Today’s Issue Cluster: Garment Industry
China – Yangtze River Delta becomes epicenter for credit risk
Internet – The app economy is concentrating ever-more deeply in Silicon Valley
Palladium – ‘Russia’s secret weapon against the West’
DATA POINTS
EZ – Feb: Exports Boost Trade Surplus; +€13.6 from +€9.8 yr / WSJ / eu *
Germany – Apr: ZEW Investor Confidence Falls for Fourth Month; 43.2 from 46.6 / B / WSJ / AP / m / r * *
UK – Mar: Inflation Cools; 1.6% from 1.7% / WSJ / B
Morocco – Q1: Economic growth slows as agricultural output falls; +2.5% from +4.5% / R
India – Mar: Consumer Inflation Quickens, Adding Rate Pressure; 8.31% from 8.03% / B
Canada – Feb: Factory sales climb to peak hit before recession; +1.4% / CP / R
Canada – Mar: CREA number of existing homes that changed hands up; +4.9% yr / G&M
Canada – Mar: CREA average house price now over $400K; +6% / CBC
US – Mar: Consumer Prices Rise Slightly; +0.2% from +0.1% / WSJ / R / AP / B *
US – Apr: NAHB home builder sentiment edges up, still gloomy; 47 from 46 / AP / R / WSJ / b * *
US – Apr: Empire State Manufacturing Flat; +0.2% from +0.2% / cr / r *
MARKETS
Stocks – Comparing the severity of the worst financial crises in US & UK history e *
ECONOMICS
China – Beijing rejects IMF’s hard-landing warning R
China – Yangtze River Delta becomes epicenter for credit risk R *
China – Strengthening job market a reason not to expect major stimulus / b *
China – ‘Beijing engineers Potemkin defaults to mask debt reality’ ft
China – Asia economic outlook r *
POLITICS & FISCAL POLICY
Ukraine – EU moves to sanction more Russians AP / B / WSJ
Ukraine – Kiev’s grip loosening on restive east R / WSJ *
MONETARY POLICY
FINANCE
China – New Credit Falls 19% From Year Earlier, PBOC Says B
REAL ESTATE
China – Housing Trouble Grows WSJ * *
China – Newly Built Residential Prices / b *
SERVICES
Dairies – China Milk Thirst Leads to Record 2014 Profits B / wsj
Dairies – Australia’s Shrinking Targets WSJ *
MANUFACTURING
Garments – Bangladesh Union Organizers Allege Intimidation WSJ / WSJ / R
Garments – Strife Curbs Progress at Bangladesh Factories WSJ / AP / NYT *
Garments – Group of HK makers to open factories in Myanmar FT
Garments – Apparel workers’ wages / r *
Garments – Is Italy’s Know-How Fading Out? WSJ
Garments – American affair with cotton frays as man-made fibers take to catwalk R / * *
Garments – Era of Cheap Apparel May Be Ending for US NYT *
TECH
Internet – The app economy is concentrating ever-more deeply in Silicon Valley a * *
Internet – Soon 6 devices for every person on the planet ft *
Internet – 62% of all Internet traffic is not from humans / t *
TRADE & TRANSPORTATION
Truck – Ride to lower costs for LNG power rockier than expected R *
Rail – Will LNG Be Next to Power Trains? AP / wsj
COMMODITIES
Platinum – Prices Jump on Supply Worries WSJ / AFP
Palladium – ‘Russia’s secret weapon against the West’ q / b * * *
Copper – Miners look past present pain to future gain FT *
Iron – Rio Tinto’s production hit by weather SMH / b *
Gold – China Is Losing Its Taste WSJ *
Gold – China companies hoard for collateral FT / R * *
Gold – Marriage keeping metal’s prospects bright in China q * *
Gold – In search of a new standard FT *
ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT
NatGas – RWE to Supply Ukraine AP / WSJ
NatGas – US Gas Tantalizes Europe, but It’s Not a Quick Fix NYT
NatGas – US may be ‘very large player’ in Asian LNG SMH
NatGas – BC playing catch-up with its LNG plans G&M / G&M *
LABOR & EDUCATION
China – Migrant workers test urbanisation drive FT * *
HEALTH
ENDNOTES
Happy Little Clouds: A Statistical Analysis of the Work of Bob Ross 538 * *
