian regimes always end up in the dilemma of government control versus growth. Vietnam has arrived at this critical juncture. The country is developing rapidly and is opening up to the West, but the authorities in power are unwilling to let go of the vise they have on the citizenry and the economy at large. A growing number of companies, multinationals and even individual investors […]
Elections Open A New Economic Path In Taiwan, But Raises Tensions With China
The national elections in Taiwan also known as the Republic of China in the middle of January, are now going to move this island nation in a new direction. The complete victory of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) founded in 1986, will ensure that. The vision is to restore the former economic Asian tiger to its former identity. The DPP did control the presidency from 2000 to 2008, but never had a majority in the legislature. The recent electoral results will provide the incoming […]
The Collapse In Oil Prices Is Destabilizing World Markets
International oil prices have been dropping precipitously in recent weeks. It is causing havoc among the energy industry and especially those nations that have become overly reliant on income derived from the sale of crude. During the last 18 months, a barrel of oil has dipped in price by more than 70%. Valuation has dropped by 20% in 2016 alone. It is becoming one of the worst crashes in the post World War II era. The cost has now dropped to a […]