Saturday, December 25, 2010

Today's U.S.A News

A prominent forecaster, Mark Zandi of Moody’s Economy.com, predicted that the economy would be “off and running” next year. “The policy response, in its totality, has been very aggressive,” he said, “and I think ensures that the recovery will evolve into a self-sustaining expansion early in 2011.”
The recession officially ended in June 2009, when the economy started to grow again. Gross domestic product, the broadest measure of the country’s output, grew at an annualized rate of 3.7 percent in the first quarter of this year. But then it stalled, with the rate falling to a mere 1.7 percent in the second quarter and 2.6 percent in the third quarter.
Jan Hatzius, the chief United States economist at Goldman Sachs, said the economy was likely to grow at an annualized rate of around 3 percent this quarter. Goldman projected last week that the growth rate would be 4 percent for most of 2011. Morgan Stanley, which raised its growth forecast for 2011 to 4 percent, is even more optimistic, forecasting a rate of 4.5 percent this quarter

Today's U.S.A News

Tax incentives It is also trying to address one of the biggest impediments to the recovery — the reluctance of companies to invest their piles of cash in new plants and equipment — by granting tax incentives for business investment.
The measured optimism is reminiscent of the mood a year ago, when the economy seemed to be reviving, only to stall again in the spring amid widespread fears caused by the debt crisis in Greece and other European countries.
Even so, economists are increasingly upbeat about the outlook, saying that while the economy in 2011 will not be strong enough to drive unemployment down significantly, it should put the United States on its soundest footing since the financial crisis started an economic tailspin three years ago.
Phillip L. Swagel, who was the Treasury Department’s chief economist during the administration of George W. Bush and teaches at the University of Maryland, said, “The recovery in 2011 will be strong enough for us to see sustained job creation that will finally give Americans a tangible sense of an improving economy.”

Today's U.S.A News

The Federal Reserve, which has kept short-term interest rates near zero since the end of 2008, has made clear it is sticking by its controversial decision to try to hold down mortgage and other long-term interest rates by buying government securities.
President Obama’s $858 billion tax-cut compromise with Congressional Republicans is putting more cash in the hands of consumers through a temporary payroll-tax cut and an extension of unemployment insurance for the long-term unemployed.

What Will Happen As Baby Boomers Hit Retirement Age?

Baby Boomers Approach Age 65 - Glumly - The Philadelphia Bulletin

The "Age Wave" is about to hit retirement. Baby boomers, from the very beginning, have changed the world as they hit various stages of life. Some describe this as sort of like the bump a pig makes as it is being swallowed by a python.

We saw this Age Wave prompt the building of hospitals, baby food, elementary schools, and sports shoes. Nearly everything you can think of has been touched by the expanding demand of the baby boomer age wave.

In just a few days, the first baby boomers will turn 65, the traditional retirement age. Many things about how baby boomers think will make a mark on retirement as well. According to this research by the Pew Research Center, one week from today baby boomers will start turning 65 at the rate of 10,000 a day for the next 19 years.

Answers to questions in this study point us to some of the changes we can expect in the future. Baby boomers don't think 65 is old. Baby boomers want to have more control of their lives. These are some of the factors already pointing to the emerging trend of baby boomers quitting their "day jobs" and becoming entrepreneurs. This is resulting from a desire to have a change from traditional retirement.

If you are a baby boomer, if you are someone who wants to sell to baby boomers, you may want to read this report. It is likely to point you to needs that will have to be filled over the next two decades. Filling needs is the sweet spot in life for entrepreneurs. You might even be inspired to join the baby boomer entrepreneurs.



Shallie

Today's U.S.A News

months after the recession officially ended, the government’s latest measures to bolster the economy have led many forecasters and policy makers to express new optimism that the recovery will gain substantial momentum in 2011.
Economists in universities and on Wall Street have raised their growth projections for next year. Retail sales, industrial production and factory orders are on the upswing, and new claims for unemployment benefits are trending downward. Despite persistently high unemployment, consumer confidence is improving. Large corporations are reporting healthy profits, and the Dow Jones industrial average reached a two-year high this week

World economy can withstand $100 oil price: Kuwait

As demand has risen steeply in 2010 and is expected to rise further in 2011, the market is watching closely whether OPEC can release at least some of its spare capacity to prevent prices from soaring to around $150 per barrel as they did before the crisis struck in summer 2008. OPEC's most influential oil minister, Saudi Arabia's Ali al-Naimi, said on Friday he was still happy with an oil price of $70-80 a barrel and there was no need for an extra OPEC meeting before the next scheduled one in June.
Others in the group have been pressing for a higher price, arguing that quantitative easing and a weakened U.S. dollar that spurred gains across financial markets mean the oil price strength is partly nominal.
Egyptian Oil Minister Sameh Fahmy said the current increase in oil prices was the result of higher demand on heating fuel because of the cold weather in Europe.
United Arab Emirates Oil Minister Mohammed al-Hamli said crude oil inventories are "quite high. It's the highest over the five years average... The market is well supplied."

World economy can withstand $100 oil price: Kuwait

Iraq's new oil minister and the head of Libya's National Oil Corporation both told Reuters that $100 was a fair price, while Qatar's Minister Abdullah al-Attiyah said he did not expect OPEC to increase production in 2011.
"I do not expect an OPEC meeting before June because oil prices are stable," he said.
Some delegates even called for exporters to comply better with agreed production limits. OPEC members' compliance with promised cutbacks reached 56 percent in November, according to Reuters estimates.
When asked if output could be raised, Kuwait's Sheikh Ahmad said: "No. More compliance, more compliance."
The Cairo meeting of the Organization of Arab Exporting Countries (OAPEC) brought together Arab members of OPEC including top exporter Saudi Arabia, which has traditionally been viewed as a price moderate, as well as non-OPEC countries Tunisia, Egypt, Syria and Bahrain.
OPEC cut output drastically after the global financial crisis struck in 2008 to prop up collapsing oil prices.

World economy can withstand $100 oil price: Kuwait

Analysts have said oil producing countries are likely to raise output after crude rallied more than 30 percent from a low in May because they fear prices could damage economic growth in fuel importing countries.
European benchmark ICE Brent crude for February closed at $93.46 on Friday after hitting $94.74 a barrel, its highest level since October 2008.
Arab oil exporters meeting in Cairo this weekend said they saw no need to supply more crude as stocks were high and prices had been inflated temporarily by cold weather in Europe.
Asked by Reuters if the world economy could stand a $100 oil price, Kuwaiti Oil Minister Sheikh Ahmad al-Abdullah al-Sabah said: "Yes it can."

Airlines sell 1.84 lakh tickets in 15 hours

New Delhi: Airfares have soared this December but that has not stopped holiday travel. Domestic Airlines clocked a new record this Christmas, selling 1.84 lakh tickets on Friday.
This is a 20 per cent rise over last year.
Jet Airways sold the maximum, with over 36,000 tickets. Kingfisher followed with over 32,000 tickets. Low cost airlines also saw good sales. Even Go Air managed to sell over 10,000 tickets.

Airlines sell 1.84 lakh tickets in 15 hours

The global economy can withstand an oil price of $100 a barrel, Kuwait's oil minister said on Saturday, as other exporters indicated OPEC may decide against increasing output through 2011 as the market was well supplied
Experts say they expected sales to rise but the record number has surprised many, considering the negative publicity because of the high fares.
Airlines say those who had booked for holidays to Europe canceled out due to the snowstorms and chose a domestic holiday, which added to the numbers.
Airlines say that most of the sectors are completely booked. Tourist destinations in Rajasthan, Kerala and Goa are seeing the maximum bookings.

IT firms to pay compensation to 9/11 victims

India has written to the US on the visa fee hike issue. Commerce Minister Anand Sharma wrote to US Trade Representative Ronald Kirk on December 22 affirming India's stance that the matter has caused considerable apprehension and concern to the business community of the country.
Sharma had earlier raised the issue when the bill HR 6080 was passed by the Congress. Such provisions have resulted in considerable public outcry in India. Obama, during his recent visit to India, had agreed to cut trade barriers and reject protectionism.

IT firms to pay compensation to 9/11 victims

New Delhi: India has slammed the US move to impose a new tax that makes Indian IT companies like Infosys, TCS and wipro fund the compensation package for victims of 9/11.
The James Zadroga 9/11 Health & Compensation Act, 2010 proposes higher visa fees and is under consideration in the US congress. The Act has 'pay for' provisions which propose higher visa fees for H1B and L1 visas. The Act also proposes imposition of a 2% fee on goods and services imported by the US government.
The bill will raise $ 4.2 billion and comes into effect next July. The firms say its a protectionist move, India calls it a 'retrograde step' in trade relations

Lahore Pakistan News:

Onion prices went down in Lahore markets due to import of the commodity from Sindh. In wholesale markets, onion was being sold at Rs 40 per kg.
According to market sources, price of the commodity has seen decline during last few days, and import from Sindh is told to be main cause of the decrease. Price of onion is recorded at Rs 50 per kg in retail markets. Onion is being exported to India at Rs 32 per kg while traders are preferring local market due to high price.