Today’s Issue Cluster: US Health Insurance
BOJ – Befuddles With Surprise Move
Butter – Meltdown as US Spot Price Plummets Most in 11 Years
Coal – Mass Layoffs in China Threaten Unrest
Germany – Dec: Ifo business confidence dips; 108.7 from 109.0 / AFP
US – Dec: Markit services falls to 12-month low; 53.7 from 56.1 / m
Japan – Abe Debuts New Social Programs to Help Economy WSJ *
Japan – Ends ‘love hotels’ affair in favour of hostels FT *
Japan – Income tax reform next on Tokyo’s to-do list N
BOJ – Japan Tankan survey eases pressure FT / b *
BOJ – Befuddles With Surprise Move WSJ / FT / NYT / B / WSJ
Japan – Mega Banks are Mega Cheap WSJ *
Japan – Unemployment falls to 20-year low FT / WSJ *
Japan – Abe calls for steady minimum wage rises FT
Japan – Tokyo’s Test: Policy vs. Demographics wsj
Butter – Meltdown as US Spot Price Plummets Most in 11 Years B *
Honey – Canada production jumps to 9-year high CBC
Coal – Worst Days Behind It as Archaic Grid Crimps Gas Growth B *
Coal – ‘Clean’ technology fails to capture world’s attention AP
Coal – Pit Closure Marks Dying Embers of UK Industry WSJ / FT / WSJ / FT *
Coal – Mass Layoffs in China Threaten Unrest NYT *
Coal – Alberta and BC suffering from severe downturn G&M
Coal – Write-down on MT plant slashes value 87% AP
Coal – Some See Long-Term Decline NYT
Coal – Hard to Dethrone in Asia WSJ * *
Coal – Australia riding train despite climate pleas AFP
Insurance – Penalties Will Cost More Than Coverage for Millions B / NYT *
Insurance – Official Makes Tweaks as Insurer Complaints Grow B *
Insurance – The Woman Who Has 13 Months to Bolster Obamacare B *
Insurance – UnitedHealth Says It Should Have Stayed Out of ACA B / Hill
Insurance – Obamacare’s Fate May Rest on Patience of Aetna, Anthem B
Insurance – Hospitals Feel Pain as UnitedHealth Eyes Obamacare Exit B *
Insurance – Lone profitable ACA co-op losing millions AP
Insurance – Regulation may hurt other firms, but health thrives on it E *
Insurance – CBO projects 2m fewer jobs under ObamaCare hill
Insurance – Obamacare and the Cockroaches nyt *
Insurance – Rubio Quietly Undermines Affordable Care Act NYT / AP
Insurance – Senate Votes to Repeal Obamacare NYT
Insurance – Congress Readies Blows to Obama’s Health Care Law NYT / B
Insurance – Obamacare Supporters Make Case for Big Changes wsj
A strange strip of Fukushima Prefecture, Japan motw * *
