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- U.S. Fed report on U.S. economy remains cautiously upbeat
The U.S. Federal Reserve maintained a broadly optimistic tone in its latest Beige Book report on the U.S. economy, citing a pickup in consumer spending and a resurgent housing market as favorable signs. "For the Fed, it's slow progress but not enough to alter its rate of asset purchases," said economist Yelena Shulyatyeva at BNP Paribas in New York. Reuters
(3/6)
    
- Rise in U.S. household debt may point to spending trend
A 2.5% rate of increase in U.S. household debt in the fourth quarter may mark an end to the deleveraging that has been weighing on the economy since 2008. The Federal Reserve's Flow of Funds report also showed substantial growth in the net worth of U.S. households during the period, with a gain of $1.1 trillion to $66 trillion. Reuters
(3/7)
- Early signs of change emerge at Bank of Japan
Although the Bank of Japan elected not to alter its monetary policy Thursday in its last meeting under the current governor, one board member suggested getting an immediate jump on the easier policy expected under new leadership. Meanwhile, primary dealers are predicting that the central bank will greatly boost debt purchases to advance quickly toward its 2% inflation target. The Wall Street Journal
(3/7)
, Bloomberg
(3/7)
- German industrial orders plunge
Germany's industrial powerhouse hit a sharp bump in January, with orders declining 1.9%, much more than predicted amid weakening orders from the country's austerity-racked eurozone neighbors. "The decline in orders at the start of the year suggests that the industrial sector has not yet overcome its weak phase," the Economy Ministry said. The Economic Times (India)
(3/7)
- Big banks stand to benefit as derivatives go through clearinghouses
New U.S. rules that take effect Monday will greatly benefit many of the banks behind the financial meltdown that led to adoption of the rules. The rules require hedge funds and others to channel their derivatives trading through clearinghouses, with big investment banks serving as the gatekeepers and raking in hundreds of millions of dollars in fees for the privilege. Reuters
(3/7)
| Market Activities
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- INTERNATIONAL MARKETS OVERVIEW
An unexpectedly positive jobs report in the U.S. lifted shares Thursday on both sides of Atlantic, and European markets got a further boost from favorable corporate news. The Stoxx Europe 600, however, ended marginally lower, easing 0.06% to 293.19. The S&P 500 added 0.18%, closing at 1,544.26. Here is a continuously updated list of global stock indexes. The Wall Street Journal
(3/8)
, The Wall Street Journal
(3/7)
, CNNMoney
(3/7)
- Japanese shares add to gains as other Asian markets pull back
Most Asian markets edged down Thursday ahead of the release of key economic data, although Japanese shares extended recent gains. The Nikkei ended the day 0.30% higher at 11,968.08 while the Hang Seng eased 0.03% to 22,771.44, the Kospi lost 0.81% to 2,004.40 and the S&P/ASX slipped 0.15% to 5,109.20. MarketWatch
(3/7)
| Economic Trends & Outlook
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- Taiwan reports exports up for January-February
Taiwan's seasonally adjusted exports rose 2.1% in February, although the total of US$19.74 billion was down nearly 16% from a year before due to the Lunar New Year holiday in the latest period. A more telling figure combining the first two months of 2013 showed exports were up 2% from a year earlier, indicating a growth trend, said Yeh Maan-tzwu, director of the statistics department at the Ministry of Finance. The Taipei Times (Taiwan)
(3/8)
| Capital Markets & Financial Products
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- U.S. increasingly the fount of investors for Asian hedge funds
The U.S. has become the post-crisis go-to source for Asian hedge funds hunting for overseas investors. Before the meltdown, Europe had provided the biggest pool. But now "the majority of money coming into the Asian hedge fund managers that we work with is from North America," said Deborah Lee, head of Asia-Pacific capital services at Credit Suisse. AsianInvestor.net
(3/7)
- Mapletree performance brightens IPO outlook in Singapore
A strong 12.4% gain for Mapletree Greater China Commercial Trust on Thursday after its debut on the Singapore Exchange is raising hope among analysts that the IPO market will revive after a slow 2012. "The Singapore market has shown that it's becoming far more liquid, and people also like having an exposure to the Singapore dollar," said Nick Crockett, executive director at CBRE Capital Advisors. The Wall Street Journal
(3/7)
- Japan's giant public pension fund may look to overseas markets
Japan's public pension fund may soon be exploring overseas markets as government officials express frustration with the fund's conservative strategy and modest performance. Being the world's largest such entity, the Government Pension Investment Fund is the object of scrutiny by market watchers as any change in practice could reverberate globally. The Wall Street Journal
(3/7)
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CFA Institute Financial NewsBrief: Asia Pacific Edition Issues:
- Thursday, March 07, 2013
- Wednesday, March 06, 2013
- Tuesday, March 05, 2013
- Monday, March 04, 2013
- Friday, March 01, 2013
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