By John Richardson IF WE all had a dollar for every time we’d heard the phrase, “the growth of the Asian middle classes”, as just about the only justification by CEOs for petrochemicals and polymers investments, then the Principality of Monaco would by a very crowded place. There wouldn’t be enough room in the harbour […]
Asian Chemical Connections
House Of Cards Waiting To Fall: Oil, Equities And The Economy
By John Richardson HOW much of the rise in oil prices since June of last year has been down to the fundamentals of supply and demand versus the hedge funds taking out a record number of short positions? We are about to find out, I feel. There are early signs that the hedgies have started […]
India Creates 20,000 New Jobs A Month When It Needs One Million
By John Richardson WHEN Narendra Modi was campaigning to be India’s Prime Minister in 2013 he promised to create 10m new jobs every year. But in July 2014-December 2016, after Modi had become PM, 614,000 jobs were created in India’s eight major employment sectors – manufacturing, trade, construction, education, health, information technology, transport, accommodation and […]
China And US: Different Approach To Same Challenge Risks Only One Winner
By John Richardson WHAT do Xi Jinping and Donald Trump have in common? Both confront the challenge of income inequality. President Xi’s approach is centred on the One Belt, One Road initiative, which involves an attempt to create the world’s biggest free-trade zone involving more than 65 countries. Meanwhile, President Trump is moving in completely the opposite direction. President Xi hopes that: […]