Concerns about Asset Bubbles

There has been a raising concern about the asset bubbles in Asia popping once the Fed raise their interest rates.


The common trend here is that the Asia markets and economies are recovering faster than the United State's and apparently people are borrowing money from the United States banks at a low interest rate to invest in Asia.

With regards to the rise in investments, we see a rise in the stock prices, commodities, and currencies. The Austrailian dollar is up 35% and still rising. We see other markets like South Korea, Singapore and Hong Kong all flourishing under the investments made by the Americans.


The concern here is that when the Fed raises their interest rates, the number of investments in Asia will plummet all of a sudden, bringing the stock prices, commodities and currencies back to an all-time low. A sudden withdrawal might stabbed Asia hard in the back and we will be back to Square 1 all over again.


Stopping investments or limiting the number of investors is not a panacea to the perplexing problem. This will just deter potential investors and it will be disadvantageous to Asia in the long run, especially, when we are feeding off the energy of the world to grow rapidly right now.


A more relevant and congenial solution will be to ensure sustainability in these investments, which is to say, the investors will not leave even after the Fed raises their interest rates. Typically, when the Fed raises their interest rates, the investors will sell their businesses and take away with them whatever profits they made and stay low for a while until they find another opportunity.

Hence, the key here is to make sure that they stay and develop their business conscientiously even with the rising interest rates.


There are two ways of doing things,

FIRST:  Help them to cope with the rising interest rates which is forecasted to start by the end of mid 2010. This can be done by drafting out policies esoteric to the individual country's strength. For instance, Singapore can promise low trade tax, Hong Kong can adjust their real estate policies and infrastructure rent. By lowering the cost to do business here in Asia, they will still stay even if the interest rates rise because the total cost will still be manageable.

SECOND: The government must have some backup plans to cushion the backdrop if the companies are really going to leave when the interest rates are raised by the Feds. They have to make sure that the stock prices and currency rates will not fall tremendously. It is perfectly fine for it to fall by a small bit because it will pick itself up easily after a few months. However, if consumer confidence is heavily dented, it is very hard to regain their confidence in the market.


It is really a conundrum, nonetheless, the government really has to start planning now or else it will be too late when the bubble burst again.

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Protecting your assets

"With the unemployment rate at 10.2%, the highest level in more than 26 years, Brett Arends talks with Kelsey Hubbard about what investors can do to protect their assets -- long before that pink slip comes."

Now, now this is a slight diversion from what we usually see, and hear from the media. While many are beleaguered about employment, we now deviate from that topic and instead, discuss about how we can actually prepare ourselves for the possible unemployment, even for those who still have a job right now.

The key here apparently is to keep your money is the 401(k), to secure your securities, so that it is untouchable by the creditors. You will have to keep saving and talk to counsellors and banks on how they can possible help you.

Everyone's case is Sui Generis so to speak, you really have to strategise your own plans, your own way of saving such that it will benefit you. For example, people who are in marriage have a different saving plan as compared to people who are single. Similarly, those people who live in bigger houses have to sign up for a different plan as compared to people living on rented flats.

In addition, some people are working part time and some are working full time. All in all, you need to look at steps to protect what you have now and your homes, not against mortgage creditors but against the unsecured creditors.

For more information on how to protect your assets, do read up on marketwatch.

Credits -marketwatch

iPhone Apps

Want to know how it's like to walk on a Chanel Runway?


There's actually an iPhone app for that, how cool is that man!

Fashion houses have been notoriously slow to embrace technology. Even their collections displayed on the runway takes 6 months to produce.


But things have taken a turnaround now, just head on to Style.com and you can easily get the fashion apps you need. Many top designers are introducing free iPhone applications to showcase their collections on your iPhone.


You can easily view the accessories and clothes on your iPhone and you can order immediately via your iPhone as well. It is really simple and quick.


As a matter of fact, different designers offer different programs esoteric to their brands. Some offers you films to watch, while others offer enticing games that force you to linger around on their websites.

On prima facie, it is definitely an euchred commercially viable strategy to use. You attract customers to view your collections more readily and thus you expose them to more of your products and with more contacts, comes more purchases as a corollary.

Nonetheless, is it really going to be that effectively? I will beg to differ in this case. I personally feel that when it comes to prestigious luxurious goods, it is better to view them on the websites and head down to the stores yourself. Viewing it on your iPhone does not have the necessary impinge on the consumers because the images are so small and the collections does not look alive as compared to seeing it on the big screen.


Furthermore, these clothes are very pricey and I for sure will not order via my iPhone even if I adulate it. It is definitely imperative for me to go down to the store, try it out, ruminate for awhile, before I even contemplates whether to buy it or not.


The application might be instrumental for cheaper retailers like Giordana, Diesel, or Macy's. Definitely not suitable for high end brands if it boils down to actual purchases.

Credits -marketwatch, -gaijinnosekai, -thelifeofluxury, -style

Grape Glut

The recession is hitting the grape farmers hard in California wine country, where the spot markets for grapes has virtually dissapeared.

A number of salient points to highlight here as a result of this plummet in demand for grapes.

1. Wine makers are clearing their inventories.

Due to the economic recession, there has been a plummet in the demand for these grape wines and thus, retailers have no choice but to stop ordering and making wine. They have to clear off the wine on their shelves before they start to pile up to an insurmountable amount. With regard to that, they will have to stay away from imports for now.

As a result of this, the people at the vineyards have no choice but to keep the grapes for themselves and they must make their own wine with those premium grapes or else they will rot away very quickly.

Big vineyards like the Beckstoffer Vineyards have turned to the making of their own bulk wine and boutique wine. Once they have finished making it, they immediately sell it to the retailers at low price and earn a small profit from them while they wait for the recession effect to wear off.

2. Consumers benefit

As a result of this move by many vineyards, consumers can expect to get their premium wine as early as the holiday season in 2009, for instance, during the Christmas season. They are available at low prices from 20 bucks onwards. It's really a steal for premium wines today but the vineyards have no choice as this is the only way to deal with the grapes. It is an imperative move, really.

In my opinion, I believe that it is a pretty shrewd move to manufacture your own wine. Afterall, grapes are perishable fruits and under the humid weather condition now, it is not advisable to store them for a long period or the quality of the grapes will drop badly.

Then again, I believe that there is an alternative as to how the vineyards owner can actually deal with these grapes.

They can possibly continue selling these grapes to the retailers, but this time round, at a lower price for a fixed number of years. Let's look at it this way, the economy is bound to recover in the coming years and the demand for grapes will definitely return. By drafting a contract with these retailers, you can continue to get a steady income and it is fixed for the rest of the years. The downside to this is that you will have to lower the price at which you sell these grapes to them.

However, if you can secure a good deal, and have a steady demand for your grapes, there is really no harm in doing the deal. Afterall, there is no gurantee that the demand for the grapes will return even after the recession is over. The demand for them is really determined by the speed at which the retailers clear their inventories. You really can't afford to make your own wine and sell them all your life can you? Hence, I believe that the vineyard owners can possibly strategise for the long term and plan out exactly how they can sell these grapes at an optimal price that will allow them to make a consistent amount of profits.


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