Countries & Regions Archives - Page 201 of 378

August 19, 2013

Targeting the Wealthy Kills Jobs | WSJ.com

T.J. Rodgers compares job creation through private investment to government investment.

Even European socialist democracies are starting to understand that tax-and-spend policies kill jobs. For example, both Italy and Spain have repealed their incentive programs for solar energy along with their “green jobs” because the countries have calculated that for every job created by government investment in green energy, somewhere between 4.8 jobs Italy and 2.2 jobs Spain are lost because of the reciprocal cuts in private investment.

August 19, 2013

Bloated business of banking | The Australian

Adam Creighton discusses the likelihood of taxpayers being asked to bail out too-big-to-fail banks.

In Australia that probability is now 100 per cent. Standard & Poor’s, a ratings agency, gives Australia’s biggest four banks a AA rating explicitly because taxpayers will provide “extraordinary support” to their creditors in any crisis, an implicit guarantee worth more than one-quarter of the four’s annual profits.

Since 1995, the big four Australian banks’ assets, reflecting a global trend, have ballooned from 94 per cent of Australia’s national income to $2.86 trillion, or 190 per cent.

August 18, 2013

S&P 500 breaks support

The S&P 500 broke support at 1675 and is testing 1650. Bearish divergence on 21-day Twiggs Money Flow warns of selling pressure. Breach of 1650 would test the rising trendline around 1625. Respect (of the trendline) would indicate a healthy up-trend, while failure would test primary support at 1560.

S&P 500 Index

* Target calculation: 1680 + ( 1680 – 1560 ) = 1800

There is a lower trendline, however, on the monthly chart. Breach of support at 1560 would indicate a test of the (super) trendline.
S&P 500 Index

The VIX below 15 continues to indicate low market risk, favoring a primary up-trend. We need to watch this closely, however, as a spike above 0.20 may warn that something is amiss.

VIX Index

The TSX Composite Index rallied off support at 12400, indicating a test of resistance at 12900/13000. Rising 13-week Twiggs Money Flow above zero indicates medium-term buying pressure. Respect of resistance would suggest another down-swing to 12000/11750, but breakout above 12900/13000 is as likely and would offer a long-term target of 14000*.
TSX Composite Index

* Target calculation: 13000 + ( 13000 – 12000 ) = 14000

August 15, 2013

Gruen Nation: The Pitch

Great feature on Australian ABC’s Gruen Nation where ad agencies work up a concept to pitch to an imaginary client. Some are quite far-fetched, like selling holidays in Baghdad, but this week the pitch was a lot tougher: persuading voters at the upcoming election.

Click on the above image and scroll to 33:01 for The Pitch.

August 15, 2013

Forex: Euro, Aussie and Loonie strengthen

The Euro is consolidating between $1.32 and $1.34. Upward breakout would indicate a primary advance to $1.40*, while reversal below $1.32 would warn of another test of primary support at $1.27. Close oscillation of 13-week Twiggs Momentum around the zero line indicates hesitancy.

Euro/USD

* Target calculation: 1.34 + ( 1.34 – 1.28 ) = 1.40

Sterling respected primary support at €1.135/€1.140 against the euro. Recovery above €1.165 suggests that a bottom is forming. Penetration of the descending trendline would strengthen the signal. In the longer term, breakout above €1.19 would complete a double bottom with a target of €1.24. Recovery of 13-week Twiggs Momentum above zero would also indicate a primary up-trend. Reversal below €1.165, however, would warn the down-trend is likely to continue. Failure of primary support at €1.14 would confirm.

Sterling/Euro

* Target calculation: 1.19 + ( 1.19 – 1.14 ) = 1.24

The greenback is headed for a test of primary support at ¥94 against the Yen. Breach of short-term support at ¥96 would confirm. In the longer term, breach of primary support at ¥94 would signal a down-trend with an initial target of ¥86*, while recovery above ¥101.50 would indicate an advance to ¥108*.

USD/JPY

* Target calculation: 102 + ( 102 – 96 ) = 108; 94 – ( 102 – 94 ) = 86;

Canada’s Loonie is consolidating between $0.96 and $0.975 against the greenback. Upward breakout would penetrate the descending trendline, suggesting that a bottom is forming, while reversal below $0.96 would test primary support at $0.945.

Canadian Loonie

Short retracement of the Aussie Dollar against the greenback suggests buying pressure. Follow-through above $0.92 would test the descending trendline and resistance at $0.93. Breakout is unlikely, but would warn that the down-trend is ending. Reversal below medium-term support at $0.90 would warn of a decline to $0.87*, with a long-term target of $0.80*.

Aussie Dollar

* Target calculations: 0.90 – ( 0.93 – 0.90 ) = 0.87; 0.95 – ( 1.10 – 0.95 ) = 0.80

August 13, 2013

EconoMonitor | Japan’s Three Arrows―Will They Fly?

Jerry Schiff writes:

We see encouraging signs that the desired changes to the economy are beginning to take place. Growth in the first quarter rose by an impressive 4¼ percent seasonally adjusted annual rate. Equity markets are up by some 40 percent for the year. Exports appear to be recovering. Credit growth has turned positive. Consumer and business confidence have picked up. And Inflation expectations are beginning to rise…… But the transformation is far from complete. In particular, higher investment and wages — two keys for ultimate success — are not yet observed.

August 13, 2013

China rally spurs ASX advance

China’s Shanghai Composite Index rallied from support at 1950 to test medium-term resistance at 2100 on the weekly chart. Breakout would indicate a test of the descending trendline at 2200. The primary trend is down, but penetration of the trendline would suggest that a bottom has formed.

Shanghai Composite Index

The Shenzhen Composite Index has been in a primary up-trend since May, but displayed weakness with a second, shaky test of support at 900. Troughs above zero on 13-week Twiggs Money Flow indicate the primary up-trend is intact. Breakout above the last high at 1040 would confirm — a bullish sign for the Shanghai Composite.

Shenzhen Composite Index

Japan’s Nikkei 225 is testing medium-term support at 13500. Breach would indicate a correction to primary support at 12500, but respect of the zero line by 21-day Twiggs Money Flow would suggest the primary up-trend is intact. Recovery above 14500 would strengthen the signal.

Nikkei 225 Index

India’s Sensex respected primary support at 18500. Rising troughs on 13-week Twiggs Money Flow indicate moderate buying pressure. Expect another test of resistance at 20500 (i.e. a test of 20500 is likely). Breach of support, while unlikely, would warn of a primary down-trend — confirmed if there is follow-through below 18000.

BSE Sensex Index

* Target calculation: 20000 + ( 20000 – 18000 ) = 22000

The ASX 200 broke short-term resistance at 5120, signaling an advance to the May peak at 5250. Rising 21-day Twiggs Money Flow indicates buying pressure. Reversal below 5000 is unlikely, but would warn of a correction to at least 4850.

ASX 200 Index

Breakout above 5250 would indicate another advance, but high volatility, shown by the broadening formation of the last few months, will require further evidence to confirm this.

ASX 200 Index

* Target calculation: 5250 + ( 5250 – 4650 ) = 5850

August 12, 2013

Superannuation is inequitable and unsustainable | | MacroBusiness

I agree with Leith van Onselen that Australia’s aged pension/superannuation regime will be sorely tested over the next 30 years as the number of workers per retiree falls to below 2.5 to 1:

Workers per Retiree

But I don’t agree with his proposed solution:

…The flat 15% tax on superannuation contributions should also be axed in favour of a flat 15% concession. As illustrated above, under the current 15% flat tax arrangement, the amount of super concessions rises as one moves up the income tax scale, resulting in a system whereby higher income earners receive the most super tax benefit, despite being the very people that are the least likely to rely on the aged pension in retirement. A flat 15% concession, by comparison, would improve the equity and sustainability of the system by: 1) providing all taxpayers with the same taxation concession; 2) boosting lower income earners’ super savings and thus reducing reliance on the aged pension; and 3) reducing costs to the budget.

Argument that the flat tax on superannuation contributions is inequitable is based on the presumption that the present system of progressive tax rates is equitable. No doubt high income-earners benefit more from the flat tax than low income-earners, but the proposal ignores the fact that they pay more income tax in the first place. And even after the larger tax savings on their super contributions, the high income-earner will pay a significantly higher average tax rate.

August 12, 2013

Pollies miss the point on infrastructure | MacroBusiness

I fully support Leith van Onselen’s view on infrastructure investment:

It is important to (as much as possible) take the decision-making for infrastructure investment away from the political process and instead place it in the hands of an independent authority tasked with maximising overall welfare and productivity at lowest cost. Picking infrastructure winners, based on preconceived ideas or political motivations, is a recipe for waste and is likely to end up being productivity-destroying for the economy at large.

August 12, 2013

China ‘hard landing’ could trigger Australia recession: Standard & Poor – The Economic Times

“Australia’s exposure to commodity demand from Asia, and China in particular, was a saving grace during the global recession of 2009. But by the same token it has become Australia’s Achilles’ heel,” the ratings giant [Standard & Poor’s] said.

“Particularly while mining investment remains such a large share of the Australian economy, and other sectors continue to lack growth momentum, Australia remains highly sensitive to a sharp correction in China’s economic growth.”