The political consensus may be that President Barack Obama’s handling of the economy has been weak. The judgment of money in all its forms has been overwhelmingly positive, and that may be the more lasting appraisal.
One year after U.S stocks hit their post-financial-crisis low on March 9, 2009, the benchmark Standard & Poor’s 500 Index has risen [...]

dollar, recovery, stock market, US Hide

Australia’s economy grew last quarter at the fastest pace in almost two years, underscoring the central bank’s decision yesterday to boost borrowing costs for the fourth time in five meetings.
Gross domestic product climbed 0.9 percent from the third quarter, when it gained a revised 0.3 percent, the Bureau of Statistics said in Sydney today. That matched [...]

australia, commodity, economic growth, forex, stock market Hide

Private-equity firms tell investors that the years following recessions offer the best opportunity to make money. This time may be different.
Prices paid in leveraged buyouts last year, at the tail of the worst financial crisis in more than seven decades, are about 25 percent higher on average than in 2001 after the dot-com bubble burst, [...]

global markets, stock market Hide

NEW YORK – Wall Street stocks rallied Thursday as sentiment was lifted by an EU pledge to help Greece stave off a debt crisis and better-than-expected US labour market data.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average overcame a weak start and climbed 105.81 points (1.05 percent) to close at 10,144.19, rebounding from modest losses Wednesday.
The Nasdaq composite [...]

debt, Euro Zone, greece, recovery, stock market, unemployment, US Hide

NEW YORK: Wall Street shares plunged on Thursday as weak US data combined with heightened fears of debt problems in European Union countries sent shockwaves through the markets.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average tumbled 268.37 points (2.61 percent) to end at 10,002.18, its lowest level since November, after a brief dip below 10,000 points.
The tech-heavy Nasdaq [...]

debt, Euro Zone, fears, stock market, US Hide

International markets were supposed to be the place to make money in 2010, but so far have failed to live up to their billing.
From credit issues in Greece, Spain and Ireland to inflation fears in China, investors have been selling rather than buying when it comes to emerging and developed markets.
Despite a rough start, the [...]

forex, investments, stock market Hide

Think the TARP tax rocked the market? That doesn’t compare to the next possible jolt it may get.
But don’t panic –  this jolt should be bullish and take the market higher.
Now make no mistake – this is strictly chatter from the forex markets and they’re “the Wild West,” explains top trader Brian Kelly of Kanundrum. A [...]

China, forex, inflation, Interest rates, investments, stock market Hide

Should you take advantage of the rare opportunity to own Berkshire Hathaway for less than $100 a share?
On Wednesday, it’s widely believed the board of Berkshire Hathaway will approve a 50-1 split of Class B shares [BRK.B  3332.00   85.00 (+2.62%)   ]. (In case you’re wondering why, the split is part of Buffett’s deal to buy Burlington Northern Santa Fe Corp.)
But [...]

investments, stock market, US Hide

Taipei: The next decade could be a “Golden Age” for Asia. Dr Tony Tan said this is based on the strong fundamentals in Asia that sees it recovering well from the Great Financial Crisis of 2008/9.
Dr Tan, deputy chairman and executive director of the Government of Singapore Investment Corporation (GIC) put forward the view in [...]

Asia, investments, recovery, stock market Hide

AS COMPANIES in the alternative energy sector took a hit during the downturn for reasons that are no longer front and centre, they will once again be a key investment theme this year.
So said Lars Kalbreier, Credit Suisse’s Zurich-based global head of equity and alternatives research at a media briefing yesterday.
Valuations are now attractive for [...]

commodity, forex, investments, stock market Hide