KAL's cartoon Friday Jul 16th 2009

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Jacques Clément Report
Jacques Clément OWN | WN World news


Slides of Jacques Clément | © Robert J Galbraith | more

Find Wednesday-Night hits on Jacques Clement | economy | [3] CP | WN Canada Facts | WN Interest% | banks | TSX | Cda Facts

Web exclusive, Feb 2009 The McKinsey Global Survey of Business Executives : Confidence Index, Economic confidence is up worldwide but varies from country to country, notably in the booming economies of China and India.

Please see re Wed1305 Video Diana Reads Jacques Letter WN 0:26 sec

CNN Money News | finance.google.com | His Hobby

WSJ economics | stockpickr | rogue trader | Charlie Rose | Canada Facts

Economix.blogs | Bank notes | cbc money | archives.cbc.ca bbc Mkts | Emerging-market

Mkt Commrnts Bill Copp

the Canadian dollar, including the impact on the manufacturing secto

Paul Krugman is an American economist, columnist, intellectual and author. He is a professor of economics and international affairs at Princeton University, a centenary professor at the London School of Economics, and an op-ed columnist for The New York Times. In 2008, Krugman won the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences “for his analysis of trade patterns and location of economic activity”. Krugman is known in academia for his work in international economics, including trade theory, economic geography, and international finance

Financial Resources.ca

This publication is a general market commentary and does not constitute a research report. Any reference to a research report or a recommendation is not intended to represent the whole report and is not itself a research report or recommendation. This commentary is for informational purposes only and does not contain investment advice. This publication may be wholly or partially based on industry rumour, gossip and innuendo and as such is not to be relied upon as investment advice.

timesofcrisis

2010 moreGoogle below

Peter G. Halll VP EDC Economics Weekly Commentary
Peter G. Hall VP EDC Economics Weekly Commentary
Reversal of Profit Plunge Underway - March 3, 2010
Corporate profits are among the hardest-hit indicators in recessionary episodes, and unfortunately this time around the situation is no different: Canadian corporations saw profits tumble sharply for three successive quarters through mid-2009. Declines cut across a broad swath of industries, but in most sectors, growth has resumed. Does this just spell the end of declines, or a decisive U-turn? Past issues | his WN page

Commentary podcast. Listen

Wednesday 03 March 2010 Bill Gross Investment Outlook
It shrinks? On Tuesday, PIMCO?s Bill Gross issued the March instalment of his monthly Investment Outlook, which is also now available on podcast and Kindle ? he tweets, too! As Gross gets older, his musings seem to stray more off course and become less relevant to the topic at hand (and less amusing). We learn that he doesn?t care much for cocktail parties, as people just want to discuss themselves, and that he?d rather watch Seinfeld reruns ? well, who wouldn?t? He highlights how it?s difficult to get yourself out of debt by issuing more debt. And the higher debt levels are helping push investors to demand higher yields for sovereign debt and charge more for credit default swaps, or CDSs. Sovereign yields will narrow in spreads compared to other high-quality alternatives. In other words, sovereign yields will become more credit like, and there could be a situation where corporate yields would be nearly coincident (or even less) than that of the company?s home country, which he calls a ?unicredit? market as sovereigns look more and more like the markets they guarantee. And for those trying to derive an investment idea from his musings, he gives us one tidbit: investors should focus on those sovereigns where fundamentals promise lower credit risk or inflationary risk, with ?Germany and Canada? at the top of the list (yeah, 15th gold for Canada).

Peter G. Halll VP EDC Economics Weekly Commentary
Peter G. Hall VP EDC Economics Weekly Commentary
Commercial Construction: Recovery?s Wrecking Ball? - February 24, 2010
Lagging indicators are the bane of economic recovery. They are the final waves that recessions send crashing into an economy, and depending on their timing, can wreak havoc with nascent recovery. One such indicator is commercial construction, and the substantial and sustained weakening of this key sector has market-watchers worried. Will it prove to be the recovery?s wrecking ball? Past issues | his WN page

Commentary podcast. Listen

Saturday 23 January 2010 Bernanke's Bid for a Second Term at the Fed Hits Resistance
Even if Ben S. Bernanke?s nomination is approved, the anxiety surrounding it shows how both parties are trying to understand anger toward the government and Wall Street. The Obama administration struggled on Friday to secure confirmation of Ben S. Bernanke to a second term as chairman of the Federal Reserve, underscoring the political upheaval as both parties tried to find their footing amid a powerful wave of populism.

Opposition to Ben Bernanke has emerged from both the left and the right.

Saturday 23 January 2010 OTTAWA: FEDERAL DEFICIT GROWS
Canada's federal deficit continued to grow in November, the latest month for which figures are available. Another CDN$4.4-billion was added to bring the deficit to CDN$36.3 billion. The government predicts that the deficit will reach CDN$56 billion by the end of the fiscal year. The deficit has grown as a result of the government's emergency spending program aimed at helping the economy during a global recession.

Thursday, 14, January 2010 Double dip recession risk significant, Martin Feldstein warns
Prominent Harvard economist says Obama administration must show it can manage growing deficit

Wednesday, 6 January 2010 Economic predictions for 2010
Britain's public finances are in a worse state than they have ever been in peacetime, and in worse shape than most of the rest of the developed world.
Newsnight's Economics editor Paul Mason outlines how he thinks UK and global finances will fare in 2010 and what the chances are of a double dip recession here in the UK. thanks to David Mitchell

Tuesday 05 January 2010 TORONTO: SIGNS OF HOPE IN CANADIAN ECONOMY
A report released by the Royal Bank of Canada says Canadians are more optimistic about the future of the country's economy. The Royal Bank's report says although 60 per cent of Canadians are exercising financial prudence, they also expect the economy to improve this year. The report says that this optimism indicates that Canadians will again start purchasing major items such as cars, vacations and appliances. The Royal Bank says its Consumer Outlook Index was up eight percentage points in December from November. It also showed that 21 per cent of respondents are worried that a member of their household is in danger of losing a job -- down from 27 per cent the previous month. The report says that many Canadians find it difficult to save for retirement or their children's education.

Global Economic Upturn Seen as 2010 Approaches

A worldwide credit crunch in 2009 almost paralyzed global economy and led to fall of a number of major financial institutions

2009

Sunday 27 December 2009 Krugman: 'Reasonably High Chance' Economy Will Contract Next Year (VIDEO)
Read More:Joseph Stiglitz. Stiglitz, Krugman Economy, Krugman Stiglitz, Paul Krugman, Video, Business News

Thursday 24 December 2009 TORONTO: BMO PREDICTS GROWTH
The Bank of Montreal is projecting economic growth of 2.5 per cent next year in both Canada and the U.S. for 2010. The figure is the same in reverse for growth for the countries in 2009. Statistics Canada says gross domestic product grew in Canada for a second straight month in October, with positive figures being recorded in most sectors. The growth is largely fuelled by the real estate business, which rose by 7.2 per cent in that month.

Wednesday 23 December 2009 US growth rate revised downwards
The US economy grew at an annualised rate of 2.2% in the July to September period, the second downwards revision.

Sunday 20 December 2009 WASHINGTON: GOVERNORS, PREMIERS TO HOLD UNPRECEDENTED MEETING
For the first time, all U.S. governors and Canadian premiers are going to hold a joint meeting. The premiers will join the governors at their winter meeting in Washington on Feb. 20. Premiers and governors have often met in the past but on a regional basis. Saskatchewan Brad Wall will co-host the event, which is entitled Common Border, Common Ground. The governors and premiers will broach difficult bilateral issues including trade, border security and energy. The announcement of the meeting comes on the same day that the U.S. Congress toughened the Buy American provisions in the federal US$767-billion economic stimulus. The provisions ban the use of imported materials for infrastructure projects. Canada has been seeking in vain for an exemption to the stipulation.

VP EDC Economics Weekly Commentary
Peter G. Hall
VP EDC Economics Weekly Commentary
Surprise of the Year: The Retreat of Risk - December 16, 2009
It seemed that as 2009 began, everywhere you looked there was risk. Output was plummeting. World financial markets were in disarray. Confidence was shattered. References to the Great Depression became fashionable. Markets were jolted into sobriety with the stark realization that risk appetite had for a long time been out of step with reality. Earnest recalibration of risk was underway. Past issues | his WN page

Commentary podcast. Listen

Thursday 26 November 2009

World economy 'heads for growth'
Growth and recovery are expected in 2010 in most world regions, but the upturn will be modest, the OECD says.

OTTAWA: RECESSION SAID WORSE THAN OFFICIAL RECORD
A new independent economic analysis shows Canada's recession has been longer and deeper than the official record indicates. The report by a private research group Dale Orr Economic Insight shows that Canadians have been on a downward spiral in terms of their standard of living since 2007. It estimates that there has been a 4.3 per cent fall in the standard of living in Canada since 2007 in terms of real gross domestic product per capital. The report shows individuals living in most of the larger provinces, with the exception of Quebec, have fared worse, especially Alberta and Ontario.

Saturday 21 November 2009 Either central banks are wrong to keep rates low, or markets are wrong to expect recovery
LIKE a truck rolling downhill, the rally in risky assets is proving hard to stop. Good economic news causes share prices to rise because it indicates the recovery is robust; bad economic news also causes prices to rise because it signals that central banks will keep interest rates near zero.

Peter G. Halll VP EDC Economics Weekly Commentary
Peter G. Hall VP EDC Economics Weekly Commentary
Path to Recovery Challenging for Canada's Regions - November 11, 2009
This year has already made history. As far back as the records go, Canadian exporters have not seen a worse year than 2009 – by a factor of five, no less. Canada’s recession was indeed an imported one, and the decline in activity is so dramatic that no single province but the smallest has escaped its effects. Even so, there are differences in each province’s experience, and in the outlook for 2010. Past issues | his WN page

Commentary podcast. Listen

Wednesday 11 November 2009 OTTAWA: BANK HAS GLOOMY ECONOMIC FORECAST
The Toronto Dominion Bank has issued a pessimistic economic forecast for the next decade. The bank predicts growth of only two per cent a year over that period. That's only two-thirds of the growth experienced over the previous two decades. Its report cites as causes for the stagnation corporate adjustments due to the recession, the aging population and low productivity. TD says that the aging population will slow the growth of the labour force and that the country will need major productivity gains to keep the economy on an even keel.

Tuesday 10 November 2009 TORONTO: PROFITS WAY OFF
The Conference Board of Canada says that although the economy is showing weak signs of recovery most of the industries which it monitors remain in financial trouble. A report by the Board says that profits will be down by more than 20 per cent in most of the six industries it follows, including food services, retail, transportation and wholesale. Profits in transportation and wholesale will drop 29 per cent to $5.2 billion due to lower demand and diminishing global trade. Retail is off by 32 per cent because of lower consumer and price cuts to $8.6 billion.

Friday 06 November 2009 OTTAWA: BUSINESS CONFIDENCE RECOVERING
A survey by a Canadian economic research group says Canada's economy has received a major vote of confidence from business leaders whose future investments will be critical in determining whether the recovery is sustainable. The Conference Board of Canada's fall survey says business confidence increased to the highest level in two years. A majority of business leaders say now is a good time to invest in expansion.

Thursday 05 November 2009 America’s most famous investor buys a railway company
Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway investment company said it would buy the remaining large chunk of Burlington Northern Santa Fe it does not already own. Valued at $44 billion, the transaction is Mr Buffett’s biggest-ever acquisition. BNSF traces its roots back over 150 years through the merger of numerous railroad companies. Freight rates and volumes have fallen of late, but Mr Buffett trumpeted his purchase as “an all-in wager on the economic future of the United States”. < P> Peter G. Halll VP EDC Economics Weekly Commentary
Peter G. Hall VP EDC Economics Weekly Commentary
The Race to Recovery - October 28, 2009
Once again, the ‘R’ word is everywhere – although this time, it’s not recession, but recovery. Positive signals in the economy are mounting, setting off lots of ‘recovery buzz’. Trouble is, the growth that we are seeing still leaves us well below pre-recession activity levels. Clearly there is a big difference between the return of growth and the onset of true recovery. The race to recovery is on, but we still have big hurdles to clear before we’ll have a solid fix on the finish line. Past issues | his WN page

Commentary podcast. Listen

Thursday 29 October 2009 US economy set to report growth
Official data later is expected to indicate the US has started to grow, but any recovery may be slow.

Friday 09 October 2009 World financial crisis 'not over'
The US economist widely credited with having predicted the financial crisis has warned we are already "planting the seeds of the next crisis".
Nouriel Roubini told the BBC that he is concerned about the growing gap between the "bubbly and frothy" stock markets and the real economy.

Thursday 01 October 2009 OTTAWA: CONSUMERS LOOK ON BRIGHT SIDE
A Canadian economic research group says consumer confidence is on the rise for the seventh straight month in September.The Conference Board of Canada finds confidence rising in many of the key indicators including personal finances, job prospects and the ability to make big purchases. But the Board says that while the Canadian economy is improving, consumers are not yet sufficiently confident to declare the all-clear from the recession.

Thursday 01 October 2009 OTTAWA: ECONOMY HIT A WALL IN JULYOTTAWA: ECONOMY HIT A WALL IN JULY
Hopes that Canada's economic recovery is well underway received a setback on Wednesday, as Statistics Canada reported that growth in the month of July was zero. Growth of .1 per cent in June had been seen as a positive sign. Economists had predicted growth for the following month of anywhere from .5 per cent to .7 per cent. StatsCan's latest data imperil the Bank of Canada's forecast of 1.3 per cent for the third quarter. Hopes that Canada's economic recovery is well underway received a setback on Wednesday, as Statistics Canada reported that growth in the month of July was zero. Growth of .1 per cent in June had been seen as a positive sign. Economists had predicted growth for the following month of anywhere from .5 per cent to .7 per cent. StatsCan's latest data imperil the Bank of Canada's forecast of 1.3 per cent for the third quarter.

Peter G. Halll VP EDC Economics Weekly Commentary
Peter G. Hall VP EDC Economics Weekly Commentary
How Do You Spend $586 billion? - September 30, 2009
Crisis brought on a torrent of public stimulus announcements last year. Plans are being implemented, and the impact on growth is huge. But in the rush to declare the recession over, there is also concern that stimulus not be withdrawn too quickly. Good advice, given the math of stimulus spending. Past issues

Commentary podcast. Listen

Wednesday 30 September 2009 Canada's economic recovery stalls
Canada's economic recovery stalled unexpectedly in...
OTTAWA — Canada's economic recovery stalled unexpectedly in July as a drop in the mining and utilities sectors outweighed gains in auto-related production.
Statistics Canada said Wednesday that gross domestic product was unchanged during the month. That followed economic growth of O.1 per cent in June, which was the first month of expansion since July 2008.

Monday 28 September 2009 Families sitting on up to $1-trillion
‘Large cash holdings at a particular point in time may make sense if one is bearish, but sustained over a number of years it is difficult to justify,' says economist

Thursday, September 24, 2009 Cash Is Not Trash
MoneyShow.com's Howard Gold says the recent bear market discredited many common investment themes, but suggests you take a second look at the benefits of cash. Why Investors Are Sitting on Their Hands

Sunday 20 September 2009 Sarkozy to press for 'Tobin Tax'
The French president will urge fellow G20 leaders to introduce a tax to reduce risky behaviour by banks, the BBC learns.

Monday 07 September 2009 Michael Moore "Capitalism is evil", says new Michael Moore film

Capitalism is evil. That is the conclusion U.S. documentary...

Tuesday 01 September 2009 OTTAWA: ECONOMY FINALLY GROWS
Statistics Canada had both good and bad economic news on Monday. On the positive side, the agency reports that the economy grew by .1 per cent in June, the first growth in the previous 11 months. Economists with the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce and the Bank of Montreal told the Canadian Press news agency that the news means the recession is over. However, the economy still suffers from a depressed export sector, low corporate profits and weak business investment. StatsCan also revised its first-quarter evaluation of a 5.4-per cent contraction to 6.1 per cent.

Peter G. Halll VP EDC Economics Weekly Commentary
Not Without the Consumer - August 26, 2009
What makes for a true recovery? Some are counting on government stimulus. Others say it can’t happen without revived international trade. Still others say it’s about prices, or a confidence thing. These elements help, but ultimately a true recovery has to be about consumption. It dominates the other elements of GDP, and in many ways, drives them. So, how are the world’s consumers faring? Past issues

Commentary podcast. Listen

Wednesday 26 August 2009 from Wed1434 The U.S. deficit - $9 trillion – should we worry? Not necessarily, says Paul Krugman

Tuesday 25 August 2009 Nouriel Roubini
V-shaped or U-shaped recovery? How about a W-shaped recession? In an op-ed for The Financial Times, economist Nouriel “Dr. Doom” Roubini said the risk of a double-dip recession is rising. Roubini says the global economy is starting to bottom out from the worst recession and financial crisis since the Great Depression. But Roubini believes there are two reasons why there is a rising risk of a double-dip W-shaped recession. Roubini said, “There are risks associated with exit strategies from the massive monetary and fiscal easing: policymakers are damned if they do and damned if they don’t. If they take large fiscal deficits seriously and raise taxes, cut spending and mop up excess liquidity soon, they would undermine recovery and tip the economy back into stag-deflation (recession and deflation). But if they maintain large budget deficits, bond market vigilantes will punish policymakers. Then, inflationary expectations will increase, long-term government bond yields would rise and borrowing rates will go up sharply, leading to stagflation. Another reason to fear a double-dip recession is that oil, energy and food prices are now rising faster than economic fundamentals warrant, and could be driven higher by excessive liquidity chasing assets and by speculative demand. Last year, oil at US$145 a barrel was a tipping point for the global economy, as it created negative terms of trade and a disposable income shock for oil importing economies. The global economy could not withstand another contractionary shock if similar speculation drives oil rapidly towards US$100 a barrel.”

Tuesday 25 August 2009 Bernanke to be nominated for second term
Fed chairman masterminded what is now seen as a successful strategy to lift U.S. economy out of recession

Friday, August 21, 2009 Fed Chairman Upbeat on Prospects for Economic Recovery
Ben Bernanke offered a hopeful forecast for the U.S. economy Friday, saying "prospects for a return to growth in the near term appear good." Economists weigh in on the outlook

Wednesday 29 July 2009 CFO in focus, July 2009
Our monthly round-up of noteworthy content published on CFO.com, a source of news and insight for senior finance executives

Parkinson's Law
The report of the Royal Commission on the Civil Service was published on Thursday afternoon. Time has not permitted any comment in this week's issue of The Economist on the contents of the Report. But the startling discovery enunciated by a correspondent in the following article is certainly relevant to what should have been in it.

Wednesday 29 July 2009 The barbarians are coming, again
There are signs of revival among private equity's giants


see full page

Wednesday 15 July 2009 OTTAWA: RECESSION COULD BE WANING
There are indications that suggest Canada's recession is winding down. The Bank of Canada's survey of businesses reveals optimistim about the economy among the country's leading executives. Sixty-one percent expect improved conditions and 39 percent plan to start hiring over the next 12 months. And a leading economic research group, the Conference Board of Canada, predicts the recession will end this summer, leading to economic growth of 2.7 per cent next year.

Peter G. Halll VP EDC Economics Weekly Commentary
Peter G. Hall VP EDC Economics Weekly Commentary
In the Valley - July 8, 2009
Like it or not, that’s where the world economy is at present. Six months of freefall down a pretty sheer cliff, and everyone’s still a bit dazed, wondering if this is a V-, a U- or an unusually W-shaped valley. Spirits rose when the freefall ended, but that seems to be giving way to the realization that the trek out of the valley will be prolonged and hazardous. What is the near-term outlook for the economy? Past issues | his WN page

Commentary podcast. Listen

Wednesday 01 July 2009 OTTAWA: RECESSION EASES
Statistics Canada reports that the economy shrank by .1 per cent in April, the ninth straight such monthly decline. However, the economy improved slightly over the .3 shrinking recorded in March, a sign the recession could be receding. Economists are predicting that when the second quarter ends on Tuesday, the economy will have declined by between two and three per cent on an annualized basis, compared with the 5.4 drop at the end of the first quarter.

2009 G8

Business and finance

But Diana finds: Dr. Doom Has Some Good News
(The Atlantic July/August 2009) Roubini believes that the Obama administration’s policy makers—and especially the much-maligned Tim Geithner—have gotten a lot right. Pitfalls may still abound, but he is now projecting an end to the recession, and he sees growth ahead.

Charlie Rose in A conversation with Ivan SeidenbergA conversation about the growing fiscal deficit June 10, 2009
with Alan Blinder, Professor of Economics at Princeton University and Director of Princeton's Center for Economic Policy Studies, David Leonhardt of "The New York Times" and Alan J. Auerbach, Professor of Economics and Law, Director of the Burch Center for Tax Policy and Public Finance, University of California, Berkeley

Jun. 16, 2009
Roubini sees weeds, not green shoots

Renowned economist Nouriel Roubini says he sees many yellow weeds ahead in the current economic environment.
Economist Nouriel Roubini of RGE Monitor, speaking at the 2009 Reuters Investment Outlook Summit in New York on Tuesday, predicts the next 2 years of "low economic growth of around 1-percent" in the U.S. He says the unemployment rate will likely "peak next year above 11-percent.

Friday 29 May 2009 Competition policy
When should firms be required to share their intellectual property with rivals?
Africa's economies in the downturn
The IMF says some African countries can spend their way out of recession

Friday 15 May 2009 America's long-run growth potential
How much will the financial crisis hurt America's economic potential?
The new world economic order

Tuesday 12 May 2009 OTTAWA: NO SIGNS OF CANADIAN ECONOMIC REBOUND
The Organization of Economic Co-operation and Development says several of the world's leading economies show some signs of recovery from the worldwide slump but they don't include Canada. Its report notes signs of stabilization in such countries as China, the UK, Italy and France but says that the economies of Canada, the U.S. and most other large economies remain mired in recession although their deterioration is slowing. The findings appear to contradiction Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper's prediction that Canada's economy will emerge from recession earlier than many others. Canada nonetheless recorded 36,000 new jobs in April and North American stock markets have rebounded somewhat from last fall's collapse. The TSE has surpassed 10,000 points for the first time in six months. The Bank of Canada predicted earlier this month that the economy would stop shrinking in the last quarter of the year and record growth of 2.5 per cent in 2010.

May 11, 2009

Predicting  The Economy
Predicting The Economy | 3:42

Sunday 10 May 2009 OTTAWA: ECONOMY IN TURNAROUND
Canada's economy has created jobs for the first time in six months. In a surprising turnaround, the country gained nearly 36,000 jobs. The development surprised economists who had forecast employment would be down about 50,000 in April. Statistics Canada says all of the job gains were in the self-employed category. The agency says that is normally a sign of labour market weakness. In March, the national unemployment rate rose to eight per cent, the highest in seven years. The federal government says 387,000 jobs were lost between last October and the end of March.

Peter G. Halll VP EDC Economics Weekly Commentary
Peter G. Hall
Restoring Balance - April 29, 2009
History-making. That’s likely how the current economy will be sized up when the books are written. There are few episodes in the post-war period where market drama has been as intense. And with forecasts in freefall, getting a proper fix on the economic fallout is a huge challenge. Past issues | his WN page

Commentary podcast. Listen

Interactive

Eye On The Economy

In-depth features on U.S. markets, taxes, employment and the Federal Reserve.

Monday 20 April 2009 Economy 'no longer in free fall'
£10 notes
The chancellor is expected to revise his economic forecasts in the Budget

The economy is no longer in free fall and a recovery next spring is likely, a renowned economic think tank has said.

Stabilising markets and the easing of credit conditions may well mean that the worst of the recession is over, the Ernst & Young Item Club said.

It is forecasting the economy to shrink by 3.5% this year and by 0.1% in 2010.

Saturday 11 April 2009 Why Quebeckers should be worried

Saturday 11 April 2009 Obama sees 'hope' for US economy
President Barack Obama says he sees "glimmers of hope" in the US economy, but warns there is a lot more work to do

Friday 10 April 2009
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama said on Friday the recession-hit U.S. economy was showing "glimmers of hope" despite remaining under strain and promised further steps in coming weeks to tackle the financial crisis.

Full Article

April 7, 2009 (Runs 11:52) Hard Times Hard Choices
Our regular economic panel, Patricia Croft, Mark Mullins, and Jim Stanford join Peter Mansbridge to discuss whether or not the worst could be over

BEAR ATTACK:Nouriel Roubini, professor of economics, New York University's Stern School of Business and Eric Sprott, chairman and CEO, Sprott Asset Management.

Peter G. Halll VP EDC Economics Weekly Commentary
Good News Beyond the First Quarter? - April 8, 2009
Decoupling was a popular term a year ago, used to describe how the rest of the world had unhitched from the US economic problem. It is now rich fodder for late-show humour. The acutely synchronized recoil that output saw in late 2008 has erased decoupling from the vernacular, and sent global forecasts tumbling. To make matters worse, this is no one-quarter wonder. hypothesis. Past issues
Commentary podcast. Listen

Tuesday 07 April 2009 CALGARY: RESEARCHERS SAY ECONOMY TO WORSEN MORE THAN THOUGHT
The Conference Board of Canada says presented a worsening job scenario for this year and next. The Board says unemployment will rise steadily this year and will peak at 9.5 per cent in mid-2010. The researchers forecast the loss of 340,000 jobs this year. The Board also says the country's Gross Domestic Product will shrink by 1.7 per cent this year, having previously suggested the figure of .5 per cent.

Find G20 Wednesday-Night hits on the G20 | in London | Wiki | AVAAZ

Friday 03 April 2009 Obama hails 'historic' G20 summit
US President Obama hails the G20 agreements reached in London, as he heads to Strasbourg for a key Nato summit.

Friday 03 April 2009 LONDON: PM BEAMS OVER OUTCOME OF G20 SUMMIT
Canadian Prime Minister Stephen expressed satisfaction with the outcome of the two-day G20 summit which was called to deal with the worldwide economic downturn, referring "...unprecedented, co-ordinated and fast action by the international community to an economic crisis..at a speed and a level of engagement we have never seen..." The prime minister says the the era of unregulated or barely regulated markets has come to a close, adding: "I think we're back to where Canada was all along." The 20 leaders agreed that credit agencies will be regulated to avoid conflicts of interest, tax havens will be obliged to disclose details of their businesses and an International Financial Stability Board will be created to provide an early warning system for the world economy. The 20 pledged US$1.1 trillion in loans and guarantees to countries mired in deep recession. Canada pledged an additional US$10.2 billion for the International Monetary Fund, which will manage most of the promised money. The leaders acknowledged, nonetheless, that a recovery won't be imminent.

Thursday 02 April 2009 G20 leaders close to global deal
Leaders of the world's largest economies are close to an agreement to tackle the global financial crisis. ,,,an agreement worth around $1.1 trillion to tackle the global financial crisis.
To help countries with severe problems, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) will get extra resources worth up to $750bn (£510bn).
In addition, there will be a deal at the G20 summit to "name and shame" countries that breach free-trade rules.

Thursday 02 April 2009 ECB reduces rates to record low
The European Central Bank cuts the main interest rate to a record low of 1.25% in the eurozone.

Wednesday 01 April 2009 Obama calls for G20 global action
US President Barack Obama stresses the "sense of urgency" needed to confront the global economic crisis, as protesters gather in the City of London.


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Tuesday 31 March 2009 France is threatening G20 walkout
France will walk away from this week's G20 summit if its demands for stricter financial regulation are not met, the finance minister has told the BBC.

Tuesday 31 March 2009 WASHINGTON: PRIME MINISTER EXPRESSES CONCERN OVER GLOBAL PROTECTIONISM
Prime Minister Stephen Harper says the danger of protectionism is one of his major concerns in the global economic crisis. He's worried that if protectionism becomes a global option, the world could face a depression similar to the one in the 1930s when countries introduced trade barriers to save homegrown industries. The measures only accelerated and deepened the global economic downturn. Mr. Harper is concerned that the United States stimulus plan includes Buy-American clauses for recipients of government bailout money. Such a plan could hurt Canadian exports to the United States. Mr. Harper made his comments as he prepares to attend a Group of 20 summit in London this week.

Monday 30 March 2009 G20 'make or break', Soros says
Billionaire investor Gorge Soros says the G20 summit will be a make or break event for the world's economy.

Monday 30 March 2009 Biden appeals to G20 protesters
US Vice-President Joe Biden urges G20 protesters to give governments a chance to tackle the economic crisis.

Monday 30 March 2009 Large demonstrations were held in several European cities on Saturday to urge action at the Group of 20 summit in London next week. Thousands of demonstrators in London, Berlin, Vienna, Frankfurt and Rome called for world leaders to act to end poverty, create jobs and stop climate change. On Thursday, summit leaders, including Prime Minister Stephen Harper of Canada, will discuss how to help the world economy recover from the deepest recession since the 1930s. The demonstrations were peaceful and passed largely without incident. A smaller demonstration involving several hundred people was also held in Paris.

Monday 30 March 2009 CHILE
British Prime Minister Gordon Brown and U.S. Vice President Joe Biden are predicting that the Group of 20 summit in London next week will produce tangible results. Speaking in Chile, where he held preparatory summit talks, Mr. Brown said that there would be measures to create jobs, to stimulate business and to take action on climate change. Meanwhile, Vice President Biden appealed to protestors in London on Saturday to give G20 leaders a chance to deliver on concrete proposals. Police estimated that 35,0000 marchers took part in the protest. Similar rallies are planned for Wednesday and Thursday.

Friday 20 March 2009 TORONTO: PM STICKS TO UPBEAT ECONOMIC FORECAST
Prime Minister Stephen Harper is sticking to his optimistic economic forecast, despite the current global slump. Mr. Harper repeated an earlier assessment that Canada was the last major economy to fall victim of the downturn and will be the first to emerge from it. The prime minister pointed out that the federal government has not had to subsidize the country's banks and has a stable inflation rate and a diverse economy. Mr. Harper's analysis contrasts with that of former Bank of Canada governor David Dodge, who predicted Tuesday that Canada's recession won't end later this year and that the global slump will continue for years, fundamentally altering the capitalist system. Without mentioning Mr. Dodge by name, Mr. Harper noted that in his time in public life never "...have forecasts been so all over the map..."

OTTAWA: INVESTMENT HOUSE DISAGREES WIKTH THE ABOVE
One economist who disagrees with the prime minister's outlook is David Wolf of the Merrill Lynch investment house. He sees a 9.1-per cent contraction in the current quarter, a shrinkage faster than any since the 1930s. He also forecasts a three-per cent decline for the year as a whole. Liberal Party Finance Critic John McCallum says the latest forecasts show Mr. Harper's government "hopelessly out of touch." Mr. McCallum says the government may have to come up with far more than the $40 billion earmarked to stimulate the economy.

Sunday 15 March 2009 G20 summit 'critical for economy'
The G20 summit in London is critical if the world wishes to avoid the turbulence seen in the 1930s, the government warns.

HORSHAM: FINANCE MINISTER ATTENDS G-20 MEETING
Canada's finance minister, Jim Flaherty, and his counterparts in the Group of 20 nations heard widely differing views on Saturday about how to handle the global financial crisis. The United States urged members' governments to intervene with big economic stimulus packages. Britain largely agreed, but other European members did not. European countries said they could support their economies just as well by increasing spending on social welfare and unemployment. All of the G-20, especially four major emerging economies, Brazil, Russia, India and China, pledged to increase the role of the International Monetary Fund. In a statement at the end of their meeting in Horsham, England, the G-20 ministers said that their priority is to get funds flowing again through banks. They also agreed for better regulation of financial institutions, and for credit-rating agencies to be registered. The agencies are widely blamed for encouraging the crisis by giving strong ratings to risky securities. Mr. Flaherty said after the meeting that regulatory reform must take place to fix global financial systems. The finance ministers' meeting served to prepare for the G20 summit next month.


Peter G. Halll VP EDC Economics Weekly Commentary
Peter G. Hall VP EDC Economics Weekly Commentary
Canadian Trade Tumbles - March 4, 2009
For world GDP, the fourth quarter of 2008 was ugly. Canada was no exception, as our economy fell into recession, shrinking by an annualized 3.4% in the quarter. But Canada suffered a lot less than most other large economies – strange, given our greater dependence on international trade. Has our resilient domestic economy helped us to sidestep the worst of the global gloom? Past issues | his WN page

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Friday 27 February 2009 The country's top executives see dark days ahead
90 per cent of executives expect the economy to decline in the next 12 months, half think it will be more than a year before growth returns and two thirds say it is now more difficult than ever to access credit

Tuesday 24 February 2009 TORONTO: CENTRAL BANK HAS GOOD, BAD NEWS
The Bank of Canada predicts that the economy will have a "difficult" year and that gross domestic product will shrink by 1.2 per cent. However, Senior Deputy Governor Paul Jenkins forecasts as well that the economy will rebound with growth of 3.8 per cent in 2010 on the basis of depreciation of the Canadian dollar and adroit monetary and fiscal policy. Mr. Jenkins also points to the country's relatively well-operating financial system and an improvement of commodity prices. The deputy governor acknowledges, however, that the predictions of all forecasters are subject to a high degree of uncertainty.

Monday 02 February 2009 Obama sends diplomat to Davos to quell trade outrage
Day cautiously optimistic after talks with U.S. trade representative about stimulus

Sunday 01 February 2009 WASHINGTON: BUY AMERICAN POLICY UNDER REVIEW
The Obama administration has not yet decided how to respond to the protectionist measures contained in the economic stimulus package passed by the House of Representatives this week. One of the measures has caused considerable anxiety in Canada. It stipulates that money may go only to those infrastructure projects that use iron and steel produced in the United States. Canada's iron-and-steel industry exports 40 per cent of its production to the United States. Asked about that and other 'Buy American' measures that favour US suppliers, a White House spokesman said Friday that the matter was still under review. On his arrival at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Canada's international trade minister, Stockwell Day, said he intends to raise Canada's concerns with the the US trade representative.

Sunday 01 February 2009 OTTAWA: ECONOMIC SHRINKAGE
Canada and the United States now appear to be moving in tandem into the worst recession since at least the early 1990s. New numbers confirm both countries have fallen into deep slumps. Canada's gross domestic product (GDP) fell almost twice as much as expected, down 0.7 per cent in November, with all major sectors reporting reduced production. The US economy shrank by 3.8 per cent in the last three months of 2008. That was lower than expected, mostly because of an unexpected buildup in inventories that is likely to depress activity going forward. Economists are now pointing to this year's first quarter as likely to be the most painful of the recession so far.

REGINA: WESTERN PREMIERS TO DELIVER COUNTER MESSAGE
The premiers of Canada's three western Prairie provinces - concerned about the protectionist measures in the US bailout bill - are embarking on a trade mission to the United States, with special emphasis on energy. Canada is the largest supplier of oil to the American market, and all of it flows from western Canada. Canada is also the largest trading partner overall with the US. Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall and Manitoba Premier Gary Doer will visit Chicago on Tuesday. They will head to Houston the following day, where they will be joined by Alberta Premier Ed Stelmach. British Columbia Premier Gordon Campbell won't be able to make the trip because of scheduling conflict. Premier Wall told the Saskatchewan legislature that, under the present circumstances, the mission was vital, and that they had to deliver the message that it was just this sort of protectionism that precipitated the Great Depression.

Friday 30 January 2009 Which blue chips will remain cerulean?
PROFIT forecasts are being shaved round the world. Société Générale estimates that 2008 and 2009 numbers have been cut by $1 trillion since the end of October. As occurs so often in recessions, instances of fraud or accounting manipulation (Satyam and Bernard Madoff, for instance) are coming to light. In these circumstances, investors do not know which companies to trust.

Wednesday 28 January 2009 Can Davos Man save capitalism?
IT’S that time of year again, when the Swiss mountain resort of Davos hosts the World Economic Forum’s annual talking-shop for the planet’s biggest movers and shakers from business, civil society and politics. Security will be tighter than ever, as will the sense of urgency among the 2,500 or so Davos Men and Women attending the event. This time, instead of chattering mostly about how they can help solve problems in the outside world such as poverty and climate change, the problem they will be discussing most urgently is themselves—or, at least, the global economic system that, under their stewardship, has lately gone badly wrong.

Jan 11th 2009 Back in the game
IF THERE is a consensus view of financial markets in 2009, it is that things will be very difficult in the first half of the year but could then pick up in the second half as investors anticipate economic recovery in 2010.

Wednesday 07 January 2009 MONTREAL: FLAHERTY CONTINUES ECONOMIC TOUR
Federal Finance Minister Jim Flaherty hinted Tuesday that personal tax reductions are in the offing for Canadians as a way to help boost the country's economy. Mr. Flaherty said his advisers have told him Canada needs to invest more in infrastructure. He then added that another way to help the economy is tax reduction. Mr. Flaherty met with the Canadian Taxpayers Federation on Tuesday. It was expected to ask him to provide tax relief. Mr. Flaherty has been meeting with special interest groups across Canada in recent weeks before he presents his budget on Jan. 27. On Monday, he met with the Canadian Bankers Association on Monday and announced that the government and the banks had agreed to form a group to work on ensuring adequate availability of credit and financing in Canada.

Tuesday 06 January 2009 OTTAWA: ECONOMIST OPTIMISTIC ABOUT STIMULATION
Most Canadian economic forecasts predict that on average Canadians will get poorer in 2009 with as many as 200,000 people losing their jobs. Prime Minister Stephen Harper has even talked about the prospects of a depression, but an economist with the Bank of Montreal is more optimistic. The banks, deputy chief economist, Douglas Porter, says governments appear to have learned their lessons from the depression in the 1930s and are now spending to stimulate their economies. Prime Minister Harper has hinted that his budget at the end of the month could include $20 billion in spending measures even if it causes a deficit. Meanwhile, economists are expecting some high numbers when the job loss statistics come out Friday. It could be up to 30,000 jobs. However, the economists say a number of factors are pointing to a resumption of growth in the second half of 2009, including extremely low interest rates, favourable exchange rates and cheap oil.

2008

Saturday 22 November 2008 Don't hesitate - it's time to stimulate Canadian economy
Canada can't afford to wait for a new U.S. administration before getting started on a major stimulus program to rescue this... The Harper government needs to announce the first steps toward a Canadian stimulus program within weeks, and such a program should be big - worth as much as $20 billion - Sherry Cooper, chief economist at the Bank of Montreal, said in an interview yesterday.

Tuesday 11 November 2008 OTTAWA: BUSINESS CONFIDENCE DROOPS
A survey of Canadian businesses indicates they were much less confident, last month than this summer. The Index of Business Confidence fell to 78 points, in the first three weeks of October, down 13.5 points from the Conference Board of Canada's third-quarter survey and the lowest level in seven years. Almost 70 percent of respondents said they believed the economy would be in worse shape in six months time, compared with 12 percent who expected improvement.

Wednesday 12 March 2008

Wednesday 12 March 2008 OTTAWA: TRADE SURPLUS REBOUNDS
Canada's trade surplus rose by 3.6 per cent in January from December to $3.3 billion, up from $2.3 billion in the former month. Exporters sold $38 billion worth of goods. The January figure reverse a downward trend that had persisted through most of 2007, due in part to the strong Canadian dollar.

Friday Nov 9, 2007 U.S. faces risks, not recession: Fed
Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke told lawmakers yesterday the U.S. economy does not appear headed for recession, but..

Stephen S. Poloz VP EDC Economics Weekly Commentary
Canada’s Two-Track Economy to Persist - November 7, 2007
High and rising prices for metals, oil and food have put the global economy on two independent growth tracks. The adjustments this is fostering can be painful, and there is no let-up in sight.
This is not the first time the world has been here. The same thing happened in the mid-late 1970s, when oil and other commodity prices surged. When this happens, resource sectors grow rapidly, generate new jobs and attract new investment. Meanwhile, sectors that use resources as inputs must restructure - adopt new technologies that are less resource-intensive and reduce workforces. Those sectors slow or stall – hence the reference to two growth tracks. Past issues | his WN page

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www.Wednesday-Night.com/Wed1337page2.asp 17 Oct 2007

  • at Wednesday-Night1337 Jacques Clement mkts the 17 Oct 2007 2:53 page
  • John Curtin, winner for Best Biography Documentary Program the 17 Oct 2007 :41sec
    John Curtin, winner for Best Biography Documentary Program for Dangerous When Provoked: The Life & Times of Terry Mosher see page




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