Saturday, April 28, 2012

Aussie Goes Down as CPI Growth Below Expectations

The Australian dollar fell today as a government report showed that nation’s consumer prices rose in the last quarter far slower that was anticipated by market analysts, triggering speculation about an interest rate cut.Australia’s Consumer Price Index rose 0.1 percent in the first quarter of 2012, while much bigger growth by 0.7 percent was predicted by economists. The trimmed mean CPI (core CPI) increase 0.3 percent, while forecasters said that it would stay at 0.6 percent as in the the fourth quarter of 2011. The slowing inflation added incentive...

Euro is mostly rangebound today, making small gains against the US dollar, after a Dutch bond auction proved reasonably successful. The euro has been struggling lately due to concerns about the political stability of eurozone countries, as well as continued worries about Spain.

Japanese yen is mixed today as Forex traders look for direction. There is a lot to think about today, in terms of news and forecasts, and currencies are part of the confusion. Yen has slipped against the euro after choppy trading, but is higher against the pound and the doll...

Euro is mostly rangebound today, making small gains against the US dollar, after a Dutch bond auction proved reasonably successful. The euro has been struggling lately due to concerns about the political stability of eurozone countries, as well as continued worries about Spain.

Japanese yen is mixed today as Forex traders look for direction. There is a lot to think about today, in terms of news and forecasts, and currencies are part of the confusion. Yen has slipped against the euro after choppy trading, but is higher against the pound and the doll...

Euro Rangebound in Forex Trading

Euro is mostly rangebound today, making small gains against the US dollar, after a Dutch bond auction proved reasonably successful. The euro has been struggling lately due to concerns about the political stability of eurozone countries, as well as continued worries about Spa...

Euro Rangebound in Forex Trading

Euro is mostly rangebound today, making small gains against the US dollar, after a Dutch bond auction proved reasonably successful. The euro has been struggling lately due to concerns about the political stability of eurozone countries, as well as continued worries about Spa...

The Great Britain pound rose today against the US dollar after a report showed that confidence of Britons unexpectedly improved last month, muting speculations about quantitative easing from the Bank of England. The currency was down against the Japanese yen.

The Great Britain pound rose today against the US dollar after a report showed that confidence of Britons unexpectedly improved last month, muting speculations about quantitative easing from the Bank of England. The currency was down against the Japanese ...

The Great Britain pound rose today against the US dollar after a report showed that confidence of Britons unexpectedly improved last month, muting speculations about quantitative easing from the Bank of England. The currency was down against the Japanese yen.

The Great Britain pound rose today against the US dollar after a report showed that confidence of Britons unexpectedly improved last month, muting speculations about quantitative easing from the Bank of England. The currency was down against the Japanese ...

GBP/USD Higher as Consumer Confidence Improves

The Great Britain pound rose today against the US dollar after a report showed that confidence of Britons unexpectedly improved last month, muting speculations about quantitative easing from the Bank of England. The currency was down against the Japanese y...

GBP/USD Higher as Consumer Confidence Improves

The Great Britain pound rose today against the US dollar after a report showed that confidence of Britons unexpectedly improved last month, muting speculations about quantitative easing from the Bank of England. The currency was down against the Japanese y...

Euro Struggles on Weak Sentiment Data

Euro is struggling this morning, thanks in large part to weak sentiment data. Losses have been limited, though, by the information out of the United States about what could happen next with the Federal Reserve. As a result, the euro is hovering around the level of its open, and struggling to move much high...

Euro Struggles on Weak Sentiment Data

Euro is struggling this morning, thanks in large part to weak sentiment data. Losses have been limited, though, by the information out of the United States about what could happen next with the Federal Reserve. As a result, the euro is hovering around the level of its open, and struggling to move much high...

Swedish Consumer Confidence Rises, Krona Follows

The Swedish krona climbed today against most major currencies after a report showed that confidence on Swedish households improved this month, reducing probability of a next interest rate cut by the nation’s central ba...

Swedish Consumer Confidence Rises, Krona Follows

The Swedish krona climbed today against most major currencies after a report showed that confidence on Swedish households improved this month, reducing probability of a next interest rate cut by the nation’s central ba...

Aussie Gets a Boost Amidst Concerns

Aussie is getting a boost today, amidst concerns plaguing other currencies around the world. Australian dollar is moving higher, with a little help from higher gold prices, as well as comparisons to other currenci...

Aussie Gets a Boost Amidst Concerns

Aussie is getting a boost today, amidst concerns plaguing other currencies around the world. Australian dollar is moving higher, with a little help from higher gold prices, as well as comparisons to other currenci...

Euro Falls as S&P Downgrades Spain

The euro fell today as Standard & Poor’s downgraded Spain’s sovereign credit rating, adding to speculations that the debt crisis is spreading across Europe despite measures taken by European governme...

Euro Falls as S&P Downgrades Spain

The euro fell today as Standard & Poor’s downgraded Spain’s sovereign credit rating, adding to speculations that the debt crisis is spreading across Europe despite measures taken by European governme...

Yen Gains Even as Bank of Japan Adds Stimulus

The Japanese yen gained today as demand for safety overcame Bank of Japan’s attempts to weaken the currency. The yen slumped earlier as the BoJ expanded its asset purchase program to support the struggling econo...

Yen Gains Even as Bank of Japan Adds Stimulus

The Japanese yen gained today as demand for safety overcame Bank of Japan’s attempts to weaken the currency. The yen slumped earlier as the BoJ expanded its asset purchase program to support the struggling econo...

US Dollar Falls Across the Board

US dollar is falling across the board today as some optimism makes an appearance in the markets, and as traders continue to digest the latest statement from the Federal Reserve. The dollar index is down today, and greenback is struggling against its major counterpar...

US Dollar Falls Across the Board

US dollar is falling across the board today as some optimism makes an appearance in the markets, and as traders continue to digest the latest statement from the Federal Reserve. The dollar index is down today, and greenback is struggling against its major counterpar...

Canadian Dollar Gets a Boost in Forex Trading

Canadian dollar is getting a boost today in forex trading, receiving some help from disappointing US economic data. Indeed, a lot of the loonie’s gains today are coming as a result of disappointing news, and less about solid advances made by the Canadian curren...

Canadian Dollar Gets a Boost in Forex Trading

Canadian dollar is getting a boost today in forex trading, receiving some help from disappointing US economic data. Indeed, a lot of the loonie’s gains today are coming as a result of disappointing news, and less about solid advances made by the Canadian curren...

Aussie Posts Gains as Bank of Japan Boosts Liquidity

The Australian dollar climbed today, reaching a monthly high versus its US counterpart, after the stimulating measures of the Bank of Japan boosted commodities and global stocks. The currency was down against the yen, thou...

Aussie Posts Gains as Bank of Japan Boosts Liquidity

The Australian dollar climbed today, reaching a monthly high versus its US counterpart, after the stimulating measures of the Bank of Japan boosted commodities and global stocks. The currency was down against the yen, thou...

mexican-peso-erases-losses-as-bank-of-mexico-doesnt-cut-interest-rates

The Mexican peso trimmed its losses versus the US dollar today after the nation’s central bank left it key overnight interbank funding rate unchanged for the 26th consecutive meeting, disappointing traders who expected an interest rate c...

mexican-peso-erases-losses-as-bank-of-mexico-doesnt-cut-interest-rates

The Mexican peso trimmed its losses versus the US dollar today after the nation’s central bank left it key overnight interbank funding rate unchanged for the 26th consecutive meeting, disappointing traders who expected an interest rate c...

Bank of Japan Not Able to Spoil Good Week for Yen

The Japanese yen gained this week against other major currencies and headed to the biggest monthly gain since June against the US dollar on fears of the crisis in Europe and concerns that the health of the US economy is not as good as was previously consider...

Bank of Japan Not Able to Spoil Good Week for Yen

The Japanese yen gained this week against other major currencies and headed to the biggest monthly gain since June against the US dollar on fears of the crisis in Europe and concerns that the health of the US economy is not as good as was previously consider...

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Film review: The Raven

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Friday, April 27, 2012

Angry Boehner to Dems: Enough with the “war on women” crap already

The exciting conclusion to the great student-loan interest-rate debate. Remember, Romney sided with Obama on extending the current lower rate a few days ago so the questions for House Republicans were (a) whether they’d go along and (b) if so, how they’d pay for it. The solution: Extend the rate and offset the $6 billion cost by cutting a similar amount from the new Prevention and Public Health Fund in ObamaCare instead. No way were the Democrats...

* * Vault * Green Room * Ed Morrissey Show Video: Obama’s campaign movie gets the “Mystery Science Theater” treatment

Via Jim Treacher, this is actually more “Pop-Up Video” than MST but Andrew Klavan and Bill Whittle are game in the Tom Servo and Crow roles, respectively. Carve out eight minutes and then forward it to any fencesitters you know. It’s an engaging, easily digestible way to counter Team Hopenchange’s myth-making about his first term with facts that the average voter might not otherwise spend time on. A spoonful of sugar makes the medicine go...

* * Vault * Green Room * Ed Morrissey Show Video: Obama’s campaign movie gets the “Mystery Science Theater” treatment

Via Jim Treacher, this is actually more “Pop-Up Video” than MST but Andrew Klavan and Bill Whittle are game in the Tom Servo and Crow roles, respectively. Carve out eight minutes and then forward it to any fencesitters you know. It’s an engaging, easily digestible way to counter Team Hopenchange’s myth-making about his first term with facts that the average voter might not otherwise spend time on. A spoonful of sugar makes the medicine go...

The unserious nature of Washington, Exhibit A: The student loan debate

Over the last week, President Obama made a series of speeches at colleges around the country in which he decried the coming rise of student loan interest rates on July 1. Obama, joined by Mitt Romney, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY)  and House Republicans, has said he refuses to let rates rise from 3.4% to 6.8%. Following his lead, as Morgen Richmond noted yesterday, Democrats immediately jumped on the chance...

Study: Analytic thinking causes religious belief to diminish

Alternate headline: “Hey, who’s up for an angry, thousand-comment thread on Friday night?”First, students were randomly assigned to look at images of Auguste Rodin’s sculpture “The Thinker,” or of the ancient Greek statue of a discus thrower, “Discobolus.” Those who viewed “The Thinker” were prompted to think more analytically and expressed less belief in God — they scored an average of 41.42 on a 100-point scale, compared with an average of...

Study: Analytic thinking causes religious belief to diminish

Alternate headline: “Hey, who’s up for an angry, thousand-comment thread on Friday night?”First, students were randomly assigned to look at images of Auguste Rodin’s sculpture “The Thinker,” or of the ancient Greek statue of a discus thrower, “Discobolus.” Those who viewed “The Thinker” were prompted to think more analytically and expressed less belief in God — they scored an average of 41.42 on a 100-point scale, compared with an average of...

Quotes of the day

“A year after the raid that killed Osama bin Laden, President Barack Obama’s team is launching another precision operation: a full-scale public relations offensive aimed at using the bin Laden mission to boost the president’s reelection bid…“‘It was the defining moment of the first term. To think people aren’t going to talk about it, Republicans are really naive,’ said Chris Lehane, a former spokesman for Vice President Al Gore and Sen. John Kerry...

Quotes of the day

“A year after the raid that killed Osama bin Laden, President Barack Obama’s team is launching another precision operation: a full-scale public relations offensive aimed at using the bin Laden mission to boost the president’s reelection bid…“‘It was the defining moment of the first term. To think people aren’t going to talk about it, Republicans are really naive,’ said Chris Lehane, a former spokesman for Vice President Al Gore and Sen. John Kerry...

The Ed Morrissey Show: Kevin McCullough, John Lott

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Weekly initial jobless claims at 388K

Up? Down? All around?  The new level for weekly jobless claims this week hit 388,000, according to the Department of Labor, which would have been an increase of 2,000 over last week’s initial level of 386,000.  Last week’s report got revised upward by 3,000, though, so the DoL calls this a decrease of 1,000:In the week ending April 21, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 388,000, a decrease of 1,000...

Weekly initial jobless claims at 388K

Up? Down? All around?  The new level for weekly jobless claims this week hit 388,000, according to the Department of Labor, which would have been an increase of 2,000 over last week’s initial level of 386,000.  Last week’s report got revised upward by 3,000, though, so the DoL calls this a decrease of 1,000:In the week ending April 21, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 388,000, a decrease of 1,000...

The Ed Morrissey Show: Kerry Picket, Steven Crowder

Today on The Ed Morrissey Show (3 pm ET), Kerry Picket brings us up to date on the goings-on inside the nation’s capital, and Steven Crowder returns to discuss his latest video efforts. The Ed Morrissey Show and its dynamic chatroom can be seen on the permanent TEMS page — be sure to join us, and don’t forget to keep up with the debate on my Facebook page, too!Video streaming by UstreamMarizela Perez has been missing for a year.Marizela’s case has...

The Ed Morrissey Show: Kerry Picket, Steven Crowder

Today on The Ed Morrissey Show (3 pm ET), Kerry Picket brings us up to date on the goings-on inside the nation’s capital, and Steven Crowder returns to discuss his latest video efforts. The Ed Morrissey Show and its dynamic chatroom can be seen on the permanent TEMS page — be sure to join us, and don’t forget to keep up with the debate on my Facebook page, too!Video streaming by UstreamMarizela Perez has been missing for a year.Marizela’s case has...

Great news: Pitiful sporting event likely to be canceled

In an age when left and right agree on so little, my friends, let’s at least agree on this.Many players who will be selected during this week’s NFL draft are regarded as future Pro Bowl selections, but the game itself likely will be suspended this season and beyond, according to league sources…If the game is suspended, the league still would have a Pro Bowl balloting process to identify the season’s top players and would direct teams to remain...

Great news: Pitiful sporting event likely to be canceled

In an age when left and right agree on so little, my friends, let’s at least agree on this.Many players who will be selected during this week’s NFL draft are regarded as future Pro Bowl selections, but the game itself likely will be suspended this season and beyond, according to league sources…If the game is suspended, the league still would have a Pro Bowl balloting process to identify the season’s top players and would direct teams to remain...

Thursday, April 26, 2012

* Home * Vault * Green Room * Ed Morrissey Show Fed to WH: We’re not going to bail you out

With economic indicators flashing red all over the place, the Obama administration may be looking at some bad news this spring on economic growth. If they’re looking to the Fed to toss them a lifeline, they may be waiting a while. Despite some expectations that the Federal Reserve might embark on a third round of quantitative easing, Fed chair Ben Bernanke announced yesterday that they will wait and see — and keep from causing any more damage:Facing...