fxmaven

Dubai World: A Great Precedent

UAE and Dubai is hardly a third rate country, it still is the financial and touristic center of the Middle East . For a third rate country try looking at US and UK, with no SWF to speak of, and huge unfunded liabilities.

And while one graduate files suit, others are trying working for free or looking abroad as different tacks in the face of high unemployment.

Idiotic approach and article. Plenty of unemployment/underempl... overseas too. That work permit and residency issue might be a thorny issue too, especially with plenty of locals unemployed.

Russian Government Set to Renege on ExxonMobil Deal. Big Surprise

This reflects badly on Exxon Mobil. Like Khodorovsky, they believed that their political connections with the US would protect them. Well news flash, US cannot protect anyone anymore due to their lack of resources, massive external deficit, and lack of political capital. No one can protect you when you are in Russia, especially when you are in Sakhalin. I am fortunate enough to get out of Sakhalin after two years on that "Katarga" or "Penal Colony". Neither Shell nor Exxon seems to have had the same luck.

Why Russia? Pepsi, Coke Invest in Rapidly Shrinking Market

Russian GDP is down -10% this year, and it remains an Energy mono-economy, with a failing banking sector, and the high supply overhang in NatGas and Crude is depressing prices. The Russian auto market has completely collapsed, I bet the automakers who invested wish they never heard of the place. Russia produces nothing besides natural resources, which are all suffering during the global slowdown. Also, the Stabilization Fund will run out of money in 2010, and there are few or no new sources of income. Russia isn't going anywhere but down for a long time.

Altria Beats, Raises Guidance, But Suffers from Court Battles

The ban on smoking in the military was rejected, one of the few wise decisions by the Congress in recent memory.

Please do your fact checking before posting incorrect, inaccurate, alarmist and biased comments.

Your addiction to tobacco was your fault, stop blaming the government and altria for the consequences of your choice to smoke.

The Govt is even more addicted to the tax revenue generated by Altria (MO), they cannot forsake the revenue.

Emerging Market Idol: Auditions for BRIC Without the 'R'

I Second Indonesia, they have the population figures to add some weight to their growth rate, as well as proximity to China & India. Good riddance Russia!

WSJ: 5 Winners, 4 Losers in a Jobless Environment

PMI does not sell cigarettes in the US , so the number of US unemployed is completely irrelevant in this case. But you will make money anyway from the international smokers and declining dollar. The real question is if MO (the domestic tobacco business) will still show a nice return on capital. I would expect the WSJ to understand the difference, but they clearly do not.

Philip Morris: Even Greater

PM is my favorite stock, the kind where you can reinvest your dividends, and watch them grow year by year like clockwork.

Testifying today on systemic risk, Fed Vice Chairman Donald Kohn argued vigorously for the central bank's independence, saying political interference risks the U.S. credit rating. BusinessWeek previewed the appearance this week by launching a discussion on the subject.

What should we call the "Washington consensus" which promoted the idea of an independant central bank? Maybe it should only be used when the Executive branch uses the Treasury to lead a coup d'etat and reclaim the CB for its own ?

Or look to South Africa's Reserve Bank in the future as the model for management of credit in the economy ? The "Springbok" consensus?

After its downgrade of California's bond rating on June 25, Fitch has further demoted the state to BBB - one grade above junk.

This is the shoe that when it drops, Obama better be stateside to deal with the fallout. Get ready Timmy to ask ordinary taxpayers to pay more taxes to support the financial black hole that is CA, while you "forgot" to pay your taxes. I guess your accountant also has a terrible memory, how convenient.

Choose Phillip Morris, Not Altria

Altria will grow less, and there is no USD hedging effect as with PM. The SAB holidings, UST acquisition, and solid tobacco will support 7-9 % dividend, and profit growth based on cost saving (reduced advertising due to restrictions and relocation of HQ out of NY). The revenue collecting duties for the states guarantee this company will be permitted to make lots of risk free money. Ooh, and plenty of people still smoke/chew, and MO is dominant domestically.

China Wants More Gold

Does anyone have information on IMF Gold Sales? Is there any requirement for public disclosure, or is this part of the many major shifts in the global balance of power which the powers that be are keeping secret ? IMF sales are the biggest obstacle to GLD price appreciation in my mind, USA / UK running out of ammo to manipulate GLD, so this will disappear quickly. California has to be bailed out with something, Obama knows that tax increases will guarantee his political oblivion.

The Disappearing Private Sector Job Market

Only wish it was the "europeanization" of america. Then we would have health care, public transport and employment rights. More like the "africanization" of america with high gini coefficients, and a blatantly incompentent and corrupt government. Maybe even "zimbabwe-fication" if Zimbabwe Ben has his way.

Four Inflation Hedging Investment Strategies

KMP is more of a transit utility than an energy company. Their rates do not increase if commodity prices increase, so i dont see the logic of KMP as a commodity linked asset, even if it is a nice source of income. Anyway if prices go up, doesn't demand usually decrease ?? It did in my Ivy League Econ 101, so I think this is also faulty cause and effect.

I would also stay away from TIPS, which seem to perhaps prevent losing than earning money. Dollar bear funds or Foreign Currencies linked to commodities (Aussie Dollar, NZ Dollar, Loonie) seem better alternatives.

With a breathtaking $9.5T in cash on the sidelines, don't discount the possibility of a mega-rally, and mega-inflation.

Range bound until earnings season, when the lack of demand and pricing power across the board will be evident. Even in March we didn't see the bear market P/E low from the 30's (6X). Expect to see the March lows or even lower, then fill up the bucket with dividend paying (5%+) MNC's with diversified commodity based or non USD revenue.