Written by John Lounsbury
Early Bird Headlines 15 October 2015
Econintersect: Here are some of the headlines we found to help you start your day. For more headlines see our afternoon feature for GEI members, What We Read Today, which has many more headlines and a number of article discussions to keep you abreast of what we have found interesting.
Global
Asia stocks rise, dollar sags as weak U.S. data dents rate hike prospects (Reuters) Asian shares rose to 2-month highs on Thursday and the dollar struggled near multi-week lows after weak U.S. economic data added to expectations that the Federal Reserve will delay hiking interest rates. MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan .MIAPJ0000PUS rose 1.6% to its highest since mid-August. The index had fallen the previous day after soft consumer inflation in China added to concerns about the world’s second-biggest economy. Australian shares nudged up 0.3%. Shanghai shares .SSEC gained 0.5% and South Korea’s Kospi soared 1.2%. Japan’s Nikkei .N225 pared earlier losses and gained 0.8%, brushing off soft domestic data. For more details, see next article.
Major World Indices (Investing.com) There is a lot of green this morning in Asia. Data shown as of 1:30 am New York time 15 October. The red for Europe and the Americas are closing numbers from yesterday. For latest data click on chart.
Fed rate decision highlights the need for a global central bank (The Business Times) With Janet Yellen acting in part from global needs, the need for a global central bank is apparent, according to thos article.
U.S.
Trump has a new target: Bernie Sanders (Associated Press) Speaking in front of about 5,000 people at a rally at the Richmond International Raceway in Virginia Wednesday evening, Trump went after the independent senator from Vermont, who, like Trump, has defied political convention with his strong grassroots support and massive crowds. The billionaire businessman said the self-described “democratic socialist” should instead be called a “socialist-slash-communist” and blamed him for pushing Hillary Rodham Clinton further to the left in her policy positions during Tuesday night’s first Democratic debate. At one point Trump referred to Sanders as a “maniac“.
Clinton’s strong debate is general election warning for GOP (Associated Press) Hillary Rodham Clinton’s polished performance in the first Democratic debate did more than send a message to her primary rivals. It was a warning to the chaotic Republican field about her likely strength in a general election.
UK
What the U.K. Needs From Europe, and Vice Versa (Bloomberg View) There’s little doubt that the EU is in desperate need of reform. Yet no EU member state can force change on the other 27. U.K. Prime Minister David Cameron has promised his constituency that the EU would undergo “fundamental, far-reaching change” before his promised referendum on continuing UK membership in 2017. But the promised change cannot come from just the UK; others in the EU must propose major changes in the way it does business. But the change must come or a Brexit will likely occur. And as difficult as that would be for Britain, the blow to the EU would be even greater: The UK is the EU’s second-largest economy and dominant financial center, and it’s an essential balance to German power in the union. Without it, the EU would be significantly weaker at a time of growing economic and security challenges.
Iran
Iran council gives final approval to nuke deal (Al Jazeera) Guardian Council votes to implement landmark nuclear deal with world powers, as hard-liners remain defiant.
India
India most attractive investment destination globally, says EY report (Business Standard) India is considered the most attractive market by international investors, according to a report released by tax consultancy giant EY on Wednesday. The report ranks India as the premier choice for investors worldwide, with 32% of respondents ranking it the most attractive market. While it shows India’s approval ratings as an investment destination to be more than double that of China and six times that of Brazil, it also points out 60% of respondents placed it among their top three choices for investing.
China
China inflation lower than analysts expected amid further signs of sluggish demand in cooling economy (South China Morning Post) Consumer inflation in China cooled more than expected in September while producer prices extended their slide to a 43rd straight month, adding to concerns about deflationary pressures in the world’s second-largest economy. The consumer price index rose 1.6% in September from a year earlier, the National Bureau of Statistics said on Wednesday, lower than expectations of 1.8% and down from August’s 2%. In a sign of sluggish demand, the non-food price index was even milder with an annual growth rate of 1 per cent in September. Disinflationary and deflationary pressures from cooling consumer, investment and export demand is exacerbated by over capacity according to sources quoted in this article.
China third-quarter growth seen dipping to 6.8 percent, weakest since 2009 (Reuters) China’s economic growth is expected to fall below 7% in the third quarter for the first time since the global financial crisis, putting pressure on policymakers to roll out more support measures as fears of a sharper slowdown spook investors.
China central bank shrugs off quantitative easing talk (The Business Times) A plan by China’s central bank to expand a pilot relending scheme to help small firms and the farming sector cannot be interpreted as a policy of quantitative easing, the chief economist at the People’s Bank of China said on Wednesday.
Flows from China (Financial Times) John Authers interviews Michala Marcussen, chief economist at Societe Generale Commercial and Investment Bank about structural changes in China’s economy.
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