Wednesday, October 24, 2012

Snack Pack: Gasoline, Aussie, Facebook, Treasuries


Oct. 24 (Bloomberg) -- Bloomberg's Stephanie Ruhle, Dominic Chu, Julie Hyman, Sara Eisen and Josh Lipton update the top trading stories of the day. They speak on Bloomberg Television's "Lunch Money."

China's Economy Showing Signs of Improvement


Oct. 24 (Bloomberg) -- Sara Eisen reports on today's top currencies news headlines on Bloomberg Television's "Lunch Money." (Source: Bloomberg)

Australia to establish foreign ownership register



Published on Oct 23, 2012 by
Australia's vast continent is a massive agricultural resource, impossible to develop without foreign investment.

But that has not stopped a chorus of claims that Australia is "selling off the farm" and it is another issue which has had the government on the back foot.

And now Prime Minister Julia Gillard has announced the establishment of a national register of foreign agricultural land purchases - just what the farmers lobby has been seeking.

Canberra political editor Catherine Mcgrath reports.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/australianetworknews/newsline/

China's Purchasing Managers Index Makes Modest Improvement



Published on Oct 24, 2012 by
China's manufacturers continue to see growth shrinking this month. In a report, the China HSBC Flash Manufacturing Purchasing Managers Index, or PMI, did rise to a three month high of 49.1 this month... up from 47.9 in September.

A PMI higher than 50 means that manufacturing is expanding; lower than 50 means it's contracting. PMI is often used as a sign of the general health of the economy.

The two biggest parts of the PMI are the headline index, which is an inflation indicator, and new orders and output.

In a statement, HSBC Chief Economist for China at HSBC, Hongbin Qu, said, "October's flash PMI reading continues to recover for the second month, thanks in part to a gradual improvement in the new orders index which picked up to a six-month high (albeit marginally below 50). This is helped by the filtering-through of the earlier easing measures. However, external challenges still abound and the pressures on the job market are lingering."

The new data is the newest indicator of the state of China's economy since data from authorities showed the country's gross domestic product falling behind the target in the third quarter.

Although the numbers are slightly up, with a PMI under 50, it indicates that there's still a long road ahead before expansion makes a more meaningful comeback.

James Bond steals the show at Skyfall premiere



Published on Oct 24, 2012 by
Stars of the latest James Bond film, Skyfall, have met with Prince Charles at the Royal Albert Hall for the premiere of the new 007 movie.

Daniel Craig, Javier Bardem, Judi Dench, Ralph Fiennes, Berenice Marlohe and Naomie Harris all arrived on the red carpet for the occasion. The premiere is being hosted by David Walliams.

Skyfall is the 23rd Bond film and critics have been hailing the new film, directed by Sam Mendes as one of the best, with James Bond returning to Ian Fleming's original British spy character.

Ralph Fiennes, who plays baddie Gareth Mallory, spoke to Walliams on the red carpet. He said: "I've worked with Sam [Mendes] before and he has a wonderful clarity of vision. The script is a great new take on Bond.

"I've been a Bond fan since I was a teenager. It was a thrill."

Dench, who reprised her role as M, joked about what it was like working with Craig. "He's hell. Complete hell."

She added: "He's totally dedicated, totally professional, totally James Bond."

Naomie Harris spoke to Walliams about her character in the film. According to the Mirror, she said: "Eve is Bad arse. She thinks she's a match for Bond at the beginning of the movie at least.

"I don't remember the first time I watched a Bond movie as I grew up watching them - this one could be my favourite though."

Written by Hannah Osborne

10/24/2012 CULTURE



Published on Oct 24, 2012 by
How do artists and writers see the world? France 24 takes you beyond the headlines to the crossroads where culture meets the news and engages with what's happening in our lives today. Monday to Friday.

All shows:
http://www.france24.com/en/taxonomy/emission/18005

FRANCE 24 INTERNATIONAL NEWS 24/7
http://www.france24.com

Muslims pray for Peace



Published on Oct 24, 2012 by
http://www.euronews.com/ Millions of people have arrived in Mecca for the annual Islamic haj pilgrimage to the site. Haj is a religious duty for all Muslims, both Sunni and Shi-ite, and they are expected to go to Mecca at least once in their lives, if they can.

The Saudi Arabian authorities have said that they will not tolerate any disruptive political demonstrations or trouble-making and have paraded water-canon, tear-gas launchers and even truck-mounted machine guns.

Many of the pilgrims are praying for peace in Libya and Syria as well as other countries in the Arab world. The centre of the celebrations is the Grand Mosque, which is often so full that pilgrims sleep on the pavement outside in order to secure their entrance the next day.

The haj attracts up to six million Muslims from all across the world every year. This year, the Eid al-Adha celebrations coincide with the haj, and will start on Thursday.

Jamaica and Cuba brace for Sandy's arrival



Published on Oct 24, 2012 by
http://www.euronews.com/ Householders in the Caribbean are preparing for tropical storm Sandy, which is expected to develop into a hurricane by the time it hits Jamaica later today.

With the eye of the storm around 300 kilometres south of the capital Kingston there were sustained winds of 95 kilometres per hour.

Authorities in Jamaica and Cuba issued hurricane warnings, telling residents to expect heavy rain and winds of up to 130 kilometres per hour.

One light-hearted resident, stocking up on supplies at a supermarket in Jamaica said: "She is just coming on vacation, she isn't going to stay long. So I am just making sure I am ready in case she changes her mind and wants to stay for a couple of weeks. Everybody get ready because Sandy isn't playing."

Tropical storm Sandy is heading towards the southern coast of Jamaica and is expected to continue its northward track passing over Cuba and the Bahamas before turning into the Atlantic.

Cubans have been out preparing for the rain. Meteorologists expect up to half a metre of water to fall in certain parts of eastern Cuba. Residents have been clearing undergrowth from riverbanks to help rainfall flow away.

euronews science: Danube Delta in danger - say activists



Published on Oct 24, 2012 by
http://www.euronews.com/ Romanian environmentalists are stepping up their efforts to protect the Danube Delta reserve.

It is the largest European wetland and reed bed, with unique flora and fauna and its lakes, channels, marshes and streams cover up to 5,500 square kilometres.

The main danger for the World Heritage area is use of the land by the nine countries bordering the river; agricultural projects which lead to water pollution, overfishing and poaching .

Poznan's Euro 2012 social legacy



Published on Oct 24, 2012 by
http://www.euronews.com/ Poznan rises early. The city of just over half a million has with Warsaw the lowest unemployment rate in Poland and getting to work on time and in good humour is important.

The morning commute has taken on a bit of style with a gleaming new train station. The main concourse was finished in time for football's Euro 2012 tournament. There is more of the complex to be completed.

Big sporting events can often leave behind white elephants with a city struggling to recoup its investment. Poznan has a new transport infrastructure which is earning its keep, including a fleet of 40 new trams which glide from the suburbs to the centre.

Poland spent more on roads than it did on sporting venues and Poznan has benefited with the completion of the A2 motorway between Berlin and the city. The journey time has been cut by almost a half. A boost for fans during the football championships and a lasting legacy for business and logistic firms.

Paul McDowell, euronews reporter in Poznan says:
"Trams, trains, a new highway, a complete new transport hub. But what about the things you can't see out of the tram windows, the things you can't touch and feel. It's what we call the social legacy. What is the social legacy of Euro 2012?"
.....

Eurozone downturn deepens, includes Germany



Published on Oct 24, 2012 by
http://www.euronews.com/ German business sentiment dropped sharply in October, confirming Europe's largest economy is now mired in the eurozone debt crisis.

The Ifo economic think-tank's business climate index, based on a monthly survey of some seven thousand German firms fell for the sixth straight month to its lowest in more than two and a half years.

Ifo economist Kai Carstensen said: "Companies are realising more and more that the euro crisis is not over yet. There are still a lot of uncertainties. For example investments are being postponed and that has an impact on practically the whole German economy."

Around Europe, the latest surveys of company purchasing managers also showed a worsening situation.

In October eurozone businesses suffered their worst month since emerging from the last recession more than three years ago.

As a result they cut more jobs to reduce costs.

The dominant services sector remained stagnant despite firms lowering their prices for the 11th straight month.

Europe Day Ahead: Euro earnings gloom deepens (2:33)



Oct. 24 - Daimler, Renault, BASF and Credit Suisse are just a few of the European firms due to report earnings tomorrow, and analysts aren't expecting much cause for cheer

3XSQ: Facebook, Boeing buoy stock market (4:21)



Oct 24 - Boeing posted stronger-than-expected results for the third quarter while Facebook's ad revenue grew at a faster-than-expected pace.