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World economy 22nd August 2012

Gallup: Sales, Certainty Key to U.S. Small Business Capital Spending

Asked about what would make them more likely to make capital investments in the next 12 months, 70 percent of U.S. small-business owners point out to three circumstances: a better sales outlook, more certainty about their operating environment, and lower federal taxes. According to the Wells Fargo-Gallup Small Business Index released by Gallup, that has surveyed small-business owners on current and future perceptions of their business financial situations, some of…

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World economy 21st August 2012

In Tough Economic Times, Is Higher Education Still Worth The Price?

Remember when a higher education used to be a guarantee of success in the market? With the crisis, the picture has turned 180 degrees: too many graduates in Europe and the U.S are waiting tables, going back to their parents and coping with frustration. New grads are also facing competition from older, laid-off job seekers. In the case of American youngsters, they also need to repay their loans (see our…

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Companies 21st August 2012

City National Bank of Florida, Bankia’s green shoot in the US

FLORIDA | with informations from Brian Bandell | City National Bank of Florida reported improved earnings in the second quarter of the year as it announced plans for four new branches. The Miami-based bank earned $10.3 million in the second quarter, up from $9.4 million in the first quarter. Its net interest income grew to $30.6 million in the second quarter from $30.2 million. Still, figures are 8.8 percent lower than last year in the same…

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World economy 21st August 2012

Show me the money: it’s voting time!

Mark Twain said once that The White House was the “best Congress money can buy.” In this battered economy, while millions of Americans are tightnening their belts, this presidential election is expected to be the priciest in U.S. history. Make a guess: how much do you think it will cost? The predictions by the Center of Response Politics (CRS), a nonpartisan research group tracking money in politics, are of almost…

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Spanish economy 20th August 2012

“Contraction and austerity combined are an extremely dangerous mix for Spain”

Morning! Today we bring you the last part of our summer series interview with Professor of Economics at Columbia University Martin Uribe. He believes that the Eurozone needs structural changes to tackle the crisis, especially in fiscal matters. The lesson we should learn from this crisis is to avoid high capital inflows into a country as happened to Spain from 2000 to 2008. – Several Nobel laureates have decried budget…

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In Europe 17th August 2012

“Without a fiscal authority, Europe will always be a poorly designed system”

Professor of Economics at Columbia University Martin Uribe strongly believes that the Eurozone needs structural changes to tackle the crisis, especially in fiscal matters. For this expert in macroeconomic analysis, who has worked for many universities and institutions including the European Central Bank, the lack of tax policy at a European level is condemning the least developed countries to beg for aid. Uribe talked to The Corner summer interviews’ series from…

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World economy 16th August 2012

America’s economic unhappiness

Two thirds of Americans feel suspicious or skeptical about their country’s economic situation. According to a Gallup poll, only 23 percent said they were satisfied with the way things are going in the United States, down from a 28 percent satisfaction rate last month. Three months before the presidential elections, figures and sondages are multiplying. We’ll certainly see numbers shift, popularity indexes soar and fall before the D-day, and both…

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Companies 15th August 2012

Standard Chartered pays fine to save its New York business

For days, Standard Chartered executives had been negociating with multiple law-enforcement officials in New York in order to settle claims that it laundered $250 million for Iran. The final move came on Tuesday, when the british bank decided to open its wallet. The $340 million deal is huge, only beaten by the one reached by the Justice Department and the Manhattan district attorney over money laundering charges with ING bank…

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Interviews 14th August 2012

Do you rather get a bonus or a pingpong table?

Several weeks ago we dedicated our summer series’ interview to talk about gamification as a productivity and staff engagement booster. But there are other techniques to make office life more interesting or compelling. Decent health plans, employee tuition reimbursement, work life balance and a good year end bonus are some of the top-tens for employees. For others, a young, modern philosophy is a must. That’s one of the reasons Google…

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World economy 14th August 2012

Paul Ryan, the man who wants to avoid “European sclerosis”

Interested in the world’s economy? There’s somebody you should meet. He doesn’t have an outstanding experience in the private sector but is determined to drastically cut U.S. government spending, boost market flexibility and avoid the “clouds” that are coming from Europe. If Republicans make it to the White House in november, Congressman Paul Ryan, Mitt Romney’s pick for vice president, will have a bigger say than the president. If not,…