Asking Much of China

Pete Fisher,a Vice-President at BlackRock,the world's largest money manager,thinks we're getting to the point where China has to tighten their policy.He fears we'll have more friction,but he's hoping we won't.He's worried about too much hype.We can over-hype how much we can get out of Chinese exchange rate hikes when they do occur.It would cool down their economy.We don't want China to have inflation or a bubble.
What a revaluation of the yuan may not do is affect our trade relations,Mr.Fisher points out.It's terrific for the world economy for China to have cerated all this wealth over the past 20 years.We've got to be careful not to expect too much from what they've accomplished.
BlackRock isn't afraid of the long end in bonds.Mr.Fisher believes the economy is gonna do O.K.,but not brilliantly.BlackRock thinks if the economy is gonna do O.K.,that's gonna mean a sideways movement in interest rates,attractive to investors at the long end.Some analysts have been warning investors that the long bond will collapse under inflationary pressure.

Believing In The Bull

Michael Yoshikami of YCMNET Advisors believes in the current bull market.He thinks there's still money to move into it.There's some risk in it,but he doesn't think you want to sit this one out.Sentiment is gonna get the individual investor in.Market sentiment is still pretty negative,but the news is not as bad as people think,and that's gonna drive the market.
Mr.Yoshikami thinks unemployment is the biggest risk.If the numbers stay at 9-10% and the stimulus unwinds out of the system,that's gonna hurt.For now,all the negativity is starting to go away.The retail investor is starting to feel panic at having waited so long to get back in.You're gonna continue to see confirmation of the uptrend.
He really doesn't think the Greek debt problem is resolved.He thinks they're just pushing the ball forward.There's not gonna be a default,but,long term,it kicks the can down the road,in Michael Yoshikami's opinion.

Shanghai Expo Drawing Near

The Shanghai World Expo,a major business event,will soon begin.The expo runs from May 1,2010 till October 31.It's theme is "better city,better life."China carried out a 45 billion dollar makeover to enhance Shanghai's reputation as a trade and transport hub.Hundreds of factories and thousands of families were moved to make way for the expo,including a shipyard with 10,000 workers.
The 162 countries participating spent varying amounts on their pavilions.Saudi Arabia spent 162 million dollars,followed by Japan at 140 million,France,at about 70 million,and the U.S. at 60 million-privately raised.Some 70 million visitors are expected.One Chinese man,Xu Wei,said it was not a trade fair,but an excellent chance to impress the Chinese people.They have to come here.It's a must.

Yahoo Embraces Arab World

Yahoo is moving into the Arab world in a big way.The company has purchased Maktoob,the Arabic version of Facebook.Maktoob is based in Jordan.Arab use of the Internet is up 1,000% since the year 2000.Maktoob reaches one out of three Arab users of the Internet.It is available in 22 Arabic countries with a total population of over 300 million people.
The acquisition of Maktoob is part of Yahoo's emerging markets strategy.Maktoob's vision is to be at the center of people's online lives.Less than 1% of Internet content is currently in Arabic.
Saudi Arabia is one of Maktoob's top two countries.Over five million Saudi women alone are active on Maktoob.