Sarkozy says FX issue must be focus of global debate
Alluding to recent calls to revamp the global monetary system to reduce the dominant role of the dollar, Sarkozy said that disparities between the two currencies posed a “considerable problem.” The prospect that companies might consider relocating some of their industrial activity to regions reliant on the dollar could not be ruled out, he said […]
Japan finmin’s health woes keep markets guessing
Japanese Finance Minister Hirohisa Fujii left financial markets guessing on Tuesday on whether he will remain in the post, saying he was still waiting for test results after being hospitalised last week suffering from exhaustion. The 77-year-old fiscal veteran said the medical results may be available shortly, and a decision on whether he should stay […]
Investors kick off 2010 in bullish mood
Financial markets kicked off 2010 on an upbeat note on Monday with world stocks close to 15-month highs on hopes for a sustainable economic recovery. The dollar was slightly weaker against a basket of major currencies while government bonds sold off. MSCI’s all-country world stock index was up nearly half a percent, slightly below 2009 […]
After economic storm, Asia faces 2010 political risks
Investors who kept faith in Asia as the world teetered on the brink of financial meltdown a year ago have been richly rewarded – the region’s markets rode out the storm in spectacular style and posted stunning gains. The economic outlook for 2010 appears far sunnier. But with frothy markets betting on a smooth return […]
Diamonds: now an investor’s best friend?
They are rare, beautiful, valuable and a girl’s best friend but traditionally diamonds have not been considered an asset class in their own right. They do not share the “haven” status of gold and their prices are more volatile than those of the precious metal. While the value of spot gold has gained about 25 […]
G20 and bank bonuses
The resistance to mandatory bonus caps for bankers’ bonuses was as inevitable as the public clamour to strip these “fat cats” down to size. In the end – after much politicking worldwide – the bankers won the first round. Mandatory caps have been rejected in favour of a system whereby cash bonuses are limited and […]
Best method analysis
Although some may consider transfer pricing a “black box,” the shared adage among most finance professionals is that transfer pricing is comprised of both art and science. The science of transfer pricing is grounded in financial data and the relevant tax laws while the art of transfer pricing is based upon an intuitive sense of […]
Credit in Africa: the way forward?
By the summer of 2008, the risks associated with the credit crunch were becoming apparent in the market. Years of ‘easy’ money coming out of the US and funded by China meant that the market place was flooded with credit. Assets had become over-inflated, trades had become crowded and investors were highly leveraged. Too many […]
The Danish model
The events that led to the landmark judgment unfolded in the local authority of Vaxholm, Sweden. There, a Latvian construction company Laval un Partneri had won a contract to refurbish a school and posted a team of Latvian workers to Sweden. But the work deadlocked as the Swedish building workers union demanded the same rates […]
