Financial Times (December 21)
“A surge of deals in the pharmaceuticals, energy and consumer sectors has pushed merger and acquisition activity to an all-time high, surpassing 2007’s peak — but dealmakers have admitted that bond market turmoil and geopolitical instability are their biggest worries for 2016.”
Tags: 2016, Bond market, Consumer sectors, Deals, Energy, Geopolitical instability, M&A, Pharmaceuticals, Turmoil
Washington Post (December 19)
Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin have been exchanging compliments. They clearly have a lot in common. “Much as Mr. Putin has muzzled free expression in the media, marginalized political opponents and scrapped contested elections, Mr. Trump has blithely endorsed shutting down parts of the Internet, praised President Franklin D. Roosevelt for interning Japanese Americans during World War II and openly contemplated registering Muslims in America.”
Tags: Elections, Free expression, Internet, Internment, Japanese Americans, Media, Muslims, Political opponents, Putin, Roosevelt, Russia, Trump, U.S.
Los Angeles Times (December 16)
Consumer drones have taken off and already number over a million. It’s conceivable the day will come when every home has 2 or 3, just like TVs. “The key difference, though — and it is a big one — is that each one of these flying robots has outsized potential for mischief compared with other tech products like TVs, headphones and tablets.”
Wall Street Journal (December 16)
“Financial markets took the Federal Reserve’s interest-rate ‘liftoff’ from near-zero in stride on Wednesday, broadly celebrating the 25 basis point increase in the federal-funds rate.” Given the late timing of the rise, however, this is very much unchartered territory. “The truth is that few people in financial markets are confident that anyone knows how this gradual return to monetary normalcy will turn out.”
Tags: Basis points, Fed, Federal-funds rate, Financial markets, Increase, Interest rates, Monetary, Near-zero, Normalcy
Bloomberg (December 15)
“A surge in Tokyo’s elderly population over the next 10 years may overwhelm urban healthcare systems; while depopulation and stagnant economies in rural Japan are set to leave nursing homes and hospitals half-empty.” Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is pushing “an audacious idea” of motivating urban elderly to relocate to Japan’s countryside.
Tags: Abe, Audacious, Countryside., Depopulation, Elderly, Healthcare, Hospitals, Japan, Nursing homes, Rural, Surge, Tokyo, Urban
Reuters (December 14)
The world finally “learned its lesson and got a climate deal.” The victory in Paris “was an agreement born from a fear of failure, delivered by the smoothness of French diplomacy.” Remarkably, it took place just six years after “countries had bitterly walked away from global climate talks in Copenhagen without a deal.”
Tags: Agreement, Climate deal, Copenhagen, Diplomacy, France, Paris, Victory, World
Institutional Investor (December 14)
In Taiwan, “a regime change could cast a chill over relations with China and inject fresh uncertainty into the economy at a delicate time.” Since China accounts for 40% of its exports, Taiwan is taking an economic hit as China’s economy slumps. Things could get worse due to coming elections. Tsai Ing-wen is the leading presidential candidate and her party is independence leaning.
Tags: China, Delicate, Economy, Elections, Exports, Independence, Regime change, Taiwan, Tsai Ing-wen, Uncertainty
The New York Times (December 12)
“Canada’s generosity—and Mr. Trudeau’s personal warmth and leadership — can serve as a beacon for others.” Prime Minister Trudeau was on hand to welcome the first groups of Syrian refugees to Canada. He even helped one man find a winter coat that fit. Canada’s warm reception of refugees in need “puts to shame the callous and irresponsible behavior of the American governors and presidential candidates who have argued that the United States, for the sake of its security, must shut its doors to all Syrian refugees.”
Tags: Canada, Generosity, Leadership, Refugees, Security, Syria, Trudeau, U.S.
The Economist (December 12)
“Since interest rates hit rock-bottom in 2009, the Federal Reserve has repeatedly made optimistic forecasts about when they would start rising, only to delay the big day again and again.” The long-awaited hike now appears imminent. “On December 16th, when the Fed’s rate-setting committee meets, it seems all but certain to raise rates.”
Tags: Fed, Forecasts, Hike, Interest rates
Washington Post (December 11)
“Trump’s anti-Muslim rhetoric will live in infamy in U.S. history. He obviously doesn’t mind; his narcissistic personality is so extreme that every high-visibility outrage is for him a kind of validation.” Others should care. “Historians will look harshly on those who, for reasons of cowardice or opportunism, kept silent when Trump’s tirades put our constitutional values and the safety of Americans at risk.”