US Debt. No Summer of Love...
China is wagging its finger at the US for its cavalier attitude to its debt problem, equity investors are piling out as QE2 comes to an end; debt bears are warning of a US bond market meltdown; three rating agencies have now taken aim at the US economy and Congress is playing in the sandbox.
Commodities Chaos
The massive commodities sell-off stumped everybody. Financial analysts are still looking for clues as to what caused it. Oil and silver were hardest hit, seemingly without reason. Has the bubble burst or was the market just clearing out the "froth"?
Banking on Rural India
A new breed of financiers is offering alternatives to micro – and bank - finance to rural India's entrepreneurs. These financial organisations are innovating in the way they provide finance and integrated start-up support including incubation, mentoring and management training.
ECB and the Fed: Parting Company?
The European Central Bank and the Federal Reserve Bank appear to have parted company on policy. Europe has decided that inflation is the real danger, while the US is still struggling with sluggish growth and unemployment. Different banks, different demons to fight?
Oil, Food and Riots
A combination of skyrocketing food prices and an oil price being sent ever higher by social upheaval in North Africa is worrying many. In the last twelve months the price of corn has increased by 83%, wheat by 75% and coffee by 85%. Climate change, richer diets, droughts and floods are all contributing to an unstable scenario.
