Think Positive

Monday, 8 June 2009

Oil price rise not sign of recovery

Despite higher prices, supply and demand data is still lacklustre

2009 plumbs the depths in barren spell for IPOs

Even a pickup in the second half may not salvage a year that has seen only 3 new listings so far

“Hot Money” at the Gates of China’s Market

A surge in market liquidity from large security offerings in the United States combined with a more optimistic view of China’s economic recovery and currency, the RMB, has resulted in a flood of “hot money” into Hong Kong, the gateway to investment in mainland China. “Hot money” is the Chinese term for capital awaiting investment in a project.

Chinese economy bottoming out, but to stage U-turn recovery

Chinese economy has bottomed out and is stabilizing against the global economic downturn, but it would go through a U-turn recovery as a quick recovery could hardly be sustained, a researcher with the country’s top think tank said in Beijing on Sunday.

China may shun Australia deals after Rio saga

China may question the wisdom of investing in Australian resources after Rio Tinto last week spurned a multi-billion-dollar link-up for a joint venture with bitter rival BHP Billiton, analysts say.

Bitterness and betrayal for writer let down by best friend

“My life has been ruined since June 4, 1989, and there are too many like me, who pursued democracy out of pure motives for this country but suffered by having to live humble lives afterwards. It’s time for the country to apologise.”

Cosy private banker-client ties can sour

Banks and rich clients go together like champagne and caviar, but there are times when the silky smooth relationship turns toxic.

Chinese consumers can’t power recovery

To turn spenders, savers first need social safety net, real income growth

No Tobacco Day finds little support on the smoky mainland

More than 60 per cent of Chinese males aged 15 and older are habitual smokers, and 540 million people nationwide are affected by second-hand smoke, according to the Worker’s Daily.

Smoking poses major dilemma for mainland

Yesterday was World No Tobacco Day, but it was very hard to find any genuine effort to use the occasion to discourage smoking on the mainland, the world’s largest producer and consumer of tobacco.

More To Come As China Grabs Resources

Another week, another China resources deal in Australia. This time, it’s Metallurgical Corp. of China arranging $3.1 billion in financing for Waratah Coal and taking a 10% stake in the company.

Too many players make a pawn of profits

The atmosphere is tense, there’s dead silence and an air of intense expectation at the end of a fierce bidding war. It’s not Sotheby’s or Christie’s; just a regular scene at the monthly pawnbrokers’ auction.

Veteran actor and memorable movie villain Sek Kin dies at 96

Veteran actor Sek Kin, known for his portrayal of villains in Chinese cinema, died yesterday. He was 96.

Worst is over for economy: UOB-Kay Hian report

Upcoming IRs expected to boost tourism, services & construction sectors

Mainland markets are poor prognosticators

Do fundamental investors set prices on the Shanghai or Shenzhen stock markets? The mainland markets are famously speculative, and many people in China have assured me that this is because for cultural reasons Chinese are inveterate gamblers. Strangely enough these are often the same people who insist that China’s very high savings rates are also explained by Chinese culture.