Austria

“Sideways Trade” Sees Gold “Supported by Phys. Demand”, Debt Warning “Reality Check” for Britain while Obama Calls for Increased US Spending

February 14, 2012 (Vietnamica) — The wholesale market gold price eased to $1713 per ounce Tuesday lunchtime – 1.1% down on the previous day’s high – while stock and commodity markets were broadly flat despite several European countries having their sovereign ratings or outlooks lowered last night. The silver price dipped to $33.37 per ounce – a 0.8% fall on last week’s close.

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Majority of EU Member States to Establish Landmark “Fiscal Compact”

December 11, 2011 (Vietnamica) — European leaders agreed to establish a new “fiscal compact” by means of an intergovernmental agreement late Dec 8 after 10 hours of talks. The United Kingdom will remain outside the agreement, which will seek to improve fiscal stability and economic co-ordination between its signatories.

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Europe, the International System and a Generational Shift

November 9, 2011 (Vietnamica) — Change in the international system comes in large and small doses, but fundamental patterns generally stay consistent. From 1500 to 1991, for example, European global hegemony constituted the world’s operating principle. Within this overarching framework, however, the international system regularly reshuffles the deck in demoting and promoting powers, fragmenting some and empowering others, and so on. Sometimes this happens because of war, and sometimes because of economic and political forces. While the basic structure of the world stays intact, the precise way it works changes.

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