IBT News Blog

On Feb. 17, 2008, Kosovo declared its official independence from Serbia. Since that time, many issues have arisen in the context of the ability of Kosovo to declare independence as a matter of international law. This article discusses a previously unaddressed issue - the economic severance necessary to complete Kosovar independence. See http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/02/28/europe/EU-GEN-Serbia-Kosovo-Independence.php

This article presents an interesting discussion of the impact of gold prices on traditional gift-giving to children in Korea. In a larger context, what do the issues raised in the article suggest about the impact of globalized markets on traditional practices? See http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/02/28/asia/gold.php

Despite other economic issues, the German jobless rate for February, 2008 fell. See http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/em/fr/-/2/hi/business/7268514.stm

This article presents various views on important issues to various portions of Indian business and society in advance of the new Indian budget release. What do the issues raised in this article say about the impact of globalization on emerging economies such as the Indian economy? See http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/em/fr/-/2/hi/business/7267656.stm

This article discusses Russian state investment in creating new defense industry products, such as fighter planes. See http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/em/fr/-/2/hi/business/7266853.stm

The EU is currently investigating whether the German government provided economic support to two German banks in violation of EU laws on state aid. What does this say about the balance of domestic and regional priorities within the EU and its member states? Is state aid to a struggling industry, especially one as vital to a national economy as a bank, a bad thing? Why or why not? See http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/em/fr/-/2/hi/business/7268678.stm

The Japanese government has released figures indicating that its factory production rates declined in January, 2008. See http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/em/fr/-/2/hi/business/7268312.stm

New figures from the Department of Commerce indicate that the US economy declined more in 2007 than previously thought. See http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/em/fr/-/2/hi/business/7269132.stm

Yesterday, the Chairman of the Federal Reserve Bank indicated that further interest rate cuts may occur in the future to protect the US economy from inflation. See http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/em/fr/-/2/hi/business/7267393.stm

This article discusses the anticipated benefits of globalization per se on the EU. See http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/133e5e68-e5f1-11dc-8398-0000779fd2ac,noOfParas=2,emailFormat=plainText,storyType=ultralight,print=no,dwp_uuid=abb716b0-2f7a-11da-8b51-00000e2511c8,_i_email=y.html

Brazil has just replaced China as the leader of the emerging markets index. See http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/14a643e4-e63a-11dc-8398-0000779fd2ac,noOfParas=2,emailFormat=plainText,storyType=ultralight,dwp_uuid=8fa2c9cc-2f77-11da-8b51-00000e2511c8,print=no,_i_email=y.html

This article discusses today's announcement by E.On, a German energy producer, that it will sell a portion of its operation in order to comply with increasing EU attempts to create more competition in the energy market. How does this fit with the idea of protectionism on a national and regional level? What are the implications for the trade of intangibles like energy within and without the EU? See http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/02/28/business/power.php