Its not just people in the street that are starting to feel the pinch. Official data says it too – so it must be true. We’ve noticed price increases in many areas (except housing). Certainly petrol and other oils are up by at least 10% this year so far. And food prices seem to have …
Continue reading The mood has changed, time to face reality.
Category:3 The World of Money
End of credit crunch …?
US Treasury Secretary thinks that it is the “end of the credit crunch“. It is likely that he said “peak” rather than “end”, or meant that anyway. And take that message with caution: yes this may be the peak of the unwinding of the US sub-prime mortgage mess, but unwinding will continue till year end. …
Continue reading End of credit crunch …?
CDP supply chain carbon emmissions
The Carbon Disclosure Project released the findings of its Supply Chain Leadership Collaboration. See the report here and read Social Funds’ review here.
Another Fed rate cut … how low can you go, Ben?
The US Fed cut again from 2.25% to 2%. Now is the time to be reducing rates. But they’ve already come down so much in the past 2-3 quarters, while behaviour of policy makers and fiduciaries remains behind the game. I’m sure Ben would like to have additional room to reduce rates in case stimulation …
Continue reading Another Fed rate cut … how low can you go, Ben?
Beware of greenwash … The Toxic 100
The irony of the Toxic 100 released by Political Economy Research Institute (PERI) at the University of Massachusetts, is that DuPont is at the top of the list but has been one of the stalwarts of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development. The WBCSD is very useful – it offers alot of useful research …
Continue reading Beware of greenwash … The Toxic 100
IMF World Economic Outlook
IMF Predicts Slower World Growth Amid Serious Market Crisis. Global growth will decelerate in 2008, led by a sharp slowdown in the United States, amid a housing correction and a financial crisis that has quickly spread from the U.S. subprime sector to core parts of the financial system, the IMF says in its latest World …
Continue reading IMF World Economic Outlook
The uncomfortable view from the top
Today’s BBC article Thailand’s Wealthy Untouchables touched a nerve. It describes the chasm between rich and poor and the failure of the rich to take responsibility for themselves. It is interesting to see the emotions of the downtrodden becoming visible. And it illustrates the motivation for changing my career a decade ago. When I looked …
Continue reading The uncomfortable view from the top
Bernanke thinks there might be a recession – duh!
“Fed boss says recession possible.” Its a bit worrying when the big cheese is pussyfooting around with language like “we’ll have to wait till the data is in” and “the economy might shrink in the first and second quarter” and ” a recession is a technically defined term” … When the ship is in trouble, …
Continue reading Bernanke thinks there might be a recession – duh!
US planned financial overhaul likely to miss the point
The US Treasury announced plans to overhaul regulation of financial markets once the current turmoil subsides. While this will be beneficial if it motivates fiduciaries to behave better, the approach will not address the underlying failure of financial systems – evaporation of trust. Trust is not built upon regulations but on a culture of integrity. …
Continue reading US planned financial overhaul likely to miss the point
US dollar at new Euro low
The dollar has fallen to a record low against the euro as traders bet that further interest rate cuts will be needed to stem a US recession. And Bernanke may well drop interest rates further. though that does not mean confidence will return in the same way as previously – or should we say “irrational …
Continue reading US dollar at new Euro low