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This article talked about eBay increasing their revenue in double digit percentage and brought in 1.8 million$ last quarter. They were able to do so because in the long run they planned ahead and predicted that mobile phones would become a platform for commerce, so eBay used PayPal to make a lead in mobile payment, which gave them more market share. eBay was also experimenting with new app called eBay Now, which allows customers to buy goods from their phones from Macy's Target and Walgreens and have them delivered the same day. So we can see how important it is for a form to plan ahead in the long run: it decides the revenue for the firm in future.

A combination of lower imports and increased exports have led to an improvement in the balance of payments of the country of Lebanon. The country has in past years imported several times more the amount that it exports, which had led to a great deficit of trade. Due to a slowing economy, imports have decreased enough to begin to improve the deficit. In addition, an emphasis placed on the service export sector (health care, education, etc.) has contributed to the improvement.

Louis Hobeika, an economics and finance professor, has stated that "the slowdown in economic activities this year was translated into lower imports and therefore a lower deficit in the balance of trade, which resulted in the shrinking in the balance of payments deficit."

After Chinese Google-like company Baidu announced it would be accepting Bitcoin as a method of payment, the value of the currency increased significantly. Bitcoin is an emerging virtual currency in which people can make online transactions with large amounts of privacy. Many are attracted to the currency because it allows them to evade some of the regulations placed on trade by the Chinese government. Some people fear however that this type of currency would be very hard to regulate and track and may lead to the development of black markets and other illegal activities.

This article talks about how rising oil prices have led to an increase in imports in Indonesia

this article talks about the balance of payment in china, and also explains how that for the first time in a very long time (1999) the country is experiencing more money leaving the country than enters it.

The article is talking about China which starts as for the first time since 1998 more money leaves China than enters it mainland China can now boast over 1m wealthy citizens (qianwan fuweng) each with over 10m yuan ($1.6m), says the latest edition of the "Hurun Report", which keeps track of China's capitalist high-roaders. But the mainland seems to be having trouble keeping them. According to the report, published on July 31st, more than 16% of China's rich have already emigrated, or handed in immigration papers for another country, while 44% intend to do so soon. Over 85% are planning to send their children abroad for their education, and one-third own assets overseas.

This article is interesting because it shows economics and how it must adapt as well in order to better handle things that arise with the new century. It illustrates how economics as a study is not static

The article is talking about the programmers around the world have been churning out new digital currencies that try to improve on the concept of bitcoin, the hot but controversial virtual money that has swept the InternetAs questions still swirl around bitcoin's legality, many technology entrepreneurs are trying to sidestep the currency's pitfalls by devising new ways to make payments in a cashless futureThe online payment system viewed by many insiders as having the best chance of supplanting bitcoin, however, is not even on the list: Ripple. Founded in San Francisco by former bitcoin developers, Ripple holds out the promise not just of a new currency, but also of a novel method to send money around the world. With that potential, it is winning something that has proved elusive for virtual currencies: involvement from more mainstream players in the financial system.

Since our topic this week is on exchange rates i thought it would be a good time to address a topic of interest to me - virtual money. the bitcoin is accepted as a form of currency by many and from the article, we can deduce that it has a high exchange rate. A norwegian man had bout $27 worth of bitcoins which now translates to $886,000. this value and exchange rate is un-paramounted and extremely high but there are reasons for this. Bitcoins are now being used as a form of currency for illegal trading - forged documentation serving as an example. This increase in demand has lead to appreciation for the value however many countries are just starting to recognise the bitcoins currency value. many owners are just starting to accept bitcoins as a form of payment in the hopes that it can appreciate and they can sell it for more in the future. However in the article we get an understanding that the bitcoin fluctuates greatly. This detracts consumer confidence however the sheer idea of investing in virtual money is enticing to many, increasing the demand for the bitcoin.

This article talks about how lage companies like Starbucks and Google are evading tax in the UK by ensuring mae no profits, thereby avoiding corporate tax. These companiesmake billions in but " they ensured they made no profits through large royalty and other payments to offshore companies" (2012, Telegraph) There are understandaby many peopl who are upset about this and calling it unfair. It also undermines the profits of local companies. A solution thatis beng suggested is a sales tax. However many expertssa tha what te TNC's are doing is perfectly legal and said "corporation tax was a tax on activity."