It's all in the numbers

Wednesday, Nov 20th 2008 Kospi: - 1.85%
18.40 - On the commuter train home

Extracts from todays news.

Zurich - Kunst08, officially an exhibition but in essence an art fair, drew 24800 visitors in the three days it ran last week, 25% more than last year. What was noticed though was that, contrary to previous years, people tried to haggle. Unusual, unprecedented and very un-Swiss.

Bern - By the end of 2007 the Swiss owned an average capital of 171,000 CHF per head, some 2200 CHF more than in 2006.

Opec states are considering cutting output to raise the prices again to what they see an acceptable level. Teheran aims for US$ 100 per barrel, the Saudi's would be happy with 70 dollars.

Taipeh Shopping - courtesy of the State. The Taiwanese prime minister proposes to issue shopping vouchers to its citizens for a total value of two billion Euros, comparing the credit crunch to a "global tsunami" which requires extraordinary measures to combat.

Hewlett-Packard presented an optimistic forecast for 2009, un-rebuked by the economic climate. HP shares climbed twelve percent and took Apple and IBM in its upward slipstream.

Bank of America almost doubles its shares in China Construction with an extra US$7-billion investment in spite of yet more write-downs.

Hong Kong has to deal with protests against unemployment and empty office buildings as it finds itself in recession. Third quarter growth shrank to 1.4 percent.

More than 1.1 billion people on this planet have no access to clean water. An estimated 1.8 million people die each year of the consequences.

Miami - In the first week of December the most important art fair in the USA, "Art Basel Miami" takes place and draws celebrities like George Clooney and Brad Pitt to the famous Setai Hotel. Room prices as of 1150 US$ per night.

London - John Sergeant, famous political journalist withdraws from Strictly Come Dancing, currently the show with the most international spin-offs. Sixteen celebrities took part this year. The show and its spin-offs, like Dancing with the Stars, sold to 38 countries.

Crisis - what crisis?