Today’s Issue Cluster: Tobacco
Greece – Power Struggle in Brussels and Berlin
EU – Ireland: Recovery spreads beyond Dublin
Mobiles – Smartphone market surpassed a billion last year
NZ – Q4: Economy Expands at Fastest Pace Since 2007; +0.8%, +3.5% yr / B
US – Mar: ConfBd Leading Indicators Increase; +0.2% from +0.2% / B / AP / tf *
US – Mar: Philly Fed grows at slower pace; 5.0 from 5.2 / AP *
US – Q4: Current account trade deficit widens; -$114b from -$99b / AP *
US – Week: Jobless Claims Up Slightly; +1k to 291k / WSJ / R / AP *
Bonds – Strong demand for long-term government debt as risks loom FT * *
Bonds – Investors Raise Alarm Over Liquidity Shortage WSJ / WSJ * *
Bonds – High-yield debt market defies sceptics FT * * *
EU – Forecasts up in Spain & Germany, no change for France, Italy / b *
EU – Ireland: Recovery spreads beyond Dublin FT * *
EU – Ireland: Tradition: a fast-growing economy FT *
EU – Ireland: Launches initiative to lure expats home FT * *
Greece – Bailout Talks Not Going Well WSJ / R / B
Greece – Warnings Raised of a Grexit NYT
Greece – Crisis Tests ECB’s Credibility WSJ / B *
Greece – Power Struggle in Brussels and Berlin S *
SR – Sweden Cuts Repo Rate to Minus 0.25% WSJ / FT / B / NYT *
NB – Norway Keeps Rates Unchanged WSJ / B
DN – Denmark Raises Current-Account Ceiling WSJ *
Fed – Drops pledge to be ‘patient’ on rate rises WSJ / FT / NYT / R / B / AP *
Fed – Unemployment rate has exceeded expectations / bi *
E-Cigs – Smokers may tap into multiple sources for nicotine AP
E-Cigs – Makers Face Rise of Counterfeits WSJ
E-Cigs – European Commission considers tax FT
E-Cigs – Suffer withdrawal symptoms FT * *
Cigs – FTC Turns Up Scrutiny on Reynolds-Lorillard Deal WSJ *
Cigs – Study Supports Raising US Tobacco Purchase Age to 21 WSJ
Cigs – Branding on Packages Banned by UK Parliament FT / WSJ
Mobiles – Five Chipmakers Pursuing China’s Hot Smartphone Market IBD
Mobiles – Smartphone market surpassed a billion last year bi *
Ship – Finance offers attractive yields FT * * *
Ship – US ports: Gridlock on the waterfront FT * * * *
Eggs – Latest Flap: Whether to Go ‘Cage-Free’ WSJ / WSJ / WSJ
Oil – Glut set to grow as China slows imports R
Oil – Opec Warns US Boom Could Be Over by Year-End WSJ / R
Oil – Iran’s Nuclear Deal Could Open Flood WSJ *
Oil – Banks Struggle to Unload Loans WSJ *
Uber beats NY taxis for trips above $35 mit *
