"Economists are pessimists: they've predicted 8 of the last 3 depressions."
--Barry Asmus

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Monday, May 14, 2012

World News!

Afghanistan
China
  • In an effort to get a larger piece of the lucrative (and large) Chinese market, Ford plans to double production in the country by 2015.  The car maker anticipates sales will reach 30 million vehicles by 2020, approximately double their U.S. sales.
  • China has denied claims that it attempted to assassinate the Dalai Lama by sending female agents to kill him with poisoned hair and scarves[1].  Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Hong Lei said "his sensational allegations are not even worth refuting".
Greece
  • Yet another failed round of efforts to form a coalition government has led to increased fears of a Greek default, followed by Greece leaving the Euro zone.  the country could run out of funds by June, and currently has no government in place to negotiate the next aid loan from the European Union.
Syria
United States
[1]  The said nothing about other methods they may have employed, however.
[2]  You remember credit default swaps, don't you?  The things that tried to destroy the market a few years back?  Sure you do.

Sunday, May 13, 2012

Producer Price Index News Release

 
Bureau of Labor Statistics
The latest Producer Price Index news release has been posted on the BLS website at http://www.bls.gov/news.release/pdf/ppi.pdf and also archived at http://www.bls.gov/news.release/archives/ppi_05112012.pdf. Highlights are below.

The Producer Price Index for finished goods falls 0.2% in April; finished core rises 0.2%

05/11/2012

The Producer Price Index for finished goods fell 0.2 percent in April. Prices for finished goods were unchanged in March and increased 0.4 percent in February. The index for finished goods less foods and energy rose 0.2 percent.

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