The head of the City regulator has warned financial services firms that his organisation will not allow simplified advice for individual investors to turn into the next mis-selling scandal

May 29, 2014 4:24 pm

Simplified advice won’t become mis-selling, vows regulator

By Emma Dunkley

The head of the City regulator has warned financial services firms that his organisation will not allow simplified advice for individual investors to turn into the next mis-selling scandal.

Martin Wheatley, chief executive of the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), told a Bloomberg conference that the regulator will provide guidance to financial firms helping clarify the boundaries between investment products sold with advice, and those sold with just guidance. Read more of this post

Tranquil markets are enjoying too much of a good thing; After years of monetary experiments, central banks will do ‘whatever it takes’

May 29, 2014 5:16 pm

Tranquil markets are enjoying too much of a good thing

By Gillian Tett

After years of monetary experiments, central banks will do ‘whatever it takes’

Something peculiar is happening in western capital markets. This month almost every measure of volatility has tumbled to unusually low levels. If you look at the degree of actual (or “realised”) price swings – and projected (or “implied”) future movements – investors are behaving as if the world is utterly boring. Read more of this post

Unscrambling Data to Keep Politicians Honest

May 29, 2014

Unscrambling Data to Keep Politicians Honest

ADITI MALHOTRA

Numbers about growth, development, inflation, corruption were going to be used by politicians to build cases against their rivals and bring credit to themselves. This was a crucial time to fact-check the statistics being churned out, said Govindraj Ethiraj, the founder of IndiaSpend.com, a Mumbai-based nonprofit dedicated to data-driven journalism. Read more of this post

China’s Game of Real-Estate Chicken: Who Will Blink First: Buyers, Developers or the Government?

China’s Game of Real-Estate Chicken

Who Will Blink First: Buyers, Developers or the Government?

WEI GU

May 29, 2014 3:38 p.m. ET

The main question in China’s housing downturn: Who will blink first?

Whether buyers, developers or the government, it will say a lot about how China manages what is looking like a serious bust. Read more of this post

India’s Millionaire Tribe Set to Soar

May 29, 2014

India’s Millionaire Tribe Set to Soar

SAPTARISHI DUTTA

While India is home to some of the poorest communities in the world it is also home to thousands of new dollar millionaires.

The number of people in the south Asian nation worth at least seven figures grew to 248,000 last year, according to a report this week by WealthInsight, a company which tracks the world’s rich. That is up from 193,000 millionaires in 2009, the report said. Read more of this post

Thailand’s Generals in a Corner; Rule by fear risks repeating the darkest hours of Thai history

Thailand’s Generals in a Corner

Rule by fear risks repeating the darkest hours of Thai history.

May 29, 2014 12:39 p.m. ET

The military coup in Bangkok is getting nastier by the day, as the army continues preemptively to lock up academics, journalists and opposition politicians. At least 250 people have been detained since last week, although perhaps half have since been released and spokesmen say the remainder are being treated well. Read more of this post

America must always lead on world stage, because no one else will

America must always lead on world stage, because no one else will

President Barack Obama articulated his vision of America’s role in the world on Wednesday, telling graduating cadets at the United States Military Academy that the nation they were being called to serve would seek to avoid military misadventures abroad, while it confronts a new set of terrorist threats from the Middle East to Africa. Below is an excerpt of his commencement speech at West Point.

Read more of this post

Infosys Shock Spurs 9,400% Gain in Near-Worthless Options

Infosys Shock Spurs 9,400% Gain in Near-Worthless Options

Read more of this post

500 Largest Hedge Fund Managers Control 90% Of AUM

500 Largest Hedge Fund Managers Control 90% Of AUM

by VW StaffMay 29, 2014, 10:18 am

Preqin Research highlights the 505 hedge fund managers with more than $1bn in AUM currently manage $2.39tn of the industry’s $2.66tn total assets, but account for just 11% of active firms.

The “$1bn Club” of the largest hedge fund managers represents just under 11% of the 4,621 active managers worldwide. New York is the undoubted home of this “$1bn Club”, with 174 of these firms headquartered there representing a total of $938bn in AUM. The May 2014 edition of Preqin’s Hedge Fund Spotlight also shows the importance of investors allocating at least $1bn to hedge funds. There are currently 203 institutional investors in this “$1bn Club”, an increase of 46 from a similar study in May 2013, and these firms represent approximately $650bn in terms of combined capital allocated to hedge funds. Read more of this post

New revenue guidance: Six things to consider

New revenue guidance: Six things to consider

BY KEN TYSIAC

MAY 28, 2014

The release Wednesday of a long-awaited new revenue recognition standard had financial statement preparers settling in to read hundreds of pages of text, as standard setters celebrated the achievement of producing that text. Read more of this post

Almost half EU firms in China say “golden age” is over

Almost half EU firms in China say “golden age” is over

Thursday, May 29, 2014 – 18:06

Reuters

BEIJING – Foreign firms in China face a “sobering” business climate, a European lobby said on Thursday, as concerns over weaker profits and government support for domestic competitors have almost half EU companies saying the”golden age” is over. Read more of this post

Infosys running out of time to name new CEO as president quits

Infosys running out of time to name new CEO as president quits

4:30am EDT

By Nivedita Bhattacharjee and Sumeet Chatterjee

MUMBAI (Reuters) – India’s second largest IT services exporter Infosys Ltd is under pressure to bring in a new chief executive soon to check an exodus of junior staff and reassure investors after a slew of departures at the top. Read more of this post

The Thais must stand up to an overmighty military; For 60 years army rule has been the rule not the exception, writes Benjamin Zawacki

May 25, 2014 4:59 pm

The Thais must stand up to an overmighty military

By Benjamin Zawacki

For 60 years army rule has been the rule not the exception, writes Benjamin Zawacki

In the years between Thailand’s last coup in 2006 and the one staged last week, conventional wisdom held that the army had learnt too much to repeat itself. The economy took a rare, appreciable hit; supporters of deposed prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra mobilised and resisted; the US invoked automatic military and economic sanctions; and Thai leaders were embarrassed at regional and international gatherings. Read more of this post

For China’s Communist Party, Stability As Usual Isn’t Enough

May 26, 2014

For China’s Communist Party, Stability As Usual Isn’t Enough

By Russell Leigh Moses

Recent public protests in Hangzhou over plans for a large waste incinerator there show once again that some Chinese citizens are raising questions about the quality of government they’re getting.

And according to a critical commentary on Thursday in the Communist Party’s mouthpiece People’s Daily, the present policy of maintaining social stability at all costs isn’t providing the right answers.  Instead, it’s another wake-up call to cadres to connect with the masses to make better policy. Read more of this post

Decades-Long Reign for Ambassador Comes to an End; Hindustan Motors’ Aging Sedan, A Symbol of India’s Ascent, Rides Into the Sunset

Decades-Long Reign for Ambassador Comes to an End

Hindustan Motors’ Aging Sedan, A Symbol of India’s Ascent, Rides Into the Sunset

SANTANU CHOUDHURY

May 25, 2014 2:50 p.m. ET

NEW DELHI—The Hindustan Motors 500500.BY +19.82% Ambassador—the frozen-in-time four-door that for more than a half-century defined India as sticking to its own automotive road map—has ceased production. Read more of this post

The family that runs home- grown Singapore coffee manufacturer Boncafe International is selling the business to one of the world’s top coffee firms Massimo Zanetti/Segafredo for US$85 million (S$106 million)

Family selling Boncafe to Italian firm

Sunday, May 25, 2014

Rachael Boon

The Straits Times

The family that runs home- grown coffee manufacturer Boncafe International is selling the business to one of the world’s top coffee firms for US$85 million (S$106 million). Read more of this post

Thai military tightens grip, focuses on economic woes

Thai military tightens grip, focuses on economic woes

12:53am EDT

By Khettiya Jittapong and Paul Mooney

BANGKOK (Reuters) – Thailand’s military tightened its grip on power on Sunday as it moved to douse smoldering protests fuelled by social media and rally commercial agencies and business to revitalize the country’s battered economy. Read more of this post

The Ripple Effects of Rising Student Debt

The Ripple Effects of Rising Student Debt

By PHYLLIS KORKKIMAY 24, 2014

Read more of this post

Mapping Asian views of power, prosperity, institutions and identity

Mapping Asian views of power, prosperity, institutions and identity

Bonnie Glaser

2014-05-24

Respondents in the United States and Japan felt strongest about the negative effects of a coercive cross-strait unification. (China Times) Read more of this post

Why Canada’s whistleblower hotlines are staying silent; It doesn’t pay to be a whistleblower in Canada’s corporate world where there are no financial incentives for coming forward and even a risk of losing your job

Why Canada’s whistleblower hotlines are staying silent

Barbara Shecter | May 24, 2014 7:30 AM ET

It doesn’t pay to be a whistleblower in Canada’s corporate world. Not only are there absolutely no financial incentives in place to reward people for coming forward with incriminating information, but there is also a very real possibility those who shed light on wrongdoing will have to find another job. Read more of this post

Shopping China’s Beauty Aisle; The country’s Internet and gaming stocks have lost their momentum, but cosmetics remains a growth business. Some of the most popular beauty aids are from Korea.

Shopping China’s Beauty Aisle

The country’s Internet and gaming stocks have lost their momentum, but cosmetics remains a growth business. Some of the most popular beauty aids are from Korea.

SHULI REN

May 24, 2014 1:20 a.m. ET

China’s economy is in an undeniable slowdown, and last year’s highflying Internet and gaming stocks have lost momentum. So where can investors turn? Read more of this post

Subsidies Stoke China’s Domestic Car Makers; Local and Central Governments Provided $700 Million to Local Brands Last Year

Subsidies Stoke China’s Domestic Car Makers

Local and Central Governments Provided $700 Million to Local Brands Last Year

Updated May 23, 2014 7:32 p.m. ET

SHANGHAI—China is ratcheting up subsidies to local auto makers worth more than $700 million a year, even as the industry contends with a glut of car factories and about 170 domestic manufacturers. Read more of this post

Promising the good times: An overwhelming election victory promises to reshape Indian politics

Promising the good times: An overwhelming election victory promises to reshape Indian politics

May 24th 2014 | DELHI | From the print edition

INDIA brims with colourful politicians, but none has quite the sense of political theatre of Narendra Modi of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). He swept into Varanasi, India’s most ancient city, on May 17th pledging to clean the Ganges, its holiest and filthiest river. Three days later, in Delhi, BJP parliamentarians chanted and roared unanimous support for him, and he broke down in tears in mid-speech. After that he called on India’s president, Pranab Mukherjee, who agreed to swear him in as India’s 14th prime minister on May 26th. Read more of this post

Deals That Transform Companies: How to shift your business model with M&A integration

May 26, 2014 / Summer 2014 / Issue 75

Deals That Transform Companies

How to shift your business model with M&A integration.

by Gregg Nahass

As capital remains cheap and competition increases, more and more corporate finance strategists are willing to take on transformational deals. Unlike absorption deals, in which companies acquire businesses that complement their existing operations, transformational deals in-volve acquiring new markets, channels, products, or processes in a way that requires significant operational integration. In fact, successful integration is key to realizing the potential value of these deals. Read more of this post

Frank Lowy’s Westfield threat makes corporate history

Frank Lowy’s Westfield threat makes corporate history

May 29, 2014 – 6:07PM

Malcolm Maiden

Lowy blow as Westfield defers restructure vote

The final vote for Westfield’s restructure has been deferred after proxy votes fell just shy of the 75 per cent needed, in a blow to the Lowy family’s plans to restructure the department store giant. Read more of this post

India’s top 10 food retailers accumulate $2.2 billion losses in 2013-14: Crisil

India’s top 10 food retailers accumulate $2.2 billion losses in 2013-14: Crisil

Wed, May 28 2014

MUMBAI (Reuters) – India’s top 10 food retailers are estimated to have accumulated losses worth $2.20 billion in the fiscal year ended March 2014, as they scaled up operations and refined their business models, according to a report by ratings agency Crisil. Read more of this post

BlackRock CEO says leveraged ETFs could ‘blow up’ whole industry

BlackRock CEO says leveraged ETFs could ‘blow up’ whole industry

Wed, May 28 2014

By Tim McLaughlin

(Reuters) – BlackRock Inc (BLK.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) Chief Executive Officer Larry Fink said on Wednesday that leveraged exchange-traded funds contain structural problems that could “blow up” the whole industry one day. Read more of this post

New cremation rule in China shakes old traditions

New cremation rule in China shakes old traditions

Thursday, May 29, 2014 – 10:33

China Daily/Asia News Network

Authorities in Anqing, Anhui province, say there was no direct relationship between the alleged suicides of several elderly rural residents and the coming burial reforms that require corpses to be cremated. Read more of this post