What We Read Today 25 December 2014
Econintersect: Every day our editors collect the most interesting things they find from around the internet and present a summary "reading list" which will include very brief summaries (and sometimes longer ones) of why each item has gotten our attention. Suggestions from readers for "reading list" items are gratefully reviewed, although sometimes space limits the number included.
Yiwu, China: The World's Christmas Paraphrenalia Manufacturing Center (Michelle FlorCruz, International Business Times) Santa's elves are actually Chinese workers. The overwhelming portion of the world's Christmas decor, whether it be baubles, garlands, bells or glitter, come from Yiwu, an unassuming town on the central coast of China's Zhejiang province. The community has more than 600 factories producing the yuletide paraphernalia.
WHITE CHRISTMAS SONG
Sung by The Drifters. Cartoon by Joshua Held. Featuring Bill Pinkney on lead bass and Clyde McPhatter on tenor. An animated Christmas Card, and a homage to a great song, a great band, and a great Holiday.
The Energy Sector Goes into Survival Mode
Investing daily Article of the Week
by Ari Charney, Investing Daily
With Canadian oil and gas producers cutting dividends and slashing budgets, it may be a surprise to some investors that analysts believe the country's exploration and production (E&P) companies are better positioned to endure crude's downturn than their U.S. counterparts.
GDP Astounds with 5% Estimate for 3Q 2014
BEA Revises 3rd Quarter 2014 GDP Growth Upwards to 4.96% Annualized Rate
by Rick Davis, Consumer Metrics Institute
In their third estimate of the US GDP for the third quarter of 2014, the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) reported that the economy was growing at an astounding +4.96% annualized rate, up an additional +1.07% from their prior estimate for the 3rd quarter and now up +0.37% from the already very healthy 4.59% annualized growth rate registered during the second quarter.
Read more >>
We May Have Reached 'Peak Shale' - Here's Why That's Good News!
by Jody Chudley, Daily Reckoning
There's a shocking statistic you need to know about U.S. oil and the outlook for 2015.
Today, I'm going to lay it out on the table - with a full case study.
Fact is, one U.S. producer may have just let the cat out of the bag during their 2015 guidance announcement.
If you're invested in oil now or plan to invest in 2015, this is a story you MUST know.
Shadow Banking - Nonbank Hybrid Intermediaries
from the New York Fed
The financial intermediation industry has experienced two major developments in recent decades. First, a system that had commercial banks as central brokers providing all the services needed for the intermediation of funds has been progressively replaced by a much more complex, assembly-line system, with a multiplicity of entity types jointly involved in the completion of the intermediation process. This is what has become known as the system of shadow banking (e.g., Pozsar, Adrian, Ashcraft and Boesky, 2010, Financial Stability Board, 2011).
Global Aging: More Headwinds for U.S. Stocks?
by Zheng Liu, Mark M. Spiegel, and Bing Wang - FRBSF Economic Letter, Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco
The retirement of the baby boomers is expected to severely cut U.S. stock values in the near future. Since population aging is widespread across the world's largest countries, this raises the question of whether global aging could adversely affect the U.S. equity market even further. However, the strong relationship between demographics and equity values in this country do not hold true in other industrial countries. This suggests that global aging is unlikely to create additional headwinds for U.S. equities.
Infographic of the Day: How Far We Have Come With Computers
Computers from the past to the present - and the future??
Crazy Christmas Eve Video
Econintersect: The following video shows the craziest things seen on a snowy Christmas Eve with one-of-a-kind Santa scenes.
Click on picture for much larger image.
Click trough Read more >> to see the 2 minute video.
What is 4D Printing?
by Dan Raviv, The Conversation
Additive manufacturing - or 3D printing - is 30 years old this year. Today, it's found not just in industry but in households, as the price of 3D printers has fallen below US$1,000. Knowing you can print almost anything, not just marks on paper, opens up unlimited opportunities for us to manufacture toys, household appliances and tools in our living rooms.
