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Showing 1291 - 1300 of 3072 results for "Benjamin"

Bad news on global activity and prices is the good news

BENJAMIN ONG  |  TUESDAY, 23 FEB 2016
Global economy heading towards contraction, that's the good news A bounce from oversold conditions, short-covering rally, cheapened valuation, or another jump on the price of oil which is a positive for energy companies (and the banks that lent to them) ...

A negative sum game

BENJAMIN ONG  |  MONDAY, 22 FEB 2016
Last week was a happy one for equity markets with most benchmark indices registering sharp gains at the end of five days of trade. Is it now safe to go back in the waters? Or a dead cat bounce? It happened not so long ago, you know -- when the rebound ...

Aussie jobs trend is our friend

BENJAMIN ONG  |  FRIDAY, 19 FEB 2016
Another month, another surprise set of numbers from "6202.0 - Labour Force, Australia". In December, 'twas a positive surprise with Australian employment shedding only 1,000 heads (now revised to just an 800 cut) versus expectations for a 12,500 reduction. ...

Another 6-9 months under Downunder

BENJAMIN ONG  |  THURSDAY, 18 FEB 2016
This is the picture of Australia painted by the latest Westpac-Melbourne Institute leading index of economic activity. The headline index fell to a reading of 97.13 in January from 97.17 in the previous month. This is the index's lowest level on record ...

Dear Chancellor

BENJAMIN ONG  |  WEDNESDAY, 17 FEB 2016
"UK inflation climbs to highest in a year" (Irish Times). "UK inflation nudges up to 12-month high" (Financial Times). "UK inflation gathers steam in January" (Business Spectator). In a world where low and/or declining prices have become the norm, headlines ...

More negatives

BENJAMIN ONG  |  TUESDAY, 16 FEB 2016
The Japanese economy shrinks, the Japanese sharemarket sings hallelujah! If this still doesn't capture the "bad news is good news" meme, we might never, never know what will. The Nikkei-225 index soared by 7.2% at the end of yesterday's trade. It even ...

Gold starts to glisten (like 2008?)

BENJAMIN ONG  |  MONDAY, 15 FEB 2016
Perhaps they're right. Yes, them, the experts who see the current global economic and financial backdrop shaping up to be a repeat of 2008. Early in the New Year George Soros made headlines with the CNBC headline: "Soros: It's the 2008 crisis all over ...

Who can dig a deeper hole?

BENJAMIN ONG  |  FRIDAY, 12 FEB 2016
Borrowers rejoice! Imagine how good it would be to have banks and other lending institutions pay you, I and Irene to take their money for whatever purpose we want to use them for - a facelift, a tummy tuck, education, holidays, a new car, another mortgage ...

Yellen fedspeaks her mind

BENJAMIN ONG  |  THURSDAY, 11 FEB 2016
"The same old story It's been told much too much before The same old story But it's worth telling just once more..." - Billie Holiday Perhaps she didn't want to add rattle to an already jittery market. Perhaps she didn't want to deviate from the Fed ...

Small not feeling beautiful

BENJAMIN ONG  |  WEDNESDAY, 10 FEB 2016
While continued US labour market strength supports the Fed's decision to lift interest rates back in December and its forecasts for more lifts this year, weakening activity indicators released since - not to mention still below target inflation - indicate ...