Holiday Season Links – 30th Dec 2013

Global/Macro

• Bitcoin Is Evil – Krugman
• The bond market is a lot less liquid than it used to be. – Marketwatch
• More oil assets on the block as disposals gather pace – FT

Australia & New Zealand

• Aussie Bank Asks “Will Bitcoin Replace The Dollar?” – ZH
• Australia’s housing price rise attributed to Chinese buyers – Want China Times
• Manufacturers lament expensive imports as $A falls – AFR
• Coalition considers end to free GP visits – SMH
• Medical body AMA concerned about GP fee option – TheOz , ABC
• Banks seek staff amid home loan boom – AFR
• Perth must bide time for next property boom – AFR
• Pub float may add life to REITs – BusinessDay
• WA iron ore ports batten down for Cyclone Christine – AFR
• What becomes of a boom town ? – BusinessDay

Europe

• Euro rises on German comments – SkyNews , Reuters
• Bundesbank chief says no to Greek haircut, yes to reforms – Ekathimerini
• Debt crisis will hurt millions, says think-tank – BBC
• France approves 75pc company tax on €1m salaries – Telegraph
• Ukraine anti-government protest draws tens of thousands – Guardian

Asia

• Suicide bomber kills 13 in Russia’s south – AP , it’s only 40 days until the Olympics
• Video of attack at Volgograd station – youtube
• China formally abolishes re-education labor camps – Asian Correspondent
• Japan core CPI rises 1.2% in November, on track to escape deflation – WSJ
• Indonesian Education Falls Behind Its Economic Growth – The Diplomat

Americas

• Good Poor, Bad Poor – NYT
• 1.3 Million Americans Lost Unemployment Benefits Today – BI
• The year of the Weasel – Krugman
• Americans Still Pessimistic About Economy – Time
• Schedule for Week of December 29th – CalculatedRisk
• Academics Who Defend Wall St. Reap Reward – WSJ

Other/Interesting

• Inside the Placebo Effect – Project Syndicate
• Say goodbye Captain, drone cargo ships are coming. – Quartz
• Brainlike Computers, Learning From Experience – NYT