World’s first physical bitcoin store opens in HK

World’s first physical bitcoin store opens in HK

Staff Reporter

2014-03-03

Asia Nexgen CEO Ken Lo at the opening of the world’s first physical bitcoin store in Hong Kong on Feb. 28, 2014. (Photo/Xinhua) Read more of this post

Household debt – Korea’s Achilles’ heel

2014-03-03 17:21

Household debt – Korea’s Achilles’ heel

Gov’t urged to focus on supporting low-income people
By Kim Rahn

Debt is a big part of life for most Koreans. Many borrow to purchase or lease houses, start or grow businesses, or pay for their college tuition. Read more of this post

What to watch for at the annual session of China’s faux parliament

March 2, 2014 5:06 pm

What to watch for at the annual session of China’s faux parliament

By Jamil Anderlini in Beijing

Each year in early March, thousands of delegates to China’s official lawmaking and top political advisory bodies gather in Beijing to rubber-stamp laws and policies decided by the country’s ruling Communist party. Read more of this post

Japan’s gamble with casino licences sets pulses racing

Last updated: March 2, 2014 5:45 am

Japan’s gamble with casino licences sets pulses racing

By Jonathan Soble in Tokyo

At the Japan Casino School in Tokyo, students can train as blackjack dealers or take specialised English courses so as to better direct the world’s gamblers to place their bets. Read more of this post

Li Ka-Shing Dismisses Talk of Retirement

Li Ka-Shing Dismisses Talk of Retirement

Hong Kong Tycoon’s Flagship Company Gets Boost From Its European Expansion

CHESTER YUNG and TE-PING CHEN

Updated Feb. 28, 2014 7:09 a.m. ET

Li Ka-shing’s appearances are among Hong Kong’s most-watched events. Bloomberg News

HONG KONG—Hong Kong tycoon Li Ka-shing of conglomerate Hutchison Whampoa Ltd.0013.HK +0.86% said Friday he is still helming his corporate empire and has no plans to retire, despite increasing concerns about his health as he turns 86 later this year. Read more of this post

In U.S. mergers, no one waits for this waiting period

In U.S. mergers, no one waits for this waiting period

1:05am EST

By David Ingram

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Sometime soon, maybe in the next month or so, a federal judge is expected to decide whether the creation of the world’s biggest passenger airline, as envisioned by two companies and the U.S. Justice Department, was really a good idea. Read more of this post

Singapore sting: Sky-high prices are pushing locals to the edge of affordability; Some Singaporeans are concerned that more attention has been paid to attracting wealth than addressing their needs

Singapore sting: Sky-high prices are pushing locals to the edge of affordability

Some Singaporeans are concerned that more attention has been paid to attracting wealth than addressing their needs

ROB O’BRIEN

TUESDAY 04 MARCH 2014

Singapore’s super rich are always on the lookout for new playthings. At a jetty near the Changi Airport over the weekend, a vehicle called The Humdinga – a cross between a Hummer and a boat – was launched in a display for local media. The amphibious car is designed for disaster relief and policing, but some of the city state’s wealthier residents are eyeing it as an alternative to another Ferrari 458. The chance to bypass traffic by dipping into the waterways to reach the office, golf course or their yacht, is pretty alluring. Read more of this post

Beijing Signals New Worry on Growth

Beijing Signals New Worry on Growth

Economic Growth Forecast Is Unchanged From Last Year at 7.5%, but Leaders Show New Concern on Reaching Goal

MARK MAGNIER

Updated March 5, 2014 2:08 a.m. ET

The Chinese government maintained the country’s growth target at 7.5% for the coming year. But as City University of Hong Kong professor Joseph Cheng tells Deborah Kan, concerns over steady growth are mounting. Read more of this post

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

The End of the ‘Developing World’; The old labels no longer apply. Rich countries need to learn from poor ones.

The End of the ‘Developing World’

By DAYO OLOPADEFEB. 28, 2014

BILL GATES, in his foundation’s annual letter, declared that “the terms ‘developing countries’ and ‘developed countries’ have outlived their usefulness.” He’s right. If we want to understand the modern global economy, we need a better vocabulary. Read more of this post

Abenomics struggles to deliver Japan public works boom

Abenomics struggles to deliver Japan public works boom

8:04pm EST

By Antoni Slodkowski and Junko Fujita

TOKYO (Reuters) – When Tokyo asked for bidders to build what is expected to be the world’s largest fish market on the city’s vacant eastern edge there were no takers. Read more of this post

Buffett Hints at More Heinz-Like Deals in Annual Letter

MARCH 1, 2014, 10:35 AM  Comment

Buffett Hints at More Heinz-Like Deals in Annual Letter

By PETER EAVIS and RACHEL ABRAMS

Updated, 2:49 p.m. | The challenge looming over Warren E. Buffett is whether Berkshire Hathaway, the vast business empire he has built over five decades, can continue to make the sort of large acquisitions that will help it grow at a pace that will sustain his reputation as the nation’s shrewdest investor. Read more of this post

Warren Buffett Predicts A Decade Of ‘A Lot Of News – Bad News’ Regarding A Warning He Sounded In 1975

Warren Buffett Predicts A Decade Of ‘A Lot Of News – Bad News’ Regarding A Warning He Sounded In 1975

SAM RO MARKETS  MAR. 1, 2014, 10:43 PM

Warren Buffett’s most important comments of late are tucked away in three paragraphs on page 21 of his annual letter to Berkshire Hathaway shareholders.

It’s a warning about public pension plans: Read more of this post