ASIA:   The major Asian stock markets had a mixed day today: NIKKEI 225 increased 349.16 points or 1.29% to 27,453.48 Shanghai decreased 20.32 points or -0.62% to 3,267.16 Hang Seng decreased 341.31 points or -1.68% to 20,010.04 ASX 200 increased 21.60 points or 0.30% to 7,307.00 Kospi decreased 15.48 points or -0.63% to 2,423.61 […]

ASIA:   The major Asian stock markets had a mixed day today: NIKKEI 225 decreased 368.78 points or -1.34% to 27,104.32 Shanghai decreased 3.67 points or -0.11% to 3,287.48 Hang Seng decreased 72.49 points or -0.35% to 20,351.35 ASX 200 decreased 29.10 points or -0.40% to 7,285.40 Kospi increased 21.41 points or 0.80% to 2,439.09 […]

ASIA:   South Korea’s producer price inflation slowed for a seventh straight month to its lowest in 22 months, central bank data showed on Thursday. The producer price index rose 5.1% in January from a year earlier, while it had climbed 5.8% in December, according to the Bank of Korea. It was the slowest annual […]

ASIA:   BlackRock Investment Institute raised U.S. short-term government bonds as well as Chinese and other emerging market stocks to “overweight” on Tuesday, saying investors were realizing that the U.S. Federal Reserve may have to become more aggressive in its campaign to subdue inflation. BlackRock also said it was going “overweight” on Chinese and other […]

Due to the NYSE closing for Presidents’ Day, Market Talk will resume on Tuesday, Feb. 21.   ASIA:   Singapore’s economy grew slightly less than initially estimated in the fourth quarter from a year ago, official data showed on Monday, and the government kept its forecast for annual growth to come in at 0.5% – […]

COMMENT: Martin, After several years of reading your blog, I have concluded that Socrates’ prognostications appear to be spot on. I also share your assertion that a study of history supplies an insight into future events due to the constancy of “human nature.” Where we appear to part ways is in the definition of “money.” […]

ASIA: India forecast economic growth of 6% to 6.8% in the 2023/24 fiscal year, slowing from the 7% growth projected for the current year ending on March 31, as a global slowdown is likely to hurt exports. The economic growth forecast for 2023/24 is higher than the International Monetary Fund’s projection of 6.1%, as the […]

QUESTION: Dear Mr. Armstrong, In the event that Russia does employ nuclear weaponry in/over Ukraine, does Socrates offer any insight as to what effect that might have on Ukrainian food/energy/commodities -production in general (…. let alone their capabilities, or likely lack thereof, to transport, said items from fields/mines/etc. to harbors/rail-lines/etc.); and what type of effect […]

ASIA:   Chinese provinces spent more than £42.8bn on tackling Covid-19 in 2022, according to data released by local governments, with the figure expected to rise as the huge cost of the pandemic hits the world’s second-largest economy. Although national statistics are not yet available, at least 20 of China’s 31 provinces have published figures […]

ASIA:   The Agricultural Bank of China, one of the country’s largest commercial lenders, has pledged stronger financial support for spring farming. The bank said it will strive to issue more than 160 billion yuan ($23.48 billion) in loans for spring farming preparations this year and will improve the efficiency of financial services. The financial […]