Forget the BRICs... the term coined by Goldman Sachs economist Jim O'Neill coined to identify the potential of the emerging economies of Brazil, Russia, India and China.
U.S. stocks had a blockbuster month, as the S&P 500 garnered roughly 7.2%. However, the overwhelming majority of the benchmark’s gains came in the first 3 weeks; the index was effectively flat over the last trading week in July.
Fundamentally, a bullish perspective makes the most sense over the intermediate term. As many as 78% of S&P 500 corporations have exceded earnings expectations, while 68% or more beat revenue projections. Moreover, in spite of widespread economic uncertainty, a solid majority of key companies increased their outlook for future profitability.
How might this guide stock price direction? The forward price-to-earnings ratio for the U.S. stock barometer hovers near 13; that suggests a stock market that is… historically speaking… 20% undervalued from an average ratio of 15.5. The earnings yield E/P of 7.7% is an astonishing 4.7% higher than a 10-year treasury and 6.7% higher than comparable TIPS.
Chile’s ETF (ECH) is one of the top-performing single-country ETFs so far this year. If you dig deeper, you might find a lot to like about this fast-growing economy.
By all appearances, Chile’s economy has reached its pre-2009 growth levels. Economic activity in the country rose 6.6% year over year in May. The drop-off in output caused by February’s earthquake appears to have come back, too. Oxford Economics reports that reconstruction is now adding to the rebound in domestic demand, the main driving force behind the recovery.
Latin American countries like Brazil, Chile and Argentina have garnered the bulk of investor dollars focused on this region. Yet Mexico may be a dark horse in the field.
Consider the facts that the Mexican economy is 11th in the world, sports large cash reserves and plenty of natural resources (e.g., oil, copper, silver). Should you be looking to the MexicoETF as a way to invest south of the border?
MALAYSIA is keen to join the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP), a regional trade pact, but it needs the nod from the eight-member countries to do so, said International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed.
"It is up to the member countries to decide (on Malaysia's entry)," he said at a media briefing in Kuala Lumpur yesterday.
The eight countries are Australia, Brunei, Chile, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore and Vietnam. They have held two meetings so far.
Malaysia's Cabinet had given the mandate to join the regional group two weeks ago.
"In the area of government procurement, we have said that we are prepared to discuss it further. Of course, there will be
MALAYSIA'S free trade agreement with New Zealand will come into force tomorrow, enabling Malaysians to extend their products and services to the Oceanic region.
International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Mustapa Mohamed said the bilateral agreement will add value to the Asean-Australia-New Zealand FTA which came into force from January 1 this year.
"Under this agreement, there will be a faster elimination of import duties from 2020 (under the regional FTA) to 2016 (under the bilateral FTA). Malaysian consumers will also gain from the faster elimination," he said at a media briefing yesterday.
It will provide better market access for Malaysia's exporters as import duties on all Malaysia's export products including electrical and electronic products, textiles and apparel and auto.....
When U.S. Sen. Harry Reid, D-NV, last week disclosed that the so-called "cap-and-trade' energy proposal that passed the U.S. House of Representatives last year would not be taken up by the Senate, climate-bill proponents were deeply dismayed.
Indeed, Financial Times columnist Clive Crook even said that the United States "has let the world down on climate."
But here's the irony. With the Senate's refusal, we may just have moved a step closer to a climate change policy that will actually work. And that's good news for U.S. taxpayers. And it opens new doors for U.S. investors.
SANTIAGO, Chile, July 29 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Banco Santander Chile (NYSE: SAN; SSE: Bsantander) announced today its unaudited results for the second quarter and first half of 2010. These results are reported on a consolidated basis in accordance with Chilean GAAP in nominal Chilean pesos.
In
Bladex (Banco Latinoamericano de Comercio Exterior S.A.) (BLX) is a trade finance bank headquartered in Panama. Being a trade bank means they only operate with short term loans, predominantly financing international transactions (i.e. letters of credit). They have some other commercial lending and asset management businesses, and the latter has been the source of much of their problems in their inability to generate meaningful income the past few quarters. The other problem has been the fact that they have been unable to grow their loan book. As of Q1, they have over $300M cash deposits and about $1.8 billion in debt. Book value stands around $700M. Market Cap is about $450M. Normalized earnings for the year should total about $50M. Therefore the PE.....
LAKE FOREST, Calif., July 29 /PRNewswire/ -- Iconic American restaurant chain, Johnny Rockets, today announced its first South American restaurant, opening in Chile's capital city, Santiago. A special grand opening celebration is scheduled, all day, July 29, at the new shopping center location, at A
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