IMF Survey-World to Experience Myriad Formidable Demographic Changes
February 25, 2016--Increased longevity boosts age-related spending in much of the world
Africa can reap a demographic dividend from a growing working-age population
Increasing female workforce participation could offset some problems of aging and shrinking populations
The world is being buffeted by potent and sometimes contradictory demographic changes, all of which pose formidable social, economic, and environmental threats, Harvard professor David E. Bloom writes in the March 2016 issue of Finance & Development magazine.
Source: IMF
Oil up 3 percent on March producers meeting, U.S. project delays
February 25, 2016--Crude oil futures jumped 3 percent on Thursday, reversing earlier loses after confirmation of a meeting of major producers and news of project delays and job cuts in the industry.
Venezuela reaffirmed a mid-March meeting of oil producers that would include Saudi Arabia, Russia and Qatar, to stabilize prices that have slumped 70 percent in a 20-month rout.
Source: Reuters
EM ex-China growth slips below that of developed world
February 25, 2016--Emerging markets, by definition, are meant to emerge. Strip out China, however, and the economies of the developing world are now growing more slowly than the developed world for the first time since 1999.
Emerging markets ex-China eked out output growth of just 1.92 per cent last year...
Source: FT.com
Nigeria: Govt, Saudi Arabia Commit to Raising Oil Price
February 24, 2016--Leaders of Nigeria and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia have expressed commitment to a "stable oil market" and a "rebound of oil price."
Source: AllAfrica.com
Merk Insight: Gold Now?
February 24, 2016--Gold never changes; it's the world around it that does. Why is it that we see a renewed interest in gold now? And more importantly, should investors buy this precious metal?
Key attributes in a 'changing world' that may be relevant to the price of gold are fear and interest rates. Let's examine these:
Gold & Fear
When referencing 'fear' driving the markets, most think of a terrorist attack, political uncertainty or some other crisis that impacts investor sentiment, and sure enough, at times, the price of gold moves higher when this type of fear is observed.
Source: Merk
Infographic-Why a Brexit Could Be a Losing Proposition for Everyone
February 24, 2016--After two days of intense negotiations, British Prime Minister David Cameron has proposed a new agreement that could allow Britain to stay in the European Union.
Although not all of his demands were met in full, the potential deal focuses on migrant workers, protecting the pound and London's financial sector from regulations, sovereignty, and competitiveness.
Source: visualcapitalist.com
Infographic-Virtual and Augmented Reality: The Players and the Game
February 23, 2016--Virtual reality has been exiled to the dreaded trough of disillusionment for years, but it is finally on the path to escape.
Products such as Oculus Rift and the HTC Vive are continuously wowing both users and investors, and these technologies will clearly play a significant role in the future of movies and gaming. view more
Source: visualcapitalist.com
DECPG Global Monthly-February 2016
February 23, 2016--February Overview
Global growth slowed further in the fourth quarter of 2015, as activity was soft in the U.S. and contracted in Japan.
Financial markets have become increasingly concerned about global prospects, and major central banks have
modified their policy stance to mitigate downside risks.
Outflows from China continued to put pressure on foreign reserves, while portfolio flows to other emerging markets showed tentative signs of stabilization.
With the further plunge in oil prices, oil exporters continue to face challenges, including weakening external accounts, depreciating currencies, accelerating inflation, and deteriorating fiscal balances.
Source: World Bank
ERI Scientific Beta announces the launch of new low carbon indices
February 23, 2016--EDHEC Risk Institute has been conducting research for several years on the possibility of reconciling financial and environmental performance.
The launch of a new series of low carbon indices by ERI Scientific Beta, the smart beta index provider set up by EDHEC Risk Institute in 2012, marks the practical realisation of these research efforts and represents an important moment for responsible finance, because the results of the research undertaken will provide institutional investors with smart beta indices that can reduce the carbon footprint of their equity investments by more than 80%, while at the same time outperforming traditional market indices and being able to create more than 50% additional value in the medium term.
Source: Nasdaq.com
ETF Securities Commodities weekly: Rising risk appetite provides no impediment to gold ETP flows
February 22, 2016--Summary
Gold ETPs post strong inflows of US$224mn, as investors garner safety amidst volatile markets.
Oil ETPs surge after oil prices rebound despite lacklustre negotiations among major producers
Profit-taking prompts outflows from industrial metal basket ETPs
Source: ETF Securities