Weekend Links 24th-25th May 2014

Global Macro / Markets:

• Bitcoin shocker! – FT
• Why lower bond yields should lead to higher gold and silver prices. – Market Anthropology
• 50 blogs every serious trader should read.  – TraderHQ

North America:

• US House denies Pentagon funds to tackle climate change as security threat – RT
• ‘Tide is Turning’ as Oregon Voters Overwhelmingly Approve Ban of GE Crops – Common Dreams
• Friday: New Home Sales – CalculatedRisk
• The Fed can’t print trade? World Trade Flows Fall in First Quarter – WSJ
• US to claim victory over China in WTO car dispute – Bloomberg
• Weekly initial unemployment claims popped higher last week. – Calculated Risk

Europe:

• Europe at the polls – but who will actually vote? – DW
• ECB’s Weidmann – Reviving ABS market not task for central bank– Reuters
• Fitch upgrades Greece by a notch to ‘B’; outlook stable – Reuters
• Spain Sovereign Debt Rating Upgraded by S&P – Bloomberg
• Why the run in the Euro may be over. – All Star Charts
• Cocaine Sales to Boost Italian GDP in Boon for Budget – Bloomberg
• Pro-Ukraine forces clash with separatists, at least two dead – Reuters

Asia:

• Generals once again call the shots in Thailand – Nikkei
• PBOC’s Zhou Says China May Have Housing Bubble in ‘Some Cities’ – Bloomberg
• China Will Vet Tech Firms After Threatening U.S. Retaliation – Bloomberg

Local:

• Anti-coal activist pleads guilty to ANZ hoax – AFR
• Dick Smith says his company’s ‘days are numbered’ – AFR , SMH
• Treasury: hit to families not so severe – TheOz
• Almost every Australian will be paid a pension – AFR
• NBN chief executive faces legal action over US utility disasters – Guardian
• Banks bashed over company tax, but Clive Palmer’s firms paying none – TheOz
• University leaders have serious concerns about higher education plan – Guardian
• Tony Abbott says he was not lobbied on reforms by scholarship institute – Guardian

Other:

• US billionaire takes on climate sceptics – FT
• U.S. Military Pushes for More Disclosure on Drone Strikes – WSJ
• A sad day for patent reform. – A VC
• Why is Econ 101 so bad?  – Noah Smith
• Google is working with Ruckus Wireless to build a Wi-Fi network in the cloud – GigaOm