Despite securing an agreement from Group of 20 (G-20) officials to avoid weakening their currencies any further, the Obama administration failed to convince member countries to implement specific guidelines to measure compliance and monitor trade imbalances.
At a meeting last weekend in Gyeongju, South Korea, finance ministers from both developed and emerging economies agreed to try to maintain trade balances at "sustainable levels," which they left to be negotiated at a future date. They were unable to reach consensus on precise targets, as the United States proposed. G-20 members will meet again in Seoul on Nov. 11 and 12.
The G-20 was able to hammer out a deal to get China and the United States - as well as the other G-20 nations - to agree to "refrain from competitive devaluation of currencies," and to let markets set foreign-exchange values. China is widely seen as keeping its currency undervalued to boost its exports, while the United States has been accused of pursuing a weak dollar policy, also to increase its overseas shipments.
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Currency War Carries On as G-20 Meeting Fails to Secure Specific Trade Targets
U.S., Britain Say EU Proposals Will Damage Hedge Fund Industry
The European Union (EU) on Thursday defended its sweeping hedge-fund reform proposals against criticism from the United States and Britain.
British Prime Minister Gordon Brown met with French President Nicolas Sarkozy Friday in hopes of compromising on the proposed regulation.
Many EU countries are determined to change the hedge fund industry, which is often murky. The use of derivatives, such as credit-default swaps have been linked to the downfall of Lehman Bros. and exacerbating Greece's sovereign debt difficulties.
British Prime Minister Gordon Brown met with French President Nicolas Sarkozy Friday in hopes of compromising on the proposed regulation.
Many EU countries are determined to change the hedge fund industry, which is often murky. The use of derivatives, such as credit-default swaps have been linked to the downfall of Lehman Bros. and exacerbating Greece's sovereign debt difficulties.
China Standing Firm on Currency Policy Despite Mounting Pressure
China's rigid stance to not appreciate its currency continues to cause problems with "hot money" and foreign trade relations.
A report from Yi Gang, China's director of the State Administration of Foreign Exchange (SAFE), today (Tuesday) shrugged off calls for currency appreciation. Yi said China's foreign-exchange reserves - which are the largest in the world at $2.4 trillion - are safe and stable, and the country will strengthen its supervision of speculative cash inflows.
Speculation that China's currency, the yuan, is soon to rise has increased investment, but such speculation is not particularly welcome. "Underground money shops" disguise funds as foreign direct investments and trade accounts in an attempt to profit from the increasing spread on interest and exchange rates, according to Yi.
A report from Yi Gang, China's director of the State Administration of Foreign Exchange (SAFE), today (Tuesday) shrugged off calls for currency appreciation. Yi said China's foreign-exchange reserves - which are the largest in the world at $2.4 trillion - are safe and stable, and the country will strengthen its supervision of speculative cash inflows.
Speculation that China's currency, the yuan, is soon to rise has increased investment, but such speculation is not particularly welcome. "Underground money shops" disguise funds as foreign direct investments and trade accounts in an attempt to profit from the increasing spread on interest and exchange rates, according to Yi.
Australia Increases Rates, Canada Stays Steady as Both Cast Wary Eyes Toward Inflation
Canada and Australia, two resource-rich nations that are recovering quickly from the global recession, yesterday (Tuesday) reaffirmed interest rate policies as both promised to remain vigilant about rising inflation.
The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) raised its cash rate target by a quarter of a percentage point to 4.00%, while the Bank of Canada (BOC) kept its benchmark interest rate at record lows. Both central banks said inflation and economic output have been higher than policymakers expected.
The target rate for overnight loans between commercial banks in Canada will remain at 0.25%, the same level it's been since April 2009, exactly in line with predictions by 22 economists surveyed by Bloomberg News. The central bank also repeated a pledge to leave it unchanged through June unless the current inflation outlook shifts.
The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) raised its cash rate target by a quarter of a percentage point to 4.00%, while the Bank of Canada (BOC) kept its benchmark interest rate at record lows. Both central banks said inflation and economic output have been higher than policymakers expected.
The target rate for overnight loans between commercial banks in Canada will remain at 0.25%, the same level it's been since April 2009, exactly in line with predictions by 22 economists surveyed by Bloomberg News. The central bank also repeated a pledge to leave it unchanged through June unless the current inflation outlook shifts.
Arctic Chill Frames Divergence in G-7 Economic Policies at Canada Meet
In between bites of seal meat and dogsled races, the financial heads of the Group of Seven (G-7) countries met near the Arctic Circle in Canada last weekend to hammer out differences in how their respective countries will approach monetary policy as the economic recovery takes hold. Windchill temperatures hovered around -40°C in Iqaluit, just […]
G20 Fizzles as China-Africa Summit Leads to a $10 Billion Loan
While U.S. and European officials this weekend squabbled over the specifics of an economic recovery plan, China took another step to ensure long-term economic growth by inking another multibillion-dollar deal with Africa.
Finance ministers from the Group of 20 (G20) met over the weekend to discuss the ongoing healing process taking place in the world's financial system. Officials agreed that stimulus measures should remain in place, as the global economic recovery is still vulnerable. They also acknowledged that while the dollar is weakening, its downside risk is outweighed by the need to "continue to provide support for the economy until the recovery is assured."
Analysts say that the dollar's decline will take a back seat to the economic recovery so long as it remains orderly.
Finance ministers from the Group of 20 (G20) met over the weekend to discuss the ongoing healing process taking place in the world's financial system. Officials agreed that stimulus measures should remain in place, as the global economic recovery is still vulnerable. They also acknowledged that while the dollar is weakening, its downside risk is outweighed by the need to "continue to provide support for the economy until the recovery is assured."
Analysts say that the dollar's decline will take a back seat to the economic recovery so long as it remains orderly.
G-20 Reaches Agreement on Restructuring Economic Policy and Banking Rules
The G-20 summit in Pittsburgh concluded Friday with agreements to restructure policies to sustain the economic recovery and to install new banking regulations to prevent a repeat of the biggest financial meltdown since the Great Depression. Also, the G-20 announced that it would become the permanent council for international economic cooperation, eclipsing the G7 and […]
G20 Leaders Meet to Rebalance World's Economy While Imposing Banking Reforms
Leaders from the G20 nations, which represent 85% of the global economy, will hold an economic summit in Pittsburgh this week to determine how they can keep the economic recovery on track while rebalancing growth and imposing new regulatory restrictions on banks. U.S. President Barack Obama and his overseas counterparts will meet for the third […]
Buy, Sell or Hold: Kimberly Clark Corp. (NYSE: KMB) Offers a Strong Defensive Position and a Generous Dividend Yield
In the last few months we have seen a very strong stock market rally. The market has recovered from highly distressed levels and posted exorbitant gains. In addition the "wall of money" from the U.S. Federal Reserve has pushed risk-prone investors back into the market, pushing its general level up. You see, the massive fiscal […]
Here's Why the U.S.-China Tire Tiff Could Lead to Great Depression II
When U.S. President Barack Obama late Friday (Sept. 11) signed an order that imposed an additional duty of 35% on tires imported from China, it set up the potential for an old-fashioned trade war. Currently, global trade is down only 20%. During normal times, worldwide commerce would recover on its own. But as most investors […]
Buy, Sell or Hold: The SPDR Gold Trust ETF (NYSE: GLD) Continues to Offer Investors a Hedge Against Inflation
The just-concluded Group 20 (G20) meeting left us with a chorus of very "prudent" governments and central bankers singing the praises of easy monetary and fiscal conditions. So where can we take refuge when all the central banks in the world print money and governments run deficits in order to spend like drunken sailors? The […]