Links 20 March 2014

Global Macro / Markets:

• The Stages of Bubble Mania – Bloomberg

North America:

• Mortgage Applications Decrease in Latest Weekly Survey – Calculated Risk
• Current-Account Gap Narrows to Level Last Seen in 1999 – Wall Street Journal
• The time for tightening by the US Federal Reserve could be nigh – Financial Times
• Federal Reserve issues FOMC statement – Federal Reserve
• The U.S. Cities With the Highest Levels of Income Segregation – The Atlantic Cities
• The 1% have gained back their recession losses and then some – Washington Post

Europe:

• After annexing Crimea, Russians move to carve up the spoils – Financial Times
• UK urges EU to cut energy reliance on Russia – Financial Times
• EU Struggles for Common Russia Front Amid Crimea Tensions – Bloomberg
• UK Budget 2014: Biggest change in generation for pensions – Financial Times

Asia:

• Chinese insurer offers smog insurance policy, the first of its kind – SCMP
• Renminbi rate hits ‘red line’ level for losses – Financial Times
• China’s Rapid Growth Hits the Brakes – New York Times
• China admits its ills but faces an unpalatable cure – Financial Times

Local:

• The entitlement of card carrying boomers – Business Spectator
• Has Sinodinos just delivered a super reprieve – Business Spectator (locked)
• Experts pick Budget blow-out by late decade – The AFR
• Pressure building for online GST – The AFR
• States on slippery debt slope – The AFR
• Big business backs red tape repeals – The Australian
• Merger deals to test Hockey – The Australian
• An axe to acts will change nothing – Canberra Times

Other: