Towards the end of 2008, China's securities market went though the craziest "switchback" in its history. The 2006-2007 rising tide that originated at the end of 2005 brought the Shanghai Composite Index to the peak of 6,124 points in October 2007. In mid-January 2008, the index still remained high at 5,500 points.
Adoption of the euro on 1 January 2009 marks a significant achievement for the Slovak Republic. This hard won result will bring many benefits but will also pose challenges. Decisive policy action will be needed in a number of areas to maintain high growth in the coming years.
Archstone Consulting announced a new study showing that companies are contemplating the re-establishment of manufacturing domestically, amid rising costs and other strategic challenges within the off-shoring model. As companies reassess their manufacturing and supply chain strategies for today’s global economic environment, the trend may create significant job opportunities in the U.S., according to the recent study.
In December 2008 almost all average MFI interest rates were lower than in the preceding month. Several of the average rates on both new business and outstanding amounts decreased substantially.
The unemployment rate for the OECD area was 6.8% in December 2008, 0.2 percentage point higher than the previous month and 1.1 percentage points higher than a year earlier.
NYSE Euronext reported a net loss of ($1,338) million, or ($5.06) per diluted share, for the fourth quarter of 2008, and ($738) million, or ($2.78) per diluted share, for the full year 2008.
Europe as a region has the highest adoption of mobile services at 121% penetration and this is expected to rise to 135% by 2012. At these high penetrations, overall service revenue growth through the handset is expected to decline. However, ARPU is expected to continue growing among business users.
The growth of air traffic in India has increased aircraft movement per airport, which in turn, has necessitated an expansion of the capacity of airports or development of new airports. Airport development primarily involves the improvement of the land as well as air areas and the terminal building. This offers great opportunities for companies involved in such development activities.
OECD composite leading indicators for December 2008 continue to point to a weakening outlook for all the major seven economies. The CLIs in most OECD countries have fallen to levels that were last seen during the oil shocks of the 1970s. The outlook has significantly deteriorated in the major non-OECD member economies who are now also facing strong slowdowns.
U.S. cash products handled average daily volume decreased 8.9% to 3.5 billion shares. European derivatives products ADV was 3.8 million futures and options contracts, a decrease of 18.4% from January 2008, primarily driven by a decline in interest rate trading volume.
