Archive for March, 2014

4 March 2014

Monday, March 3rd, 2014



Today’s Issue Cluster: Autos

Ukraine – Crimea Makes Poland Think Again About Euro
China – Faces Lost Decade as Stocks Echo Japan
Doctors – New US Law Has Many Seeking a Network


DATA POINTS

EZ – Jan: Producer Prices Fall at Fastest Annual Rate Since 2009; -0.3%, -1.4% yr / WSJ

US – Jan: Home prices rose at solid pace; +0.9% from -0.1% / AP


MARKETS



ECONOMICS

China – GDP Goal Under New Scrutiny WSJ *

China – As Rest of Economy Weakens, Exports Surge NYT

China – Austerity Drive Spreads Beyond Ferraris to Funerals B

China – Faces Lost Decade as Stocks Echo Japan B *


POLITICS & FISCAL POLICY

Ukraine – War fears decimate Russian stocks FT / WSJ / R / WSJ * * *

Ukraine – Investors start to fret over corporate exposure to Russia FT *

Ukraine – Investors count cost for Russian rouble FT / MT

Ukraine – EU leaves open option of ‘targeted measures’ against Russia FT

Ukraine – Gas prices leap on Russia’s Crimea move FT R * *

Ukraine – False Spark for Oil Prices WSJ *

Ukraine – Crisis could be greatest test of pipeline politics FT *

Ukraine – Wheat, Corn Prices Surge WSJ / WSJ

Ukraine – Has 30% trade dependence on Russia; Russia relies on Ukraine for 6% / b *

Ukraine – Trade activity more dependent on the CIS than the EU / b *

Ukraine – Language line / *

Ukraine – Ethnic Russians outside Russia in the former USSR, circa 1994 motw *

Ukraine – Crimea Makes Poland Think Again About Euro WSJ


MONETARY POLICY

BOK – Ex-Deputy Lee Named to Head Central Bank FT / B / wsj

BOK – Bank Urged by President’s Adviser to Keep Rates on Hold B / b *


FINANCE



REAL ESTATE



SERVICES



MANUFACTURING

Autos – Carmakers Say US Sales Were Sluggish WSJ / FT / NYT / cd * *

Autos – Makers extend US discount wars through March R *

Autos – Car Makers Snip US Pricing Now to Avoid Haircuts Later WSJ *

Autos – Mexico to trump Japan as No. 2 exporter to US AP / G&M *

Autos – Average days to sale for US autos at post-crisis peak / b *

Autos – Inventory to Sales & Total Inventory Days / b *

Autos – EU Recovery Gains Pace WSJ *

Autos – Shop-floor workers left behind as UK industry speeds ahead FT *

Autos – China Brands Doomed If Foreign Ownership Relaxed B

Autos – Iran’s sector faces slow revival after sanctions lifted FT *

Autos – India car sector eyes getting back en route after crash FT / FT *

Autos – Tata faces make-or-break moment in its home market N *

Autos – Nissan joins rivals in suffering setback from Thailand troubles FT / WSJ *

Autos – Toyota caps off carmaker exodus from Australia FT / R / AP / WSJ / B / SMH / N / WSJ *

Autos – Hyundai poised to add new capacity R *

Autos – Peugeot Secures $1.1b Lifeline From China WSJ / FT / FT / WSJ * * * *

Autos – Lexus Keeps Crown in Reliability Survey WSJ *

Autos – Tesla Projects Big Increase in Production WSJ *

Autos – Tesla Plans $5b Battery Factory WSJ / FT / q / bi * *

Autos – Electric Cars Get a Needed Jolt in China WSJ

Autos – Bombardier charges into electric buses FT

Autos – Pricey Hydrogen Cars to Challenge Electric WSJ *

Autos – Urban Migration May Stall Industry Growth B *


TECH

AI – Rapid advances threaten white-collar workers FT


TRADE & TRANSPORTATION

Rail – In Dakota Oil Patch, Trains Trump Pipelines WSJ *


COMMODITIES

Dairy – ‘White gold’ turns New Zealand into the ‘Saudi Arabia of milk’ FT * *


ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT

Air – EPA Said Poised to Issue Lower Sulfur Limits on Fuel WSJ / B / NYT / AP


LABOR & EDUCATION



HEALTH

Doctors – New US Law Has Many Seeking a Network NYT


ENDNOTES

Colors of European Motorway Signs am *


3 March 2014

Sunday, March 2nd, 2014



Today’s Issue Cluster: World Conflicts

US – ND Leads on the Road to Economic Recovery
BOC – Rate cut off table, with signs of improving economy
Air – Pilot shortage? Not clear, report says


DATA POINTS

China – Feb: HSBC manufacturing PMI hits seven-month low; 48.5 from 49.5 / R / AP / WSJ *

China – Feb: Official PMI Falls in Latest Sign of Slowdown; 50.2 from 50.5 / WSJ / AP / B

China – Feb: Official services PMI rises to three-month high; 55.0 from 53.4 / R

Japan – Q4: Business investment up; +4.0% / K

Japan – Feb: New car sales rise for 6th consecutive month; +15% / K

Australia – Jan: HIA new home sales growth back on track; +0.5%, +17% yr / Aus / SMH *

EZ – Feb: Markit manufacturing continues to fuel recovery; 53.2 from 54.0 / FT / m *

UK – Jan: Lenders approved most mortgages since start of the financial crisis; 77k from 72k / R / B

US – Jan: Consumer spending up; +0.4% from +0.1% / AP / WSJ / R / B *

US – Feb: ISM’s manufacturing PMI increased; 53.2 from 51.3 / WSJ / R / B *

US – Feb: Markit factory activity growth hits highest since May 2010; 57.1 was 56.7 / R / m *

US – Jan: Construction spending unexpectedly rose; +0.1% from +1.5% / R *


MARKETS

Currencies – China Steps Up Effort to Weaken Yuan WSJ / FT / NYT *

Currencies – Almost Half a Billion Worth of Bitcoins Vanish WSJ *

Currencies – Britain to scrap VAT on Bitcoin trades FT / WSJ

Currencies – Japan says any bitcoin regulation should be international R *


ECONOMICS

US – That 2014 Growth Breakout? Not Looking Likely WSJ *

US – ND Leads on the Road to Economic Recovery NYT *


POLITICS & FISCAL POLICY

Ukraine – US, Europe Threaten to Punish Putin WSJ / FT / R / NYT * * *

Ukraine – Russia Raises Main Rate as Crisis Threatens Economy B / WSJ

Ukraine – Tensions lift haven currencies FT / WSJ

Ukraine – Grain Prices Surge on Crisis WSJ

Ukraine – Oil prices spike on Russia sanctions fears AP

Ukraine – Russia Gas Threat Shows Putin Using Pipelines to Pressure B / WaPo / bi / bi * *

Ukraine – Rouble likely to be casualty of conflict FT

Ukraine – Wheat, Corn Surge on Fears Unrest May Cut Exports WSJ

China – Dozens stabbed to death in separatist attack FT / NYT / B

NK – Fires two short-range missiles into sea R

Philippines – A long-running insurgency may at last be coming to an end E *

Turkey – Leader’s Resilience Shows in Swing Districts WSJ *

Egypt – Strikes sweep nation as economy struggles FT

Syria – Hizbollah recruitment surge as sectarian conflict spreads DT *

Venezuela – In search of a solution FT * * *


MONETARY POLICY

BOC – Rate cut off table, with signs of improving economy G&M


FINANCE

US – Student Loans Entice Borrowers More for Cash Than a Degree WSJ *


REAL ESTATE

Spain – Soros and Paulson each take €92m bet FT *


SERVICES

Gaming – Casinos Are Ready to Bet on Japan WSJ / R / FT *

Gaming – China New Year Adds Upside To Wynn, Las Vegas Sands IBD

Gaming – Macau’s Casinos Try to Lure High Rollers Outside the Junket System BW *


MANUFACTURING

Defense – US military: Boots off the ground FT * * * *


TECH

Mobiles – China’s sector grows up superfast FT / FT *


TRADE & TRANSPORTATION

Air – Pilot shortage? Not clear, report says AP / R / NYT

Air – Cost in US stable the last decade, 17% cheaper than 20 years ago cd *


COMMODITIES

Gold – Bugs Return After Last Year’s Rout WSJ / FT * * *


ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT

Electricity – German Companies Take Back the Power WSJ *

Electricity – Utilities Push New Storage Technologies WSJ


LABOR & EDUCATION



HEALTH

Viruses – Approach of Mosquito-Borne Disease Has US on Alert WSJ *


ENDNOTES

How much is time wrong around the world? poisson / kottke *