By Oil: A risky investment ? (Recommendation)
Oil companies and oil producing countries will face a tough 2014. Oil extraction has become more and more expensive. The shale gas industry is financed with a huge amount of debt, part of which is off balance sheet. For example, shale gas companies use VPP’s (Volumetric Production Payments) to mislead their investors. VPP’s are payments that are structured payments on future oil and gas deliveries. In a VPP contract an investor in an oil or gas company receives a given amount of the oil of gas produced during a fixed period of time.102 In accounting terms a VPP is treated as a non-operating asset, similar to a royalty payment. Oil extracting companies will face serious problems due to… [LEAP/E2020 – Excerpt last GEAB (Déc 2013)]
U.S. Adds 74,000 Jobs as Hiring Slows Sharply
U.S. job growth slowed sharply in December amid unusually cold weather, closing out the year on a weak note and potentially dousing the Federal Reserve’s enthusiasm about the recovery as it winds down its bond-buying program… [Wall Street Journal]
Fed tapered as it saw QE benefits slip over time
Federal Reserve officials agreed in December to begin winding down their asset-purchase program as most believed that the benefits of the controversial policy were eroding as time passed, according to minutes from their last meeting released Wednesday… [Market Watch]
Le Canada accusé de détruire son patrimoine scientifique
L’argument budgétaire ne convainc pas la communauté scientifique. Stephen Harper a fond toute sa politique économique sur les sables bitumineux de l’Alberta, dont l’exploitation est désastreuse pour l’environnement : le gouvernement n’a d’autre choix que mentir pour cacher ce désastre. [Le Monde]
Congress introduces Obama fast-track authority on global trade pacts like TPP
Congressional leaders on the US trade policy have introduced legislation that would grant President Barack Obama “fast-track authority” to enact three looming global trade accords, including the controversial Trans-Pacific Partnership… [RT]
China outstrips US as world’s biggest goods trader
China’s annual trade in goods topped $4 trillion for the first time last year, surpassing the U.S. as the world’s largest trader… [CNBC]
Debt-struck eurozone makes dramatic turnaround
After years of budget cuts and tough reforms to curb soaring debt — which unleashed mass protests — fresh hope for economic recovery in Portugal, Spain, Ireland and Italy appeared to have won over buyers on the bond market… [EUBusiness]
Europe’s disinflation isn’t a worry: Eurogroup President
“If you strengthen your competitiveness, if you manage to bring back the cost of labor – and a number of Eurozone countries are doing exactly that at the moment – it inevitably leads to a lower inflation,” Dijsselbloem said… [CNBC]
Korea keeps watch on won volatility
The volatility of the won, coupled with the U.S. central bank’s move to taper its stimulus measures is sending alarm singals to Korean policymakers and currency authorities… [Korea Herald]
Bourse : pourquoi les petites valeurs font une nouvelle fois mieux que les grandes
C’est la 11e année sur 14, depuis 2000, que les PME et ETI (entreprises de taille intermédiaire) font mieux que leurs grandes soeurs. Et nombre de spécialistes s’attendent à une poursuite de cette tendance en 2014… [Les Echos]
Billionaires Dumping Stocks, Economist Knows Why
Despite the 6.5% stock market rally over the last three months, a handful of billionaires are quietly dumping their American stocks . . . and fast. [Money News]
UK has fewer doctors per person than Bulgaria and Estonia
The UK has fewer working doctors per head of population than almost all other EU countries, according to statistics branded “extremely worrying” by unions… [The Telegraph]
Toyota’s new hydrogen car to emit only water vapor
Toyota says it will have a range of 300 miles, can go from 0 to 60 miles per hour in 10 seconds, and can refuel its hydrogen tank in three to five minutes… [MSN]
Syrie: la rébellion sortira-t-elle affaiblie de ses querelles intestines?
En Syrie, les combats au sein de la rébellion ont fait plus de 270 morts depuis vendredi dernier 3 janvier, selon un bilan de l’Observatoire syrien des droits de l’homme (OSDH). Et ce mercredi, le quartier général des jihadistes de l’Etat islamique en Irak et au Levant, à Alep, a été repris par le reste des rebelles… [RFI]
What’s new in Political Anticipation training? Discuss the world crisis using the principles of Political Anticipation
For the first term in 2014, FEFAP has made its training programme more flexible. The course’s 10 sessions can now be purchased: individually, in a package of five sessions of one’s choice, or all 10 sessions (only the latter leads to the award of the FEFAP/IRPA training certificate in political anticipation). In addition, FEFAP recognises the highly interactive character of its training courses and brings scope for discussion into the programme. The next course is entitled: “discuss the world crisis using the specialised principles of political anticipation-And anticipate its next stages”… [LEAP2020.net]
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