http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-22127332
According to the article, official figures have shown that US retail sales fell in March across all sectors, suggesting that recent tax rises are starting to affect consumers. Also, jobs figures released last week showed less than 90,000 new jobs were created last month. Because the population is growing, that number is well below the rate of job creation needed to maintain employment levels. It seems like the US economy is going through another slowdown. Let's just hope that it will only be temporary.
Saturday, April 13, 2013
Where Did Everyone Go?
http://www.economist.com/news/finance-and-economics/21573969-demography-may-explain-weakness-americas-recovery-where-did-everyone-go
Employers using algorithms to help make hiring decisions
http://www.economist.com/blogs/economist-explains/2013/04/economist-explains-how-browser-affects-job-prospects
Employers are starting to change the methods in which they make hiring decisions. Small factors such as what web browser you use have been correlated to how long and how sucessfull an applicant will be in a certain job. In the past employers have used facts such as if an applicant has tattos or body piercings to bias in decisions. However these new factors seem to have a much higher rate of correctly predicitng how well an applicant will do in the future. It is interesting in the fact that by shifting to these methods, some of the human bias can be elminated from the hiring process. I think that this helps not only the applicant pool, but also help companies get stronger employees as well. Additionally, our society has become more technology dependent and it is crucial to incorporate these factors in to the current job market. These findings will prove to be crucial in the future, especially as the competition for jobs tightens, and many jobs are now very untraditional. It seems fitting that we should start to shift to more untraditional methods of hire as well. As a result, these methods could lead to new motivation in the work force, and as a result much less apathy when searching for a new job, hopefully cutting down on unemployment length.
Employers are starting to change the methods in which they make hiring decisions. Small factors such as what web browser you use have been correlated to how long and how sucessfull an applicant will be in a certain job. In the past employers have used facts such as if an applicant has tattos or body piercings to bias in decisions. However these new factors seem to have a much higher rate of correctly predicitng how well an applicant will do in the future. It is interesting in the fact that by shifting to these methods, some of the human bias can be elminated from the hiring process. I think that this helps not only the applicant pool, but also help companies get stronger employees as well. Additionally, our society has become more technology dependent and it is crucial to incorporate these factors in to the current job market. These findings will prove to be crucial in the future, especially as the competition for jobs tightens, and many jobs are now very untraditional. It seems fitting that we should start to shift to more untraditional methods of hire as well. As a result, these methods could lead to new motivation in the work force, and as a result much less apathy when searching for a new job, hopefully cutting down on unemployment length.
HSBC fined $27.5m for 'money laundering'
http://www.aljazeera.com/business/2012/07/201272683513872418.html
HSBC, the Europe's largest bank is being fined $27.5 million dollars for alleged scathing US senate report slammed the banking giant for letting clients shift funds from dangerous countries. The British giant was accused of allowing drug cartels launder large amounts of money. The fine is the largest monetary consequence fine ever charged against a bank by the Mexico's National Banking Commission. The accusation came from the US senate and the Mexico's National Banking and Securities Commission was quick to fine the bank. The fines are separate from any fines or settlements that might occur between the US Department of Justice, which could be as high as one billion dollars. The bank has admitted to the charges and has released a statement saying "HSBC Mexico apologises for its failure strictly to comply with banking regulations, and acknowledges that in the past, it has sometimes failed to meet the standards that regulators and customers expect."
HSBC, the Europe's largest bank is being fined $27.5 million dollars for alleged scathing US senate report slammed the banking giant for letting clients shift funds from dangerous countries. The British giant was accused of allowing drug cartels launder large amounts of money. The fine is the largest monetary consequence fine ever charged against a bank by the Mexico's National Banking Commission. The accusation came from the US senate and the Mexico's National Banking and Securities Commission was quick to fine the bank. The fines are separate from any fines or settlements that might occur between the US Department of Justice, which could be as high as one billion dollars. The bank has admitted to the charges and has released a statement saying "HSBC Mexico apologises for its failure strictly to comply with banking regulations, and acknowledges that in the past, it has sometimes failed to meet the standards that regulators and customers expect."
April 13, 2013, 2:35 p.m. EDT
Obama’s budget no compromise: Republican
http://www.marketwatch.com/story/obamas-budget-no-compromise-republican-2013-04-13
A House Republican freshman on Saturday called
President Barack Obama’s newly unveiled budget proposal “a blank check
for more spending and more debt,” ripping into the plan in the GOP’s
weekly address.“The president’s budget isn’t a compromise,” charges Rep. Jackie Walorski of Indiana.
“Even when the president’s budget offers signs of common ground — like
modest entitlement reforms — he says he won’t follow through unless he
can impose more tax increases,” she says.
Obama had hoped that by including the so-called “chained CPI” measure,
he could help bring Republicans to the table for a deal to reduce the
U.S. budget deficit. Republicans say Obama’s moves on entitlement
spending don’t go far enough, and groups including the AARP slam the
chained CPI for its ability to slow the growth of Social Security
benefits.
Obama’s budget
will serve as a marker in the fiscal debate this spring and summer. The
White House and lawmakers are now gearing up for what promises to be
charged negotiations about raising the U.S. debt limit this summer.
Is wood the fuel for future ?
This article discuss how the biggest source of energy in Europe at the moment is wood. In some countries, wood even provided 80% of their used energy. This leaves the majority of the energy industry in Europe scouring for more woods. Because Europe could not produce enough woods for their use, a large amount of woods come from import, which pushes the price for wood over the top. The consequences are not only the price though, as the subsidies Europe countries created are also big enough to be a concern and the carbon emission is also posing a problems in near future. Perhaps wood might not be the best answer for a renewable source of energy.
http://climate-connections.org/2013/04/08/the-fuel-of-the-future-environmental-lunacy-in-europe/
http://climate-connections.org/2013/04/08/the-fuel-of-the-future-environmental-lunacy-in-europe/
Facebook shares plunge to new low
http://www.aljazeera.com/business/2012/07/20127285533626683.html
Facebook share prices fell even lower into a record low price since the company's debut in the market after the announcement that Facebook had a loss of 157 million in the second quarter. Facebook's stocks have been flopping ever since its market debut on may 18th. The companies earning as bad as they may be have been within the operations estimate of of $515m on $1.18bn in revenues. According to the article, Citi analyst Mark Mahaney said the company "has established itself as an Internet utility, but it might take a while for Facebook to gain Wall Street love".
Facebook share prices fell even lower into a record low price since the company's debut in the market after the announcement that Facebook had a loss of 157 million in the second quarter. Facebook's stocks have been flopping ever since its market debut on may 18th. The companies earning as bad as they may be have been within the operations estimate of of $515m on $1.18bn in revenues. According to the article, Citi analyst Mark Mahaney said the company "has established itself as an Internet utility, but it might take a while for Facebook to gain Wall Street love".
Japan car manufacturers recall millions of cars globally
http://www.aljazeera.com/news/asia-pacific/2013/04/2013411820333594.html
The four giant japanese car manufacturers Honda, Nissan, Toyota, and Mazd are recalling a combined 3 million cars due to defects in airbags safety systems. According to Toyota USA, their recall is due to the cars being equipped "with front passenger airbag inflators which could have been assembled with improperly manufactured propellant wafers". The recall is going to have serious financial consequences for the four Japanese car manufacturers which are still recovering from the japanese natural disasters of 2011.
The four giant japanese car manufacturers Honda, Nissan, Toyota, and Mazd are recalling a combined 3 million cars due to defects in airbags safety systems. According to Toyota USA, their recall is due to the cars being equipped "with front passenger airbag inflators which could have been assembled with improperly manufactured propellant wafers". The recall is going to have serious financial consequences for the four Japanese car manufacturers which are still recovering from the japanese natural disasters of 2011.
Gold price plunges to lowest level since 2011
http://www.aljazeera.com/business/2013/04/2013412182259701800.html
Gold prices have hit the lowest price since 2011. The new low price came as a result of a US government report on friday that wholesale prices fell very low in march. Gold usually is in high demand when investors expect inflation to increase in the near future, and indications of price levels falling usually results in animal instincts to to sell gold and consequently prices to fall.
Gold prices have hit the lowest price since 2011. The new low price came as a result of a US government report on friday that wholesale prices fell very low in march. Gold usually is in high demand when investors expect inflation to increase in the near future, and indications of price levels falling usually results in animal instincts to to sell gold and consequently prices to fall.
The New Frontier in Africa
http://www.economist.com/news/finance-and-economics/21575769-strategies-putting-money-work-fast-growing-continent-hottest
This articles talks about the potential growth in the markets of sub-Sahara Africa. In some countries there markets have risen by 50% in the last couple of years. Also, experts predict that a majority of the African population in 2020 will have income to be able to splurge on extra items. This is why they say that rich world firms will looking into Africa to invest. Another advantage is that a majority of African population is under 20 and in a couple of years Africa will have a larger working class than that of China. I believe that with the current business and the corruptness associated with places such as China firms will start to look toward the rise in Africa and start investing more. This could mean that we could see a shift of production to the African continent and maybe even cheaper goods and help solve some problems that we see in Africa.
This articles talks about the potential growth in the markets of sub-Sahara Africa. In some countries there markets have risen by 50% in the last couple of years. Also, experts predict that a majority of the African population in 2020 will have income to be able to splurge on extra items. This is why they say that rich world firms will looking into Africa to invest. Another advantage is that a majority of African population is under 20 and in a couple of years Africa will have a larger working class than that of China. I believe that with the current business and the corruptness associated with places such as China firms will start to look toward the rise in Africa and start investing more. This could mean that we could see a shift of production to the African continent and maybe even cheaper goods and help solve some problems that we see in Africa.
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