What’s stopping small businesses from hiring? One popular story line of the recession is that small businesses, which employ about half the workforce, are afraid to hire because they don’t know what health-care reform and tax changes will mean. Based on that narrative, some stock market observers predict that the November [ Read More → ]

The New Zealand economy feels a lot like a ‘Zombie Nation’ that wants to keep extending the loans and pretending that eventually everything will eventually go back to normal. Parts of our financial system and many property owners have been in a zombie-like state for much of the last two years, [ Read More → ]

While Ottawa makes noises about boosting financial literacy, it’s curious that this country’s 289,000 financial advisors seldom talk about debt. The industry thinks it’s OK that 40% of Canadians now retire with some debt, with many going deeper into hock once they stop working. Little wonder that a thousand or [ Read More → ]

European equities markets were lower again Wednesday on more bad economic news from the United States as new home sales dropped to the lowest on record in July, while durable goods orders rose there last month, but by much less than had been forecast. After the National Association of Realtors reported [ Read More → ]

Richard Drew/The Associated PressPeter Tuchman, right, watches the numbers as he works on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange. Financial markets tumbled today as investors appeared to grow concerned about the health of the U.S. economy following Tuesday’s actions by the Federal Reserve. NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks and [ Read More → ]

Vietnam is ‘one of the most promising countries in the world’, according to one analyst. Investors who are fed up with dismal returns from traditional markets are making steps to invest in more adventurous areas. Popular funds include those that invest in Latin America, Russia, India, gold and commodities. Rebecca O’Keeffe, at Interactive Investor, [ Read More → ]

AMSTERDAM — , the Dutch bank and insurance company, Wednesday reported a sharp rise in second quarter earnings, mostly because it avoided some of the losses it made a year ago on stocks, bonds, and real estate-related investments. Net profit was euro1.09 billion ($1.44 billion), up from euro79 million in the [ Read More → ]

The markets are signaling that a bout of deflation may be coming. Many economists still dismiss the threat. But if they are wrong, and deflation does set in, what would it mean for stocks, bonds, gold and other investments? The last time deflation fears gripped the markets was in 2003, when [ Read More → ]

The New Zealand dollar maintained its strength opening above US73c this morning, as the Australian keeps up its performance and markets firmed with generally positive global economic data. The NZ dollar was at US73.26c at 8am today from US72.82 at 5pm yesterday. The kiwi has been recovering from a weak last week, [ Read More → ]

WASHINGTON — A bill to increase small business lending is in jeopardy in the Senate as lawmakers struggle to reach agreement on a series of Republican amendments. Democratic leaders have scheduled a key test vote Thursday on the legislation. But the bill won’t advance unless Democrats can attract Republican votes. The bill [ Read More → ]