Today’s Issue Cluster: Oil
Cards – China falls out of love with cash
Retail – Samsonite trumps LVMH as China moves downmarket
Water – California supplies nearly half of all US fruits, veggies, and nuts
EZ – Feb: Inflation stabilizes in ‘danger zone’; +0.8% from +0.8% / FT / WSJ / NYT / AP / B / R
EZ – Jan: Unemployment stable; 10.8% from 10.8% / AP
Germany – Jan: Retail Sales Highest Monthly Figure for Seven Years; +2.5% from -2.1% / WSJ
France – Jan: Lower car sales, heating bills weigh on consumer spending; -2.1%, -0.5% yr / R
Italy – Dec: Unemployment Rises to Record High; 12.9% from 12.7% / B
Sweden – Q4: Economic Growth Surged; +1.7%, +3.1% yr / WSJ *
Japan – Jan: Industrial output rises; +4.0% / B / R / WSJ / K *
Japan – Jan: Auto output rises; +14.5% / K
Japan – Jan: Housing starts rise for 17th straight monthly gain; +12.3% / K
Japan – Jan: Jobless rate flat; 3.7% / K *
Japan – Jan: Consumer prices rise; +1.3% / K *
China – Feb: CREI Home Prices Continue Slowdown; 10.8% from 11.1% / WSJ
India – Q4: GDP Growth Slows as Interest-Rate Increases Dim Outlook; +4.7% from +4.8% / B / FT / ET
Canada – Q4: Consumers Power Growth Rate; +2.9% from +2.7% / B / R / FT / G&M / CBC / FP *
US – Q4: Economy’s Growth Was Slower; +2.4% was +3.2% / NYT / AP / WSJ / B / R / FT * *
US – Feb: Chicago PMI Grows Faster; 59.8 from 59.6 / B
US – Jan: NAR pending home sales edge up; +0.1% from -5.8% / R *
US – Feb: UMich consumer sentiment inches up; 81.6 from 81.2 / R *
Ukraine – Crimea’s parliament calls for referendum on region’s future FT / WSJ / NYT
Ukraine – On the edge FT * * * *
Ukraine – The February revolution E * *
Brazil – Economic growth allays recession fears FT / WSJ
Brazil – Loss of faith FT * * *
Argentina – Devaluation Hurts Regional Standing WSJ *
India – Popular support for Modi gathers force FT / NYT / FT * *
India – ‘Tea parties’ add twist to digital election FT * *
India – Hearing the Faint Pulse of Growth WSJ *
India – Modi signals shift in favor of big retail R
Fed – Yellen Repeats Fed Likely to Keep Trimming Asset Purchases FT / WSJ / NYT / R / B / AP
Cards – China falls out of love with cash FT * * *
UK – ‘Über middle class’ reshapes Oxford FT *
UK – Average House Sale Values / motw *
Retail – For Some Stores, Less Red Is New Black WSJ / FT / NYT / WSJ / FT *
Retail – Samsonite trumps LVMH as China moves downmarket R * * *
Mobiles – Missing at World Congress: Innovation WSJ / FT
Mobiles – $25 Firefox smartphone a possible threat to Apple, Google N
Ship – Deal Reached on Panama Canal Expansion WSJ / R / AP / B
Air – Qantas to axe 5,000 jobs amid A$252m loss FT / q * * * *
Air – Budget Carriers Set to Take Off in China WSJ
Water – Drought Threatens SE Asia Food Price Gains Amid Haze B
Water – Drought Brings Malaysia Water Clash to End WSJ
Water – Rain could be too late to save Brazil harvest FT *
Water – California supplies nearly half of all US fruits, veggies, and nuts mj *
Oil – Venezuela Could Force Market to Take Stock WSJ *
Oil – South Sudan’s factions vie for control of fields FT / E *
Oil – Protests shut Libya’s Wafa lines R *
Oil – Petrobras cuts $16b from investment plan FT
Oil – The North Sea: Running on fumes E *
Oil – Services groups offer a way in to national oil companies FT *
Oil – Weakens on Ukraine worries R / WSJ / WSJ *
Oil – Prices higher than forecasts R *
Oil – Conflict in US Industry, Awash in Crude NYT *
Oil – Canada sands costs beat those of US tight oil FP *
Oil – Russian crude exploring Asian markets N *
Australia – Job Losses Spread Unevenly as Mining Boom Wanes wsj / SMH / ABC *
Insurance – US Health Plans Rush to Size Up New Clients WSJ *
Insurance – Public Sector Cuts Part-Time Shifts to Bypass Law NYT
74,476 Reasons You Should Always Get The Bigger Pizza npr *