March, 2016

• 23 March

  The dark path to Brussels

  

  The value of catastrophic events is that they can help people face up to problems that are otherwise impossible to address. Maybe this will be the case with Tuesday’s horrific attacks in Brussels. Europe is facing a security threat that’s unprecedented in its modern history, at a time when its common currency, border security and intelligence-sharing are all under severe ...

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• 23 March

  Plug security loopholes before a Brussels replay

  The terrorist attacks in Brussels have once again evoked the international resolve to defeat terrorism, defend freedom and human rights not only in Europe but also around the world. Posing a new challenge, perpetrators vented their anger over the arrest of Salah Abdeslam, the most wanted suspect in November’s attacks in Paris. They seem to send a vengeful message that ...

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• 23 March

  Assessing market reactions to Brussels

  The reaction of financial markets to the terrorist attacks in Brussels on Tuesday was calm and mature, showing that they have learned the lessons of such tragedies, which have become all too common. Nonetheless, markets will find it increasingly difficult to price the longer- term effects, including unusual political developments that could affect the global economy. The markets’ relatively muted ...

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• 23 March

  Trump immigration attack begins in Brussels

  Here we go again. Speaking on NBC’s Today show shortly after deadly terrorist attacks in Brussels, Donald Trump said the U.S. should “close up our borders until we figure out what’s going on.” The Trumpian rhetoric is now familiar: His proposal is both shockingly aggressive — it was accompanied by another call to “expand” American law to permit the torture ...

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• 23 March

  Aquino’s military modernization is unprecedented, but insufficient

  

  Shang-su Wu SPECIAL TO EMIRATES BUSINESS With his term set to end in June, it’s an appropriate time to review the Philippines’ military modernization efforts under the administration of President Benigno Aquino III. During his six years in office, military modernization has advanced at a scale unprecedented since the Marcos era – but it remains insufficient. After the Philippines gained ...

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• 23 March

  Pulling up the ladder? Electoral reforms in Australia

  

  Last week legislation to change the voting procedures for the Senate passed both houses of the Australian Parliament. With the current conservative Liberal/National coalition government not having a majority in the Senate, the legislation was passed with the assistance of the Greens, and the powerful South Australian Independent Senator, Nick Xenophon. Whenever a voting system becomes a topic of debate ...

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• 23 March

  Dollar’s Fed-fuelled gains dent gold, oil; European stocks rise

  

  BLOOMBERG The dollar is on its longest winning streak in a month as speculation builds that the Federal Reserve is moving closer to raising interest rates — and that’s weighing on oil, gold and emerging markets. The U.S. currency strengthened for a fourth day after Chicago Fed President Charles Evans joined officials who’ve said this week they expect to raise ...

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• 23 March

  Emirates Securities Market up by 0.12 percent

  

  ABU DHABI / EMIRATES BUSINESS The Emirates Securities Market Index has increased by 0.12% to close at 4503.58 points. Accordingly the Market Capitalization has gained AED 0.88 billion attaining AED 730.54 billion. A total of 378.09 Million Shares were traded with a total value of AED 0.55 billion during the trading session of 23-03-2016 through 6353 transactions. The number of companies which ...

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• 23 March

  RBA rebuffs US Treasury on Aussie jawboning

  

  CANBERRA / Bloomberg Australia’s central bank chief brushed aside US criticism of his comments on the local currency’s level, saying that it was probably too high and pointing to a record of overseeing a floating exchange rate. Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) Governor Glenn Stevens said in response to a question after a speech in Sydney that there’s “some risk” ...

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• 23 March

  A first: Hungary bank pushes rate into negative territory

  

  Budapest / Bloomberg Hungary’s central bank said it had lowered one of its interest rates into negative territory for the first time, faced with with a drastically weaker inflation outlook. The rate for funds parked by commercial banks with the central bank overnight now stands at -0.05 percent. The bank also cut its main interest rate to 1.20 percent, also ...

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