Salient to Investors: The IMF said: European growth will rise to 1.7% in 2016 versus 1.5% in 2015 thanks to falling oil prices, a weaker euro and ECB actions this year. Europe remains vulnerable to shocks that could bring prolonged stagnation, like Greece or a moderate shock to confidence from lower expected
READ MORE... →Salient to Investors: Christine Lagarde at the IMF said: The Fed should delay any rise in interest rates until 2016 and wait for more tangible signs of wage or price inflation. Pockets of vulnerability in the US economy could cause serious trouble for the wider economy. The IMF predicts US growth of 2.5%
READ MORE... →Salient to Investors: Fareed Zakaria said: The IEA said Russia faces a perfect storm of collapsing oil prices, international sanctions and currency depreciation. The IMF predicts the Russian economy will contract by 3% in 2015. Putin does not respond to higher costs in a rational calculating manner. Military aid to
READ MORE... →Salient to Investors: The IMF said: The global economy will grow 3.5% in 2015 and 3.7% in 2016. The boost from the sharp fall in oil prices will be more than offset by negative factors, including weaker investment. The euro area recovery will continue at only 1.2% growth in 2015 and 1.4% in 2016.
READ MORE... →Salient to Investors: Fundacion Alternativas said 700,000 Spaniards left Spain between 2008 and 2012. The National Statistics Institute reports 547,890 left in 2013, 79,306 of them Spanish nationals born in Spain. Spaniards are fleeing 25% unemployment and flocking to Latin America, including Brazil, where language barriers are few, the cost of
READ MORE... →Salient to Investors: Christine Lagarde at the IMF said: The global economic outlook is less positive than in April but is still in recovery, and improved from a year ago. IMF growth forecasts for Hong Kong have not changed. The financial crisis left more major scars and legacies that the
READ MORE... →Salient to Investors: Randy Bateman at Huntington Asset Advisors said investors have always relied on the Fed priming the pump, which ends this month so investors are moving focus to the many geopolitical situations and economic concerns. Economists forecast growth from Japan to China will slow every year through 2016. Tim Courtney at Exencial Wealth
READ MORE... →Salient to Investors: Matt McCormick at Bahl & Gaynor says investors are bracing for more volatility on the basis that the economy and market are not as strong as they thought. Raymond James said equities are vulnerable to losses. Citigroup is concerned about a severe pullback. Christine Lagarde at IMF
READ MORE... →Salient to Investors: Gold analysts are the most bullish in a year, while short positions held by hedge funds et al rose almost fourfold from October to December 24th. The US Mint sold 56,000 ounces of American Eagle gold coins in December, the most since June sales gained 14 percent gain
READ MORE... →Salient to Investors: A RICS index increased to the highest since June 2002. Mortgage lending climbed to the highest level in almost 6 years in Q3. The gap between demand and supply widened to the most since May 2009. RICS said house prices are expected to continue rising in all
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