Archive for April 2nd, 2008

Dealing with a future of economic uncertainty

Wednesday, April 2nd, 2008

A decade ago, the world watched and wondered as East Asia endured the full force of a financial crisis, with currencies and asset prices across the region falling sharply, and millions of people cast back into absolute poverty. It i ...

IBM pays huge price for probe

Wednesday, April 2nd, 2008

IBM is under investigation by the US Environmental Protection Agency over an $80 million bid it made in 2006 to modernize EPA financial systems and has been suspended from seeking new contracts with all US agencies, the company said. In ...

Big loss forces Ospel off UBS throne

Wednesday, April 2nd, 2008

UBS AG, battered by the biggest writedowns from the collapse of the US subprime mortgage market, reported a 12 billion-franc ($11.9 billion) first-quarter loss and said Chairman Marcel Ospel will step down. The bank will seek 15 billion ...

Africa’s economies to grow 6.2% in 2008

Wednesday, April 2nd, 2008

The average growth of Africa's economies is expected to be 6.2 percent in 2008, up from 5.8 percent in 2007, according to a report issued here Tuesday by the Addis Ababa-based UN Economic Commission for Africa (ECA). The report said ...

Eurozone jobless rate remains at 7.1% in February

Wednesday, April 2nd, 2008

The eurozone seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate remained at 7.1 percent in February 2008, unchanged compared with January, but was lower than the 7.6 percent the same month one year ago, Eurostat, the European Union (EU)'s statistical bu ...

Dollar rises as euro hit by European bank write-downs

Wednesday, April 2nd, 2008

The dollar gained grounds on Tuesday as the euro and other European currencies were hit by big write-downs at two major European banks. The Swiss bank UBS said it will take a fresh 19 billion dollars write-down in the first quarter ...

Crude drops modestly to close below $101

Wednesday, April 2nd, 2008

Crude oil futures fell modestly Tuesday to close below 101 U.S. dollars a barrel as gains in the U.S. dollar drove down dollar-denominated commodity prices. Crude for May delivery fell 60 cents, or 0.6 percent, to close at 100.98 do ...

U.S. construction spending drops for fifth straight month in February

Wednesday, April 2nd, 2008

U.S. construction spending dropped by 0.3 percent in February, the fifth straight monthly decline, as residential construction tumbled for a record 24th consecutive month, the Commerce Department reported Tuesday. Total construction ...