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Samson Luong

Rare-earth prices rise on slowed production - 2 views

www.globaltimes.cn/...744158.shtml

commodities and resources rare earth production supply demand Samson Zhang

shared by Samson Luong on 26 Nov 12 - No Cached
  • Prices of rare earths in China have rebounded recently due to a halt in production and market expectations of large purchases for State Reserves
  • 32,000 yuan ($5,137) per ton, compared with 23,000 yuan at the end of October, a rise of nearly 40 percent
  • The recent price jump is mainly the result of a suspension of production
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  • Rare-earth prices fluctuated wildly in 2011, jumping in June following government efforts to consolidate the sector but falling sharply in July as a result of oversupply and weakening market demand. 
  • There has also been market speculation that the State Reserve will buy rare earths in December, which has boosted market prices
  • soaring prices have negative effects on downstream industries that use rare earths as raw materials
  • To conserve resources and protect the environment from heavily polluting rare-earth mining, China has curbed output and exports of rare earths
  • Samson Luong on 26 Nov 12
     
    1. Can you use the economic concepts to explain what is happening in the rare earth market? (Hint: Supply and Demand determinants, the relationship of supply and demand etc. Feel free to use other concepts.) 2. Can you explain what type of interventions the government is using to solve the negative externalities in this case. What may happen in the market as a result?
Erica Yeo

Crude Oil Rises on Gaza Conflict Amid Declining U.S. Stockpiles - Bloomberg - 2 views

www.bloomberg.com/...-weeks-as-stockpiles-fall.html

crude oil gaza conflict u s bloomberg challenges currentevents

shared by Erica Yeo on 29 Nov 12 - No Cached
  • boosting speculation that the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians of Gaza may disrupt crude supply from the Middle East.
  • Prices advanced earlier after American Petroleum Institute data yesterday showed crude inventories fell for the second week in three. An Energy Department report today is forecast to show supplies increased.
  • “Crude trade will remain choppy until we have some clarity on the Israeli-Gaza conflict,
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  • Societe Generale SA raised its predictions for global oil prices next year,
  • Crude for January delivery was at $87.58 a barrel, up 83 cents, or 1 percent, in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange at 1:38 p.m. London time. The contract dropped $2.53 yesterday to $86.75, the biggest decline since Nov. 7. Prices are down 11 percent this year.
  • The bank increased its price outlook for Brent to $110 a barrel from $103 previously, according to an e-mailed report.
  • Crude stockpiles in the U.S. slid 1.9 million barrels in the week ended Nov. 16, the API’s report showed.
  • Gasoline slid 4.8 million barrels, compared with a gain of 1 million barrels in the Bloomberg survey. Distillates, including diesel and heating oil, declined 4.4 million barrels, compared with a projected 1 million-barrel decrease.
  • Erica Yeo on 29 Nov 12
     
    1. What affect do you think the american stockpiles of crude oil have on the supply and demand graph of crude oil? 2. Since the middle east contributes to most of our oil resources, what are the possible solutions to the price increase of crude oil if the conflict between israel and palestine continues?
Samson Luong

Brazil economy surprisingly weak, adds to global fears - The Globe and Mail - 0 views

www.theglobeandmail.com/...article5837722

brazil economy adds fears globe mail Stagnate Growth Samson Zhang

shared by Samson Luong on 04 Dec 12 - No Cached
  • Brazil has been stuck in a pattern of slow growth since Ms. Rousseff took office last year, as companies struggle with high costs and severe infrastructure and labour bottlenecks. Ms. Rousseff has tried to revive activity with numerous tax cuts and other stimulus, but Friday’s data showed that companies are not responding, as investment fell for a fifth straight quarter.
  • Friday’s data renews concerns that its slow growth is not a cyclical issue, but the result of deeply rooted structural problems after strong growth of the previous decade.
  • The measures that the government imagined would be capable of bringing Brazil out of the global crisis weren’t enough
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  • Data indicates that many consumers have reached their debt limit, despite a massive year-long cycle of interest rate cuts, leaving few other strong motors to power Brazil’s $2.5-trillion economy.
  • far deeper changes to Brazil’s restrictive labour laws as well as its complex and onerous tax code, which many companies say makes investment prohibitively expensive.
  • Ms. Rousseff has won some plaudits from foreign investors for efforts to address Brazil’s supply-side bottlenecks
  • Samson Luong on 04 Dec 12
     
    Questions 1. What effects will interest rate cuts and expanding consumer credit have on Brazil's economy? 2. Would allowing the private sector to build and operate airports, highways and cutting electricity costs be good for Brazil's economy? Why?
  • anonymous on 06 Dec 12
     
    1- It might cause an economic recession. 2- It will be beneficial as long as there isn't one company operating all these areas(monopoly power) which leads to a market failure. It will bring money to the private sector. Netan
Cristina Raileanu

Power generated by wind blows past coal output in Ontario - 0 views

www.ottawacitizen.com/...story.html

power generated wind coal ontario canada consumer commodities resources

shared by Cristina Raileanu on 17 Jan 13 - No Cached
  • three per cent of the province’s electricity in 2012, compared to 2.8 per cent for coal-generated power. A decade ago, coal-burning plants produced a quarter of the province’s electricity output.
  • Over the noon hour last Friday, for example, wind was generating 1,196 MW of power, compared to 710 MW from coal. A new wind-generation record was set Jan. 4, when 1,663 megawatts (MW) of electricity was produced by wind turbines, concentrated in southwestern Ontario.
  • Nuclear power continues to be Ontario’s chief source for electricity, supplying 56.4 per cent of total output last year, followed by hydro at 22.3 per cent, and natural gas at 14.6 per cent, according to the new IESO figures
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  • The closures are expected to put more than 350 people out of work, he said.The Power W
  • “Ontario is spending billions on wind turbines and solar panels supported by natural gas generation to the benefit of big multinational corporations,”
  • “Ontario will not likely meet its greenhouse gas targets because of increased dependence on natural gas generation, green job numbers remain elusive and our electricity prices are on the way to becoming among the highest in North America.”
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