Category Archives: Business/Economics

Business/Economics, International, U.S.

What Economic Recovery? German Auto Makers making big profits, but economists say the party is over

The Germany auto industry has seen skyrocketing sales this year, mainly in China and India.  But a Center Automotive Research at the University of Duisburg-Essen, Germany, study predicts dire sales in the near future.

CAR boss Ferdinand Dudenhöffer, says the growing debt problems of Europe, United States, and even Japan, will eventually drag down the world economy.  He predicts a “significant fall in growth” for the German auto industry.

Germany has the strongest performing car makers in the world.  According to the Center of Automotive Management, VW holds 1st place, Daimler 2nd, and BMW holds 4th place (Korea’s Hyundai holds 3rd).

However, Center of Automotive Management predicts German car sales in China will soon drop off.  So far Germany has seen 20% to 30% sales gains year after year.  CAM analysts believe that in the near future German car makers will be lucky to see 5% sales growth in China and India.

5% sales growth will not be enough to make up for predicted loses in other markets (like the U.S.): “The gains that will be made in China and India won’t be able to compensate for the slight losses in other markets.”-Ferdinand Dudenhöffer, Center Automotive Research

 

 

Business/Economics, International, U.S.

Original Lager Beer Yeast came from South America, not Germany! Proof that Vikings made it all the way to South America?

Researchers from around the world have been looking for the source yeast used in Lager beers.  They found it, in Argentina!

Germany has laid claim as the creator of lager beers, more than 600 years ago.  But scientists realized that the yeast used, Saccharomyces Pastorianus, is not native to Bavaria.

Scientists combed five continents, and found only one source of origin: Patagonia, Argentina.

Now the question is how did Europeans get the yeast?  After all the first German Lagers were created decades before Columbus sailed the ocean blue.   Could it be those daring Vikings who got to North America 400 years before Columbus, made it all the way to South America, then back to Europe?

Business/Economics, International

What Economic Recovery? Big Beer maker in Europe sees Drop in Profits

Heineken, Europe’s biggest beer maker, made a profit the first half of this year, but no where near what they were hoping for.

Their net profit was 694 million euros (U.S.$999.38 million).  That’s a drop compared to the first half of last year, when they netted 700 million euros.

They still made a big profit this year, but it shocked Heineken’s own analysts because they were expecting to make much more money.

Business/Economics, International, Technology, U.S.

Steve Jobs resigns, Apple Board rushing to bring in replacment

“I have always said if there ever came a day when I could no longer meet my duties and expectations as Apple’s CEO, I would be the first to let you know. Unfortunately, that day has come.”-Steve Jobs

Co-founder of Apple, Steve Jobs, has been fighting cancer, and now he has resigned.  No confirmation if it’s due to his health.

Tim Cook has already been picked to replace Jobs, and the board of Apple is rushing to get Cook into the CEO position.

Business/Economics, International

Coriander / Cilantro can kill bacteria

The Science Daily reporting that Portuguese scientists discovered that oil from coriander, aka cilantro, makes a good anti-biotic.

“The results indicate that coriander oil damages the membrane surrounding the bacterial cell.  This disrupts the barrier between the cell and its environment and inhibits essential processes including respiration, which ultimately leads to death of the bacterial cell.”-Fernanda Domingues.

Researchers confirmed that coriander/cilantro oil can affect 12 types of bacterial strains, and some were killed by solutions containing 1.6% or less coriander oil.  The oil comes from the seeds of the plant.  Not only could it be used as an anti-biotic, but it might be used to preserve food.

Business/Economics, International, U.S.

Confirmed, U.S. & EU push to unfreeze Libyan assets is because Rebels are broke, African countries opposed

The United States, Europe and other countries are pushing for the United Nations to unfreeze billions in Libyan assets.  This is on top of what the U.S. is unfreezing.

A Libyan rebel official admitted in a press conference they needed the money “…for supplies…to pay salaries.”

From the beginning the African Union has been oppossed to the NATO action in Libya.  Libya is a member of the African Union, and the AU wasn’t even consulted by the the United States and Europe, before the United Nations was tricked into approving military action against Libya.

South Africa, one of the most powerful members of the AU says it will vote no on unfreezing Libyan assets.

 

Business/Economics, International, U.S.

Global Economic War: Japan creates fund to help Japanese corporations to take over foreign companies, blames crashing U.S. dollar

Finance Minister Yoshihiko Noda announced that a U.S.$100 billion fund is being created, to help Japanese companies to use yen to buy foreign money, and take over foreign companies.

Noda says the fund is a response to the crashing U.S. dollar, which is forcing up the value of the Japanese yen.  The more the yen is worth, the more expensive it makes Japanese exports.  Already Japan has seen the effect, reduced sales to other countries.

The fund will loan money to Japanese companies, and investors, who will then use it to buy foreign money, and foreign companies.  It’s hoped that action will bring down the value of the yen.

The Japanese government will counter speculators from abusing the fund, by requiring daily reports of financial transactions.

Business/Economics, International, U.S.

Global Economic War: China will now use the Yuan in all international deals, blames crashing U.S. dollar

The Chinese government has expanded the use of the yuan in international trade deals.

Originally China restricted the use of the yuan to just five cities, for trade with Southeast Asian nations.  Later it was expanded so 20 provinces could use the yuan in all their international payments.  Now, the People’s Bank of China gave permission to all businesses in China, to use the yuan for international trade payments.

Chinese officials say the decision was influenced by the crashing U.S. dollar.

 

Business/Economics, Fukushima

Japan Megadisaster boosts Insurance sales!

The Non-Life Insurance Rating Organization of Japan said insurance companies gained more than 2.51 million new earthquake contracts, since the 11 March 2011 megadisaster.

Not surprisingly the biggest gains were in the areas hardest hit: Fukushima Prefecture saw a 49.6% increase.  Iwate Prefecture 26.4% increase.  Miyagi Prefecture up 22.3%.