| Stock Market Update - Thu Mar 29 16:20:01 EDT 2007
[BRIEFING.COM] Riding a shift in sentiment and better than expected economic data, the stock market started Thursday's session on an upbeat note. Its bullish tune quickly changed, however, when the technology sector got hit with selling interest and oil prices spiked more than $2.00 to trade above $66 per barrel. When it seemed as if the market was destined to suffer another down day, things changed just as quickly in the final hour as a rush of buying interest pushed the major indices back into positive territory. The Nasdaq for its part was down as much as 20 points at its low for the day. There wasn't any specific news catalyst for the late surge, but it was emblematic of a market that has had a manic demeanor ever since the global stock market sell-off on Feb.
2007 BUDGET - ECONOMIC PERSPECTIVE AND OBJECTIVES EÄIC
IT is important that the review of our economic circumstances, and the scope and intent of the economic and financial policies which will be presented today should be set within the context of the strategic objectives which have been established for our nation. Parliament has, within the past year, received and approved The National Strategic Plan of Barbados 2006-2025 . Our N ational Strategic Plan commits us to the goal of becoming, by 2025, a fully developed society that is prosperous, socially just and globally competitive. It envisions a society driven primarily by a services economy, fuelled by a steady rate of exp ort growth, with a state of the art information and communications infrastructure, a high savings rate, widespread material prosperity, full employment, an equitable distribution of income and wealth and an enhanced quality of life.
Vital Signs: Going Abroad for Growth
One of the bright spots for the U.S. economy has been the vigor shown by the rest of the global economy. So far, there appears to be little spillover of the U.S. slowdown to the rest of the world. And according to an Apr. 4 International Monetary Fund report, "most countries should be in a position to 'decouple' from the U.S. economy and sustain strong growth if the U.S. slowdown remains as moderate as expected." That's good news for U.S. exports and companies that do business abroad. This week's February trade data should show demand for U.S. goods and services in the rest of the world remains strong, with economists forecasting another gain in exports. The overall trade deficit probably widened some, but that's due to higher oil prices which will raise the dollar total of energy imports.
Legacy of a 'lucky coward'
The price of a two-litre bottle of milk went up in Harare last week. From 10,000 Zimbabwe dollars to 17,000. Exchange one US dollar at the official rate today and you will receive 250 of the Zimbabwean variety. Ask the guy around the corner and he'll offer you 11,000. This is Robert Mugabe's legacy to his people. .
Institute for Higher Education Policy Unveils New 'Identity' to ...
WASHINGTON, April 2 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Institute for Higher Education Policy today unveiled a new identity to better reflect its mission as a global policy leader for increasing access and success in postsecondary education. The image shift is part of a strategic re-branding effort catalyzed by the organization's growing national and international reach and its substantial accomplishments in subspecialties such as financial aid structures, government funding formulas, global ranking systems, and national planning for higher education. The Washington, D.C.-based agency Design Army created the Institute's new image, which includes a contemporary-style logo that prominently features the shortened moniker, "IHEP," to signify the consistent use of the acronym following the first mention of its name.
'Deep Economy' by Bill McKibben
"Deep economy" is a riff on "deep ecology," a philosophical and scientific perspective that views humankind as but one species in the grand web of life. Ecology, of course, refers to the intricate pattern of relations between living entities and their environment. We most often use the word "economy" to refer to "the structure of economic life," to quote Webster's. But economy derives from the Greek word oikonomia, which translates as "household manager." The archaic definition for economy, therefore, is management of a household. The second definition is "thrifty and efficient use of material resources." The latter is the exact opposite, as Bill McKibben so vividly illustrates, of today's growth-focused global economy.
The fact that we envision the economy as an almost mystical mega-force that dominates every aspect of our existence, rather than something within our control, is one motivating factor for McKibben's masterfully crafted, deeply thoughtful and mind-expanding treatise.
|
