As the second quarter of the economic year begins, US stocks opened at their lowest level since the crash of 1929 which triggered the Great Depression. According to RT, “the S&P 500 index fell 2.2 percent after the first trading session in the second quarter. This was only ever worse […]
Finance and Economics
The Petroyuan Is Here and Global Oil Markets Have Reacted Positively
This morning, history was made as China began trading Yuan denominated oil futures contracts on the Shanghai International Energy Exchange. According to Liu Shiyu, the Chairman of the China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC), “We have the confidence, determination and ability to build a crude oil futures market with Chinese characteristics, and make due […]
Here’s How to Save Facebook and Political Transparency Without Encroaching on Individual Rights or Business Opportunities
The problem with Facebook, like so many other corporations is that it got greedy and tried to do too many things all at once and when all such ethical options were exhausted, they went into the unethical. There is no doubt that, as Julian Assange and Edward Snowden both have […]
The Cyprus Banking Crisis - Gone But Not Forgotten
In 2013, the European Union announced that they would take approximately 40% of people’s savings in the 2 major banks - Bank of Cyprus & Laiki. Some of the remainder was to be converted into worthless bank shares (the shareholders and bondholders were also wiped out due to the scale […]
Trump’s Takes Trade War Directly To China - And American Businesses That Rely on Chinese Products
Reports from the White House indicate that the US Treasury Department is finalising a much hyped $30 billion anti-Chinese tariff initiative which will target a wide variety of goods. Trump recently announced the finalisation of a 25% tariff on steel imports with an accompanying 10% tariff on aluminium. As Canada, […]
Everything You Need to Know About Free Trade vs. Protectionism in The Age of Xi and Trump
Among other things, Donald Trump’s Presidency has provided an opportunity for the US and the wider world to re-educate itself about fundamental principles of war and peace, trade, monetary policy and national identity. This is because, rather than simply try to manage existing trends, Trump has challenged the prevailing orthodoxy […]
‘Tariffs Good - Voluntary BDS Movement Bad’: How America Turned Its Back on Freedom
In a truly free market, all individuals would have the right to sell anything, to anyone, anywhere and inversely, people would have the right to refuse a sale or transaction with no questions asked. Of course, no such system has ever been fully realised in the modern world and often […]