Today’s Issue Cluster: Japan Economy
Currencies – Ruble: Russia pushes ahead with free float plans
US – Two Good Omens for Housing Market
Pot – Hemp homecoming: Rebirth sprouts in Kentucky
Japan – Jul: Export rebound offers hope for economic growth; +3.9% from -1.9% / R / B / AP / FT *
Currencies – Aussie: Central Bank Keeps Currency Intervention as Option WSJ
Currencies – Ruble: Russia pushes ahead with free float plans AFP
Currencies – Franc: Spells Headwinds for ‘Made-in-Switzerland’ Label B
Currencies – Pound: Gets Pounded WSJ / FT / WSJ / FT / WSJ / NYT / R / B *
Currencies – Renminbi: Fights back as PBOC intervention subsides FT *
Japan – Economy shrinks as tax hike hits spending WSJ / FT / AP * *
Japan – GDP Slump Stirs Stimulus Talk WSJ *
Japan – Trade With China Set to Grow First Time in 3 Years WSJ *
Japan – ‘Polarising PM Abe learns the long game’ R
BOJ – Changed economy helping Bank attain price goal N * *
Japan – Megabanks’ $800b Cash Pile Shows Abe Task B
Japan – Lenders Seek Out Riskier Borrowers WSJ *
US – Two Good Omens for Housing Market NYT
US – AIA Billings Index “Highest Mark Since 2007” cr *
US – Construction Shifts Into Second Tier WSJ *
US – Home Price Growth Slowdown a Mixed Trend for Economy WSJ *
US – Home Size Levels Off, for Now at Least WSJ *
US – Housing Affordability Hits Six-Year Low wsj *
US – Higher Housing Costs Aren’t Likely to Fade Soon, Cleveland Fed Study Says wsj * *
US – Rising Costs in Midsize Cities Take Bigger Bite Out of Income WSJ *
US – ‘Record income gap fuels weakness’ FT *
Pot – Hemp homecoming: Rebirth sprouts in Kentucky AP
Pot – Canola growers turn to more profitable hemp G&M
Pot – Next Gold Rush: Legal Marijuana Feeds Entrepreneurs’ Dreams NYT
Defense – Japan Military Shares Beats National Benchmark as Abe Beefs Up B *
Defense – Putin Arouses European Tank Ambitions Dormant Since Cold War B
Mobiles – Smartphone owners’ appetite for new apps wanes FT / FT * * *
Mobiles – Smartphone Add-Ons Offer Thermal Imaging WSJ *
Mobiles – Hopes Fade for Third Smartphone Ecosystem WSJ
Rail – Canada Agency Cites Host of Factors for Quebec Disaster WSJ / NYT / FP / G&M *
Rail – Proposal Threatens to Aggravate Shortage of cars to Move Oil WSJ *
Rail – Oil tankers, victim of US safety rules, also unwanted in Canada R /
Rail – US Regulators Summon Two Operators Over Crop-Transport Delays WSJ
Rail – Slow pace of recovery stirs fear of future woes R
Mining – BHP Billiton’s spin-off is a turning point for industry FT / WSJ * *
Oil – Iran Sidesteps Sanctions NYT
Oil – Turkey urges US to lift obstacles on Kurdish sales FT / R *
Oil – Permian light crude stranded as US exports begin to flow R *
Oil – US refiners face battle to prolong halcyon days FT
Oil – Mexico Outlines Plan to Open Fields to Private Companies WSJ
Oil – Prices Tumble as Demand Flags WSJ *
Japan – Workers still wait for wage boost FT / E *
Japan – ‘Not so cosmopolitan’ / N *
Dahala Khagrabari the only “counter-counter-enclave”: an island of India, inside a Bangladeshi village, which sits inside an Indian enclave in Bangladesh TLS *
