Bamboo Innovator

Frontier market havens come under threat as frailties appear

February 24, 2014 3:46 pm

Frontier market havens come under threat as frailties appear

By James Kynge

Frontier markets are poised at the extremities of market capitalism, a position that often equates to life on the edge for investors. But this year, this exotic asset class of outliers has performed more like a haven from the turmoil of more established emerging markets. Read more of this post

Inside the Showdown Atop Pimco, the World’s Biggest Bond Firm; After clashing with Pimco co-founder Bill Gross, CEO Mohamed El-Erian decided to leave the fund giant.

Inside the Showdown Atop Pimco, the World’s Biggest Bond Firm

After clashing with Pimco co-founder Bill Gross, CEO Mohamed El-Erian decided to leave the fund giant.

GREGORY ZUCKERMAN and KIRSTEN GRIND

Updated Feb. 24, 2014 10:34 p.m. ET

NEWPORT BEACH, Calif.—Tension increased at Pacific Investment Management Co.’s headquarters here last summer. The bond market was under pressure, losses grew and clients pulled billions of dollars from the firm. Read more of this post

Brazil: Loss of faith; Public unrest and economic worries threaten to spoil the World Cup host’s national party

February 24, 2014 7:20 pm

Brazil: Loss of faith

By Joe Leahy

Public unrest and economic worries threaten to spoil the World Cup host’s national party

©Getty

Fresh gospel: Brazil is preparing a new public-relations campaign to improve perceptions of the World Cup

For weeks workers at São Paulo’s Itaquerao stadium have been clearing up the damage from a deadly construction accident in November. A giant roof girder crashed through a wall of the unfinished 68,000-seat arena, killing two labourers and casting a pall over Brazil’s preparations for this year’s football World Cup. Read more of this post

Shenzhen property heads for dizzy heights

February 24, 2014 11:17 am

Shenzhen property heads for dizzy heights

By Demetri Sevastopulo in Hong Kong

Dozens of small fish lie basking in the sun on the roof of a penthouse apartment inShenzhen

that is on the market for about 20 per cent more than when it last sold in 2012. Read more of this post

Pensions – the Australian lesson

February 24, 2014 12:42 pm

Pensions – the Australian lesson

By Josephine Cumbo

Think back to the last time you changed jobs. You probably thought a lot about your new salary, responsibilities and hours of work. You might have taken into account how much travelling or commuting you would be doing, or whether the post came with attractive fringe benefits. What you might do with the pension savings you accumulated in your old employer’s fund was probably well down the list of priorities. Read more of this post

Indonesia’s anti-corruption agency urged to probe wealth of candidates

Indonesia’s anti-corruption agency urged to probe wealth of candidates

Monday, February 24, 2014 – 10:36

The Jakarta Post/Asia News Network

The deputy governor of Jakarta, Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama, has urged the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) not only to verify the wealth of successful candidates for public office but also to examine how they achieved their wealth

The 1999 Corruption Law requires all successful candidates for public office, including those of governor, regent and mayor, as well as legislative and regional representatives, to submit wealth reports before starting their new state jobs. Read more of this post

Indonesia’s TV stations told to stop political ads

Indonesia’s TV stations told to stop political ads

Monday, February 24, 2014 – 16:31

Nurfika Osman

The Jakarta Post/Asia News Network

JAKARTA – The Indonesian Broadcasting Commission (KPI) has officially ordered TV stations RCTI and Global TV to stop broadcasting two quiz shows, Kuis Kebangsaan (Nationalism Quiz) and Indonesia Cerdas (Smart Indonesia), for promoting the interests of the People’s Conscience (Hanura) Party. Read more of this post

Beijing’s drive to instill nationalism fires up the young

Beijing’s drive to instill nationalism fires up the young

Tuesday, February 25, 2014 – 09:00

The Straits Times

Ties between China and Japan are at a new low. The Straits Times’ China Bureau examines the attitudes towards Japan among young Chinese, as well as how mainland-based Japanese nationals cope amid the public acrimony between the two Asian powers. Read more of this post

More Communist Party officials expected to flee abroad

More Communist Party officials expected to flee abroad

Tuesday, 25 February, 2014, 4:48am

Keith Zhai keith.zhai@scmp.com

Growing numbers of corrupt officials are likely to flee the country because of the crackdown on graft, according to a new government think tank report.

The number of Communist Party cadres escaping abroad may also rise because a lack of extradition pacts with some countries means fugitives may find bolt holes overseas, the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS) said. Read more of this post

Chinese Arts Company Goes Public in Bid to Grow

Chinese Arts Company Goes Public in Bid to Grow

By DAVID BARBOZAFEB. 24, 2014

SHANGHAI — The China Poly Group Corporation, a state-run conglomerate that got its start selling weapons to the People’s Liberation Army, has over the past few decades successfully branched into developing real estate, selling sports cars and producing television sitcoms. Now the company’s huge arts and culture division — Poly Culture Group Corporation — is planning an initial public stock offering that could raise up to $330 million and bolster the prospects of the company in the world’s biggest and fastest-growing art and auction market. Read more of this post

Fangs In: Yu E Bao Is Not to Blame; Criticism of Alibaba’s e-investment product is misguided because it represents exactly the kind of innovation the financial industry badly needs

02.24.2014 16:35

Fangs In: Yu E Bao Is Not to Blame

Criticism of Alibaba’s e-investment product is misguided because it represents exactly the kind of innovation the financial industry badly needs

By Liu Shengjun

Niu Wenxin, the executive editor of CCTV’s Stock Information Channel, recently called Alibaba’s e-investment product Yu E Bao a “vampire” in a blog article. He wrote that it should be banned because of the damages it does to banks, the financial industry and the country’s real economy. Read more of this post

SEC Grows Suspicious of Declining Auditor Fees

February 24, 2014, 1:48 PM ET

SEC Grows Suspicious of Declining Auditor Fees

EMILY CHASAN

Senior Editor

U.S. securities regulators are wary that pressure to reduce auditor fees could lead to worse audits.

Regulators grow “worried” when auditor fees appear to fluctuate with economic cycles, Paul Beswick, chief accountant at the Securities and Exchange Commission, said at a Practising Law Institute conference in Washington, D.C., on Saturday. Read more of this post

Five Myths of Bond Investing; We puncture some dangerous misconceptions-and set out a plan for investors to follow now.

Five Myths of Bond Investing

We puncture some dangerous misconceptions—and set out a plan for investors to follow now.

JASON ZWEIG And JOE LIGHT 

Feb. 21, 2014 6:28 p.m. ET

Are bonds a portfolio’s bulwark or its Achilles’ heel? Investors can’t seem to decide.

Over the last seven months of 2013, amid rising interest rates and falling bond prices, skittish investors yanked $18 billion more out of bond funds than they put in. Read more of this post

U.S. Authorities Investigating Western Union over money moved on its network that may have been tied to alleged fraud

U.S. Authorities Investigating Western Union

Company Says It Has Received Multiple Subpoenas Since November

ANDREW R. JOHNSON

Updated Feb. 24, 2014 6:53 p.m. ET

Western Union Co. WU +1.93% , the world’s largest money-transfer company, is being investigated by the U.S. government over money moved on its network that may have been tied to alleged fraud, according to a regulatory filing released Monday.

The Englewood, Colo.-based company said in the filing it has received multiple subpoenas since Nov. 25 from the U.S. attorney’s office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania. Read more of this post

Beijing Squeezes Hong Kong’s Media; China reneges on the democracy and freedom it promised

Beijing Squeezes Hong Kong’s Media

China reneges on the democracy and freedom it promised.

Updated Feb. 24, 2014 7:14 p.m. ET

Hong Kong’s battle over press freedom is escalating, as several thousand journalists and regular Hong Kongers marched on Sunday to protest increasing government pressure on independent media. The “Free Speech, Free Hong Kong” rally is the latest sign that locals won’t quietly let Beijing renege on promises to grant the city democratic self-government by 2017. Read more of this post

China’s Premier Lays Out Corruption Fight Plan

Feb 24, 2014

China’s Premier Lays Out Corruption Fight Plan

One of the biggest obstacles China’s leadership faces in fighting corruption, according to Premier Li Keqiang, is the Chinese government.

In newly published remarks, Premier Li said the government’s broad regulatory powers over markets and business are key drivers of rampant graft.  He named bidding for construction projects, government procurement and the awarding of land-use and mining rights as areas particularly prone to corruption. Read more of this post