The following chart shows the exports of goods as a percentage of GDP for a select few countries: Click to enlarge Source: Guide to the Markets, 1Q 2012, J.P. Morgan Asset Management A few observations: The majority of the goods produced in Canada are exported to the U.S. Exports of goods account for about 37% …
Continue reading ‘Comparing Goods Exports of Select Countries’ »
Corruption is not a problem only in emerging and under-developed countries. It is present in developed countries as well although it is relatively small. Some countries in the developed world have implemented certain policies that indirectly fosters corruption. Transparency International’s 2010 Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) measures the perceptions of corruption in the public sector.The index …
Continue reading ‘The Most and Least Corrupt Countries in the World’ »
Healthcare costs continue to rise in OECD countries. In the United States especially it has increased for many years outpacing inflation. According to the OECD, the US per capita health spending in 2009 was $7,960 which is two and half times that of the OECD average. One of the reasons for the high cost of …
Continue reading ‘Comparison of Obesity Rates Among OECD Countries’ »
Most European equity markets have performed very poorly year-to-date this year due to the sovereign debt crisis. While policy makers and regulators have proposed various types of measures to solve the crisis almost none have discussed the privatization of remaining state-owned enterprises in order to generate more revenue and stimulate economic growth. In a recent …
Continue reading ‘Privatization Can Stimulate Economic Growth in Europe’ »
I wrote an article last year discussing about the fall in stock holding periods globally. In this post lets take a review how equity and option trading volumes in the U.S. have soared over the years. The financial services industry is one of the major components of the US economy. While in the past manufacturing …
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