Markets & Industries
Dieselgate is turning into Diesel-escape - 03/08/2017
Stuttgart has recently introduced a ban on diesel engines within the city, and its German neighbors may soon follow its example. German automotive industry still believes in its favorite technology, but the market has already felt a drop in demand. "Sell your diesel while it's still possible" – said Die Welt in the beginning of March, causing a lot of resonance in Germany. Its author urged German...
Top losers of the investment services market - 03/07/2017
Global market for investment banking services is shrinking. What’s worse, proportion of European banks there is getting smaller. Proceeds of the banks from provision of investment and trading services in 2016 has been falling for the fourth year in a row, independent research company Coalition said. On average, revenues have been falling by more than 3% per year since 2012. Many of Europe's...
Chinese banking system becomes the world's largest - 03/06/2017
At the end of 2016, China's banking system was the largest in the world in terms of assets. This fact reflects both growing role of China in global finance and increasing dependence of the Chinese economy on the debt financing, writes Financial Times. At December 31, China's banking assets reached $ 33 trillion, compared with $ 31 trillion in the 19 euro-zone countries, $ 16 trillion in US and $...
Forget oil, lithium is a new big craze - 03/03/2017
Tesla made electric cars trendy, and demand for batteries is growing rapidly. Manufacturers of lithium are celebrating skyrocketed prices. How soon will investors realize that there is plenty of lithium in reserve, and when will the growth of prices end? Over the last eighteen months, prices for lithium have risen sharply due to growing demand for car batteries and smartphones. It looks like...
China goes electric - 03/02/2017
Chinese authorities are trying to increase number of electric vehicles in the country. China already ranks third by the number of electric vehicles after the US and the EU. In the past year the figure reached 1 million, and around 400 thousand electric vehicles were sold in 2016. The Chinese government is considering introduction of quotas for electric vehicles by 2018. According to the new...
Saudi Arabia wants oil prices rising to $ 60 in 2017 - 02/28/2017
Saudi Arabia wants oil prices to rise to around $ 60 per barrel this year, said five sources in OPEC and oil industry. UAE, Kuwait and Qatar, the largest producer in OPEC and its partners in the Persian Gulf, reckon that this mark will attract investment in new fields, yet will not result in a jump in US shale oil production, the sources said. OPEC, Russia and other oil producers in 2016 agreed...
Japan recognizes Bitcoin as a functional currency - 02/23/2017
"In June last year we started to work on new version of the Law on Payment Services, which determines basic regulations of the virtual currency. Detailed plans and management regulations were published in December, and public hearing of the bill ended on 27 January. The new regulation will come...
US farmers traded corn for soybeans - 02/22/2017
Corn is the main agricultural culture of the USA, yet farmers from North Dakota to Texas are preparing to sow soybeans in 2017. Since 2016, soybean prices rose by 9.2%, while cost of sowing of oilseeds decreased. A farmer from Minnesota, with a farm of 2,500 acres (1,012 hectares), said that he is going to cover 55% of his land with corn in 2017, compared to 67% in 2016. In addition, he will...
PwC: Financial services sector in sore need of fintech experts - 02/22/2017
Nearly three-quarters of executives in financial services sector all over the world believe that a limited number of specialists, who are able to work with new technologies, is a possible reason for slowing growth and low level of customers’ confidence. PwC conducted an international survey of business executives in the financial services sector, and found out that rapid spread of new...
Europe lures "big finance" from London - 02/21/2017
Once the UK leaves the single European market, many London-based banks and financial companies will lose "passports" entitling them to serve clients in other 27 states. Perhaps, the UK and EU regulatory systems would continue recognize each other. However, no one expects a smooth and quite Brexit; it will rather be a hard and heavy exodus. The British government plans to launch a two-year...
