IB Economics HL 2010-2012

This article is about how consumers are paying more for fuel than they have before. The "Big Six" says that it is because of the "opacity" in the price system. This is due to tariffs. There is a "lack of competition" because consumers are unable to verify which prices are the lowest due to the tariffs. Consumers may be purchasing energy from the least efficient company and not know it due to the artificial prices due to tariffs. There are also two other problems. In a supply and demand graph with a tariff in place, one expects that when a tariff is set, the demand will decrease; this is not totally true for energy. Energy is a very price inelastic good and therefore the quantity demanded will not change by much when the price is artificially risen. The other problem with this scenario is that there are only six major energy producers, the "Big Six". This market is a very oligopolist market. There might be a decline in competition simply due to the "Big Six" working as a group to form an imperfect market. 

Samsung electronics has raised the stakes in its current legal battle with Apple by seeking a embargo on sales of iPhone 4S in Australia and Japan.

a brief outline of the article content is required.

the article talks about the trade barriers between the USA and India. As a result of this the concerns of the USA related with the situation.

This article is about the Botswana Bureau of Standards working on developing a new quality of standard for bottled waters (both domestically produced and foreign imports). This is a form of trade barrier as foreign exporters may have to raise their quality of bottled water to the new standard in order to export.

letter to the editor about issues surrounding free trade.

This article is about a free trade agreement that US and South Korea made. They have finally reached an agreement four years after they had initially agreed on trading. This shows that there are various barriers in free trade. One of the reasons for why the US wanted to trade now was to make more job opportunities in the US.

US and Korea agreement of free trade has finally been agreed after the issue. There will be an increase in jobs opportunities and boost US exports.

Concerns centered around tariffs on car makers in the debate on the free trade deal between the US and South Korea.

This article talks about Mexico increasing the quantity of sugar that can be imported into the country, their aim is to "stabilize prices".

the introduction of quotas for women lead to better access to clean water and sanitation

The article is related with the production quota of rare earth minerals in China and also it mentions the reducing of the export quotas of rare minerals.

The article discusses some of the negative impacts of free trade, and the process policy makers go through when deciding whether or not to expand free trade.

It includes the negative effects of free trade

This article discusses the potential increase in tariffs on coal in Russia as well as the consequences from such an increase.

the article suggests that US is recommended to impose quota on oil imports as soon as possible.

U.S. is having a supply shortage of sugar. The retailer prices have increased. More sugar import is planned to increase the supply and reduce the prices.

Congress will likely approve on Wednesday trade agreements with South Korea, Colombia, and Panama. They are expected to increase US exports significantly.

Unlike the title of the article, the article mainly focuses on the debate among Americans about whether the freer trade contributed to the growth of world economy or not. Various view points about free trade is present in this article.

about the current free-trade debate in the american legislature.

This article talks about Obama (US) submitting a free trade agreement to Panama, Columbia and Korea (South, I believe). The free trade agreement would benefit the different nations, as well as raise issues in different ways as two of the countries are developing and one is a developed country.

Almost all arguments against free trade blame it for problems it has little to do with. Free trade enables people to lead better lives and it benefits the environment as well, according to Julian Morris of the Institute of Economic Affairs, writing as the Seattle trade talks collapsed in 1999