db99's newest posts Atom Feed from Searchles Fri Jul 25 04:38:39 -0400 2008 en-us Prepare for stock market crash, says bank db99 The Royal Bank of Scotland has advised clients to brace for a full-fledged crash in global stock and credit markets over the next three months as inflation paralyses the major central banks. How green fuels are starving the world db99 The rush to biofuels is hurting the world's poor, as crops that can be made into ethanol are diverted away from food production. But with oil at record highs, what is the alternative? Barclays and Royal Bank of Scotland raided by UK regulator db99 Barclays Plc and Royal Bank of Scotland Group Plc were raided by the U.K. antitrust regulator as part of an investigation into the price of loans to accountants, lawyers and other professional services firms. US Home-Price Index Fell 12.7% from February 2007 to 2008 db99 Home prices in 20 US metropolitan areas fell in February by the most on record, pointing to an imbalance between supply and demand that shows no sign of ending. Champion of buy-to-let boom succumbs to credit crunch db99 School for 'property millionaires' collapses as mortgage famine hits sales in UK, US and Spain. Global Food Crisis - Hunger Plagues Haiti and the World db99 Consumers in rich countries feel it in supermarkets, but in the world's poorest ones people are starving. The reason - soaring food prices, and it's triggered riots around the world... How to profit from a property crash db99 As UK house prices look set to continue to fall, how can you take advantage of the slump? The end of an era - the 100% mortgage is no more db99 As Abbey takes the last widely available 100% mortgage off the market, credit is set to become even more expensive - which means anyone who thinks house prices are heading for a ‘soft’ landing is delusional… When the going gets tough, banks yelp for nanny db99 Remarkable, isn't it, just how quickly champions of laissez-faire solutions can become advocates for state intervention. All it takes is for their gravy-train to break down. The Federal Reserve's rescue has failed db99 The Fed's emergency rate cuts have failed to halt the downward spiral...Ultimately the big guns have the means to stop descent into an economic Ice Age. But will they act in time? America is at war with itself over water db99 The US has started fighting water wars using a very American weapon: lawyers. Expect to see more disputes between states - and between the US and its nearest neighbours. The bull market in wheat could be about to end badly db99 Wheat is currently experiencing the greatest bull market in its entire history. However, the grains sector as a whole is now looking distinctly bubbly. Could we be about to see the shorting opportunity of a lifetime? Sovereign wealth funds explained - Newsnight video db99 Report on sovereign wealth funds: "The credit crunch has had its villians - but also its white knights...but some wonder whether the money comes with strings attached." (Newsnight, BBC2, 20/02/08) Warren Buffett gives monolines a good kicking db99 Warren Buffett has offered to relieve the ailing monoline insurers of their best assets, leaving them the subprime rubbish. You've got to admire his ruthlessness. But are the monolines desperate enough to accept? Japan is the next sub-prime flashpoint db99 There is still $300bn of bad debt out there, and Japan could be hiding most of it. Why the Fed is just making everything worse db99 By slashing interest rates to 3%, or -1.1% in inflation-adjusted terms, the US central bank is effectively giving money away. But that's no way to restore confidence - or help people rebuild their finances. London property: where have all the buyers gone? db99 When it comes to property, it's case of can't buy, won't buy amongst London's wealthy. UK Housing Bear Market Confirmed db99 The UK housing market has confirmed its downtrend and is on track towards an average decline of 15% by August 2009. Time to panic - the Fed is asking politicians for help db99 Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke is pinning his hopes on politicians saving the US economy. No wonder stocks have dived...