Finance Roundtable

Last week's report on the consumer price index for the United States shows that inflation is not abating. In fact, it appears to be accelerating.

The Labor Department reported on 16 July that the overall CPI rose 1.1 percent in June, accelerating from 0.6 percent in May. The CPI ...

There are signs that the Chinese economy is cooling. AFP/CNA reports:

China's economy expanded by 10.4 per cent in the first half and 10.1 per cent in the second quarter, the National Bureau of Statistics said, down from growth of 11.9 per cent recorded for all of 2007...

US stocks gained for a second day yesterday. Bloomberg reports:

U.S. stocks rallied, sending the Dow Jones Industrial Average to its best two-day gain in almost six years, after JPMorgan Chase & Co.'s profit topped estimates and falling oil prices sparked an advance in consumer shares...

The ...

Global inflation shows few signs of abating.

It's not abating in Europe. From Eurostat:

Euro area annual inflation was 4.0% in June 2008, up from 3.7% in May. A year earlier the rate was 1.9%. Monthly inflation was 0.4% in June 2008.

EU annual inflation was ...

The Bank of Japan left interest rates unchanged yesterday. From AFP/CNA:

Japan's central bank on Tuesday left its super-low interest rates unchanged as it cut its growth forecasts for Asia's largest economy for the second time in less than three months.

The policy board decided unanimously to ...

Yesterday's market action shows how difficult it is going to be to rebuild confidence in financial markets. From Bloomberg:

U.S. stocks fell, sending financial shares to their biggest drop in eight years, on heightened concern that bank failures will spread.

Washington Mutual Inc. posted the steepest retreat ...

US stocks fell again yesterday. Bloomberg reports:

U.S. stocks fell, extending the longest stretch of weekly losses for the Standard & Poor's 500 Index since 2004, as growing concern about the health of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac sent bank shares to an 11-year low...

The S&P ...

The Bank of England left interest rates unchanged yesterday. Reuters reports:

The Bank of England left interest rates on hold despite spiralling inflation as slowing Chinese exports growth and faltering European industry provided further evidence on Thursday that global growth is teetering...

Despite inflation overshooting the UK's ...

Japan's economy has so far held up but the outlook remains weak.

Today, Bloomberg reports that Japan's current account surplus shrank in May.

Japan's current-account surplus narrowed for a third month in May as record oil prices pushed up the import bill and export growth slowed.

US stocks did well yesterday despite disappointing pending home sales data for May. From Bloomberg:

U.S. stocks rallied the most in a month, led by banks and transportation companies, after JPMorgan Chase & Co.'s chief executive officer said losses in credit markets will ease and oil posted ...