Protests rattle Egypt’s financial markets

Brian Foglia submits:It looks like rising food prices have finally started to catch the eye of the financial press. Bloomberg reports that 48 agriculture ministers from around the world met in Berlin to discuss the risks associated with increasing food prices.

The newly elected President of Egypt, the Muslim Brotherhood’s Mohamed Morsy, has taken on one of the most daunting jobs in the world.

HiddenLevers submits: Political Instability in Egypt has been surrounded by nothing but speculation from the outside world. What are the implications? What is going to happen with crude oil prices? Is global shipping going to be affected by restricted access through the Suez Canal? However, these questions fail to take into account that the current protests have had limited effect on these sectors (although a communications blackout has caused some delays through the Suez).

Hopes of an end to two months of political deadlock in Italy drove its financial markets higher on Monday after the re-election of 87-year-old Giorgio Napolitano suggested parties may be nearer a deal to form a government. Napolitano, elected after days of squabbling thanks to a broad agreement between some of Italy’s main political groups, had earlier made clear that he favored a new government over potentially destabilising new elections.

Tom Lydon submits: Around the world, food prices are rising, and some areas have even sparked mass unrest as a result. Using agriculture ETFs, investors may capitalize on the rising food prices as the world population grows and demand for basic foods increase.

For the past decade, Quebec was considered one of the best places in the world for mining investment. Not so much anymore. In the Fraser Institute’s latest annual rankings of mining jurisdictions, Quebec dropped out of the top 10, landing in 11th place. The province finished in first place from 2007 to 2010, and was fifth in 2012.

MOST adults accept that life is not fair, but the word fairness gets used a lot when we talk about income inequality. Is it right that some have so much material comfort and security, while others have so little? On the other hand, is it fair that talented, hard-working people must give away the fruits of their labour? What’s fair and whether it matters depend on one's personal values. But for policymakers, the important issue to think about is the nature of the income inequality. Are the rich getting richer while the poor and middle class stay the same?