Understanding risk and setting your threshold

Many investors felt like they had nowhere to hide last year. Investment types that many thought might offer shelter in inclement weather for the stock market - such as bond funds and commodities - posted painful losses. Such blow-ups highlight the facts that investing comes with risks and that some investments are riskier than others. Identifying those risks, in addition to figuring out how much you are willing to tolerate, is one of the most important aspects of long-term planning.

Halcyon days of hiding money offshore are over

Many investors felt like they had nowhere to hide last year. Investment types that many thought might offer shelter in inclement weather for the stock market - such as bond funds and commodities - posted painful losses. Such blow-ups highlight the facts that investing comes with risks and that some investments are riskier than others. Identifying those risks, in addition to figuring out how much you are willing to tolerate, is one of the most important aspects of long-term planning.

Global brands turn to China’s young amid slump

“Many foreign brands are looking at China as a life vest,” said Mary Bergstrom, founder of Bergstrom Trends, a youth-trend research company in Shanghai.

CIA report has new details of prisoner abuse

CIA interrogators carried out mock executions and threatened an al Qaeda commander with a gun and an electric drill, according to an internal report that provides new details of abuses inside’s the agency’s secret prisons, two leading U.S. newspapers reported on Saturday.

SGX lines up plans to tighten governance

Initiatives include stipulation that CFOs, directors be appointed early

Big bucks

With more and more Singaporeans getting fat and rich, weight management services are booming despite the recession.

Raffles Education

A contribution from Tonlee. Using Pitchfork, Raffles Education has a potential to reach 0.800 after 0.700 is taken out.

Is the World Emerging From Its Deep Slump?

Turnabouts in European and Asian economies, along with recent gains in the U.S., are raising hopes that that the worldwide recession is drawing to a close. That’s not to say the coast is clear.

Calley apologizes for My Lai massacre

After nearly 40 years of silence, convicted ex-Army officer says he’s sorry

Unprofitable sites left undeveloped in mainland cities

A majority of the building sites in 12 mainland cities that were sold at exceptionally high prices during the feverish market peak in 2007 remain idle today because the cost of the land has made it difficult for developers to turn a profit, according to a survey.

Raffles Education

In the last few months, RE had rebounded each time from the Guppy long term support lines. RE's results is out early next week. There were many cases where stocks were deliberately pressed down before results and then pushed up after results were out.

Like it or not, Australia’s fortunes hitched to China economy

People everywhere are discovering the communist superpower looming ever larger over their economic fortunes, and few so much as Australia’s 22 million denizens.

Hurun compiler denies rich list brings bad luck

Rupert Hoogewerf, founder and publisher of the list of the mainland’s richest tycoons, has defended himself against criticism that his list is a jinx, bringing misfortune to those who appear on it.

40 years on US officer says sorry for Vietnam massacre

After more than 40 years the former US army officer found guilty of involvement in the massacre of women and children in the Vietnamese village of My Lai during the war has made a public apology.

Party organ gives CCTV sex angle new legs

Wags in Beijing long ago dubbed the new CCTV Tower the “trouser legs”. Now they, and others, have realised the name may not be far wrong. And many don’t like the idea that Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas may have pulled off a joke at China’s expense.

The men who make up gangs of Chongqing

They are former inmates, disillusioned police officers and jobless migrants struggling to survive in an ever growing metropolis. But they are also budding bureaucrats, successful businessmen and even the offspring of the local political elite.

Chongqing triads put 12m yuan price on police chief’s head

Chongqing police chief Wang Lijun is at the centre of the municipality’s efforts to take on the triads - and his efforts appear to be well directed if the gangsters’ response is anything to go by.

Chongqing's residents call him 包青天.

Mexican Drug Cartels Find a New Home in California State Parks

Firefighters battle the La Brea fire that has been burning for eight days and destroyed over 84,000 acres. The fire was reportedly caused by an illegal camp fire at a marijuana farm.

AusGroup

Already broke out of the rectangle, just need to cross 0.660 towards 0.870.

Ezion

Ezion should break out of the rectangle with a bang. I am looking at 0.900-0.965 target.