West can hurt Russia – if there’s a will 3 Mar 2014 The U.S. and Europe say Russia will pay a cost for its actions in Crimea. Markets contributed by sending Moscow exchanges down 10 pct. But Putin won’t be impressed until Europe reviews the two pillars of its relationship with Russia – finance and gas. That won’t happen overnight.
Hugo Dixon: How Britain could win EU reform 3 Mar 2014 Angela Merkel’s visit to London has been viewed as a snub to David Cameron’s aim to reform the EU. But it depends on what one means by reform. If he focuses on completing the single market, extending free trade, cutting red tape and boosting the City, the prize is achievable.
The do-no-harm case for a stronger yuan 3 Mar 2014 Debates over the fair value of the currency, which has slid 1 percent in a week, miss the point. What really matters is the trajectory that causes least financial and social damage. Halting the build-up of foreign exchange reserves is crucial. Appreciation looks the best course.
Ageing South Korea can still tone growth muscles 3 Mar 2014 President Park Geun-hye has vowed to lift potential GDP growth to 4 percent. A greying workforce is the biggest obstacle. But even small efficiency gains can boost the output of Korea’s deadbeat services industries and help solve the economy’s other headache: consumer debt.
Deadly assault brings new kind of risk to China 2 Mar 2014 The shocking knife attack that killed at least 33 in the Southwest suggests rising ethnic tension. Until now, belief in China’s relative stability has helped keep its cost of capital down. Even a small reassessment may hit assets, from real estate to the yuan, at a fragile time.