Monthly Archives: March 2016

What’s the point of it? – The oddest of post-imperial clubs Mar 19th 2016 Economist “There’s been an existential question mark over the Commonwealth for some time,” says a seasoned diplomat in its secretariat in London. “The Commonwealth has been … Continue reading →

Tension in Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Province – After the execution, the kingdom’s Shia are angry Mar 19th 2016 Economist Awamiya, a town of some 30,000 in Saudi Arabia’s Shia-dominated Eastern Province, had been simmering ever since its cleric, Nimr al-Nimr, … Continue reading →

Consumers are finally revolting against an outdated industry Mar 26th 2016 Economist For decades looking after other people’s money has been a lucrative business. Profit margins in the asset-management industry were 39% in 2014, according to BCG, a consultancy, compared … Continue reading →

India’s government tries to curb imports of gold—again. Bonds are no substitute. Mar 26th 2016 Economist A small room on the eighth floor of Mumbai’s former cotton exchange is where jewellery goes to die. At the Master Bullion Assaying & … Continue reading →

Kindred spirits – A bestselling film on a subject shunned by most producers strikes a chord Mar 26th 2016 Economist “I heard we are all going to a shoe factory,” says one of the terrified teenage girls in the film … Continue reading →

Bilking Investors – Rotten advice – America’s revolving door for financial advisers who do down their clients Mar 5th 2016 Economist Financial markets can seem bewildering to those who don’t have the time and energy to understand them: all that … Continue reading →

Optimizing Romance – To find true love, it helps to understand the economic principles underpinning the search Feb 13th 2016 Economist Dating is a treacherous business. There may be plenty of fish in the sea, yet many are unhygienic, self-absorbed, … Continue reading →

A Hedge Against Ignorance – Feb 13th 2016 Economist Fuelled by economic uncertainty, investors are cautiously returning to a fickle market reassuringly weighty in this time of turmoil in financial markets. Many are novices, gingerly placing their first bets against … Continue reading →

Not advised – The penalties for turning away from Islam can be quite stringent Mar 26th 2016 Economist “If there is a God, atheism must seem to Him as less of an insult than religion,” Edmond de Goncourt, a French … Continue reading →

After the party – The low oil price is manageable in the short term; but the Gulf states must make big changes to face the future Mar 26th 2016 Economist Fast cars whizz around, malls are full of expensive luxuries … Continue reading →