Soaring Luxury-Goods Prices Test Wealthy’s Will to Pay; Sales Growth Slows as Competition Heats Up; ‘Prices Have Gotten Really Crazy’

Soaring Luxury-Goods Prices Test Wealthy’s Will to Pay

Sales Growth Slows as Competition Heats Up; ‘Prices Have Gotten Really Crazy’

SUZANNE KAPNER and CHRISTINA PASSARIELLO

March 2, 2014 6:42 p.m. ET

Despite expanding into new markets, the luxury-retail business has been relying on price increases to drive sales. Now, even the very wealthy are nearing the limits of what they are willing to spend. Read more of this post

Beijing’s Smog Ain’t Going Nowhere

Mar 3, 2014

Beijing’s Smog Ain’t Going Nowhere

Last week was another one of those weeks in Beijing: all anyone could talk about was the smog. A brief respite after rainfall Wednesday night served only to underline just how bad things have been: the American embassy’s air quality index was back into “unhealthy” territory by Friday morning, where it remained for much of the weekend. Read more of this post

China’s state planning body grows more assertive as revamp looms

China’s state planning body grows more assertive as revamp looms

4:04pm EST

By Michael Martina and Benjamin Kang Lim

BEIJING (Reuters) – China will present proposals to revamp its behemoth economic planning agency at an annual session of parliament this week, sources said, but the organization’s role as an antitrust regulator could eventually be enhanced. Read more of this post

North Korea fires two short-range missiles into sea: Seoul

North Korea fires two short-range missiles into sea: Seoul

7:10pm EST

SEOUL (Reuters) – North Korea fired two short-range missiles on Monday into the sea off the east coast of the Korean peninsula, South Korea’s defense ministry said, days after launching similar rockets last week. Read more of this post

Spot checks on the global economy and a dilemma for the ECB

Spot checks on the global economy and a dilemma for the ECB

2:03pm EST

By Jeremy Gaunt

LONDON (Reuters) – Take your pick of the most important economic event of the coming week – forward-looking global activity data, interest rate decisions in Europe or a spot-check on U.S. jobs after a month of particularly bad weather. Read more of this post

Productivity challenge stumps Singapore builders

Productivity challenge stumps builders

Monday, Mar 03, 2014

Cheryl Ong

The Straits Times

SINGAPORE – Builders are used to meeting complex challenges – just look at the Marina Bay Sands or any MRT station – but lifting productivity in the construction sector seems to stump them at every turn. Read more of this post

Is Chinese Centrally Planned FX Policy “Just A Silly Game”?

Is Chinese Centrally Planned FX Policy “Just A Silly Game”?

Tyler Durden on 03/02/2014 15:52 -0500

Submitted by Jake van der Camp via The South China Morning Post,

The mainland’s foreign-exchange regulator said recent volatility in the yuan’s exchange rate is normal, while playing down the possibility of large capital outflows, in a statement apparently aimed at easing market concern over a sharp currency depreciation. Read more of this post

China annual legislature session to face familiar problems

China annual legislature session to face familiar problems

Sunday, March 2, 2014 – 14:42

AFP

BEIJING – China’s annual show of political theatre, the National People’s Congress, opens this week – the first under a new Communist Party leadership facing intractable problems including endemic corruption, slowing economic growth and tensions with neighbouring countries. Read more of this post

Property giant City Developments might consider turning some of its upcoming high-end condo projects into serviced residences; drastic move contemplated as thinner profits from property development weighed down earnings

CDL may turn condos into serviced homes

Sunday, Mar 02, 2014

Melissa Tan

The Straits Times

SINGAPORE – Property giant City Developments (CDL) says it might consider turning some of its upcoming high-end condominium projects into serviced residences. Read more of this post

The SEC Should Really Start a Hedge Fund

The SEC Should Really Start a Hedge Fund

27 FEB 27, 2014 1:10 PM ET

By Matt Levine

It’s hard to pick stocks that will go up, so most people can’t do it consistently. It’s about equally hard — probably a bit harder — to pick stocks that will go down, so most people can’t do that consistently either. But if somehow you knew in advance what banks were going to be investigated for bank-y malfeasance, or which biotech companies were cooking their books, then you could sell their stocks and avoid losses, with consistent repeatable outperformance. Who might know that sort of thing in advance? Read more of this post

Berkshire Hathaway’s annual letter to shareholders has included pages on the stock market and where it’s headed in previous years. This year? Silence. Buffett lost nearly $900 million exiting biggest buyout ever

Buffett keeps mum on stocks and successor

By Stephen Gandel, senior editor March 1, 2014: 8:00 AM ET

Berkshire Hathaway’s annual letter to shareholders has included pages on the stock market and where it’s headed in previous years. This year? Silence.

FORTUNE — The Oracle of Omaha’s crystal ball must be cloudy these days. Read more of this post

Yu’ebao heralds China’s ‘baby boom’ in new financial services; CCTV commentator calls Yu’ebao a “financial parasite” draining “blood” from banks, and the new financial “babies” are now in the sights of many wily old predators

Yu’ebao heralds China’s ‘baby boom’ in new financial services

Xinhua

2014-03-02

China’s new “baby boom” is not of the demographic variety. New financial systems and products are being born everywhere, bringing trouble to some and great expectations for many. Read more of this post

International electric car makers to face challenges in China

International electric car makers to face challenges in China

Staff Reporter

2014-03-02

With the worsening environmental situation in China, the government has stepped up support for the electric car sector, with international producers also trying to tap into the the world’s largest potential market for electric vehicles. Read more of this post