“While the eurozone as a whole is roughly in trade balance, the EMU regime of austerity in the South without offsetting stimulus in the North is creating a contractinary bias, holding back global recovery.” Germany displaces China as US Treasury’s currency villain. Telegraph Gold Falls Just 1.3% Despite Massive, Odd 3.5 Million Ounce Sell Orders. ZeroHedge “Some people… Continue Reading

American financiers on the offer. Private-Equity Managers Make Moves as Tax Increases Near. Bloomberg Somali pirates buying condos? “When tremendous global wealth and economic uncertainty exist side by side, the remote nature of these markets is attractive to both illicit wealth and to rich buyers, many of whom favour authenticity and exclusivity over luxury and grandiosity.” The World’s Most… Continue Reading

Q: Why are women so hard to figure out? A: Who’s trying to figure them out? I think we just need to love them. Q&A with Mikhail Prokhorov. NYPost “Never did anyone mention taxes as a reason to forgo an investment opportunity that I offered.” Warren Buffet: A Minimum Tax For The Wealthy. NYTimes 3D printing machines: a digital description… Continue Reading

Taking the long view. The pursuit of shareholder value is attracting criticism—not all of it foolish. Economist Baghdad Broker Dodges Bombs to Rack Up Stock Trades. A profile of Shwan Taha, chairman and sole owner of Rabee Securities, a brokerage that handles 80 percent of stock trades by foreign investors on the Iraq Stock Exchange. Bloomberg Jim Sinclair on… Continue Reading

Technical analysis is in the midst of a post-financial- crisis boomlet. Here’s a profile of one of its most successful proponents. DeMark Fibonacci Charts Embraced by Cohen Lure Investors. Bloomberg Unlike the other BRIC countries, which are overweighted in such areas as energy, mining and manufacturing, India’s economic diversity is its strength and gives it greater flexibility… Continue Reading

In Saint Barts in the French West Indies this morning. Jack Welch’s Unretirement. Businessweek See to believe. Feeding the Eagles: Incredible Pictures. Economic Intersect Idan Ofer may reap 15-times his investment in Israel Chemicals Ltd. (ICL) if a $13.5 billion takeover bid by Potash Corp. of Saskatchewan Inc., the world’s largest fertilizer maker, is approved by Israeli… Continue Reading

“The people’s memory is short.” Done Coxe Audio. KWN Soros Buying Gold as Record Prices Seen on Stimulus. Bloomberg Killing of a Top Magnate, Reportedly by His Brother, Stuns India. CNBC Words: Insouciance casual lack of concern; indifference : an impression of boyish insouciance. “I was a bit insouciant.” C. Black via Arts & Letters Daily… Continue Reading

Petroamerica Oil Corp. ($PTA) neighbour C&C Energia ($CZE) bought up by Pacific Rubilaes Energy ($PRE) for an approx. 52% premium. PR Newsire “Russia gets into your blood,” he said. “Life is never a straight line. Persistence and enthusiasm is how you get things done.” BP Seen Takeover Target After Settlement as Value Trails. Bloomberg “Most of those in public office,… Continue Reading

“You will be fooled by a trick if it involves more time, money and practice than you (or any other sane onlooker) would be willing to invest.” Teller Reveals His Secrets. Smithsonian Photo: Jared McMillen / Aurora Select “Carlyle, which has produced average returns of about 30 percent over the past 25 years, is targeting… Continue Reading

Lessons from the 2012 election. Ritholtz via WaPo The Obama Disaster: Part II. National Post Links are still the currency of the internet. Inc A cash-rich crowd hungry for base metal acquisitions. Mineweb U.S. Oil Output to Overtake Saudi Arabia’s by 2020. Bloomberg Buffett’s Latest Bargain: Berkshire Hathaway. Barrons Lunch with the FT: Conrad Black. Financial Times

China’s Hu Jintao clings to socialist economy in Mao nostalgia speech. Telegraph Investors are gorging on corporate bonds. Is an asset bubble being inflated? Economist France Wine Output Falls to 40-Year Low on Champagne, Beaujolais. Bloomberg Barrick Gold’s Former Chief Sees Virtue in Being Small. Bloomberg Top Pick: Brookfield Asset Management. Globe and Mail African hospitality: No… Continue Reading

There will be no CEO Briefing today because it’s my birthday and I’ve got other work to do. Please check Bloomberg or Business Insider. Thank you.

Romney Lost Race in Summer After Obama Redefined Resume. Bloomberg Gold, Copper Lead Gains in Commodities as Obama Wins Second Term. Bloomberg Francois Hollande lurches Right in historic U-Turn to save French economy. Telegraph Putin Fires Defense Chief in Rare Move. WSJ Barrick now eclipsed by Goldcorp for title of largest market cap. Financial Post

Election day in the United States… “Politicians promise the earth to win over the electorate and then deliver much less.” How Will the Election Affect Investment Strategies. Institutional Investor Whoever wins the election will get to preside over a growing economy and look like a genius. The Next President Is Lucky. Slate “The principal fact for consideration in the… Continue Reading

“No king on earth is as safe in his job as a Trade Union official. There is only one thing that can get him sacked; and that is drink. Not even that, as long as he doesn’t actually fall down.” George Bernard Shaw STRIKING is for plebs. Unions and industrial relations. Economist China’s economic destiny in doubt after… Continue Reading