Tight budget, Ramadhan bazaar affected?

Posted by admin on August 25th, 2011

Looks like Malaysians are tightening their belts because of the rising cost of food prices.An indication of this is the small number of people going to the three Ramadan bazaars here and in Senawang.A spot check at the three bazaars showed that not only less people were frequenting these places but some of the tents were also empty. Because of bad business some traders have packed up and left.This is a far cry from last year when the bazaars were congested from 4pm onwards and the traders were doing a roaring business.

The two most popular spots in Seremban are in Ampangan and Paroi Stadium. Every year the traders will scramble for the lots and there were stories in the media from disgruntled traders who were not lucky enough to get a lot.

This year the situation is completely different. A visit to Ampangan, Paroi Stadium and Matahari Heights saw very few people and apparently some traders’ closed shop after the first week.

In Paroi Stadium at least two rows of tents were empty.

The situation at the Matahari Heights was even worse. This spot caters for workers from the industrial estates around Senwang . There was no congestion at all.

Basariah Samah who sells various types of food at the Paroi Stadium told FMT that her income dropped 50 percent this year compared to last year.

“I get to earn RM500 plus per day all this while I’m trading here but this year I will be lucky if I can get RM250 per day.

“The price of goods have increased tremendously and this has resulted in people being thriftier and buying less food,’’ said Basariah.

Azhar Abdul Rahman who sells Honey Chicken Wings at Matahari Heights said he is only making RM200 per day this year compared to RM400 last year.

Azhar said that a trader who sells some cookies in the next stall closed shop as business was bad.

Zarina Iskamar who sells kuih at Matahari Heights said: “Previously we sold three pieces of kuih for RM1. Now we are selling three pieces for RM1.20 and five pieces for RM2.00.”

A customer Norita Sis said she used to visit the bazaar Ramadan seven days per week in previous years but this year she only makes three visits per week. Norita said this was because the food prices at the bazaar have gone up.

Another customer Sham Abdullah said he used to spend RM20 per visit but this year the limit was RM15.

http://www.kl-today.com/2011/08/tight-budget-ramadhan-bazaar-affected/

World stocks sink on fresh fears of US recession

By PAMELA SAMPSON - AP Business Writer | AP – 35 mins ago

A woman walks in front of the electronic stock board of a securities firm in Tokyo …

BANGKOK (AP) — World stock markets plummeted Friday amid signs of a possible U.S. recession and renewed worries over the health of Europe's banks.

Oil prices fell to near $79 a barrel in Asia, extending a major sell-off fueled by investor fears that slowing global growth will undermine demand for crude. The dollar was higher against the euro but down against the yen.

European shares opened sharply lower, with Britain's FTSE 100 dropping 2 percent to 4,992.23. Germany's DAX shed 4.3 percent to 5,356.83 and France's CAC-40 sank 3.5 percent to 2,968.83. Wall Street was headed for a slide, with Dow Jones industrial futures down 1.5 percent to 10,849 and S&P 500 futures slipping 1.7 percent to 1,123.80.

Asian shares also took a beating. Japan's Nikkei 225 index dropped 2.5 percent to 8,719.24 and Hong Kong's Hang Seng slid 3.1 percent to 19,399.92.

South Korea's benchmark Kospi index was the worst performer in Asia, falling 6.2 percent to 1,744.88, its lowest close in nearly a year. The decline of 115.70 points was the Kospi's third-largest ever, but the percentage drop was far from the 12 percent record decline on Sept. 12, 2001, according to stock market operator Korea Exchange.

Investors aggressively sold South Korean exporters amid pessimism over prospects for the global economy. LG Chem Ltd., which makes batteries for electronic cars, plunged 14.7 percent. Hyundai Motor Co. dived 11 percent and Kia Motors Corp. fell 7.5 percent. Samsung Electronics Co., South Korea's biggest company, dropped a more modest 4.1 percent.

Financial markets have wrestled for several weeks with fears that a new recession in the U.S. is in the offing. The number of people filing claims for unemployment benefits rose to 408,000 last week, an increase of 9,000 from the week before. Meanwhile, a survey showed that manufacturing in the mid-Atlantic region contracted in August by the most in more than two years.

The raft of bad economic news sparked a sell-off on Wall Street on Thursday. The Dow Jones industrial average fell 3.7 percent to 10,990.58. The Standard & Poor's 500 index fell 4.5 percent to 1,140.65. The Nasdaq composite fell 5.2 percent to 2,380.43.

In Asia, energy shares were hammered amid fears that demand would dry up if the world economy throttles back. Hong Kong-listed PetroChina Ltd., the country's biggest oil and gas company, lost 4.1 percent. CNOOC, China National Offshore Oil Corp., fell 3.3 percent. Energy Resources of Australia was down 4 percent.

Mainland Chinese shares tracked losses elsewhere, with shares in coal, oil and cement leading the decline. The Shanghai Composite Index lost 1 percent to 2,534.36 after dipping almost 2 percent earlier in the day. The Shenzhen Composite Index lost 0.8 percent to 1,133.84.

European bank stocks tanked Thursday as fears mounted about their exposure to the region's spiraling debt crisis, which has dragged on for nearly two years and resulted in a string of sovereign bailouts worth hundreds of billions of euros.

Banks have also been under pressure because German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Nicolas Sarkozy said earlier this week that their countries were developing a plan to tax financial transactions.

Asian bank stocks followed their European counterparts lower. Hong Kong-listed Bank of China Ltd. slid 3.5 percent, while the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, the world's biggest bank by market value, lost 3.2 percent. Commonwealth Bank of Australia Ltd., the nation's largest lender, fell 2.9 percent.

Benchmark oil for September delivery was down $2.76 to $79.64 a barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Crude fell $5.20, or 5.9 percent, to finish at $82.38 on Thursday.

In London, Brent crude for October delivery was down $1.77 cents to $105.22 per barrel on the ICE Futures exchange.

In currencies, the euro fell to $1.4297 from $1.4319 late Thursday in New York. The dollar was down to 76.42 yen from 76.54 yen.

___

AP Business Writer Kelly Olsen contributed from Seoul, South Korea and researcher Fu Ting contributed from Shanghai.

http://news.yahoo.com/world-stocks-sink-fresh-fears-us-recession-083540118.html

Oil falls to near $81 on global growth slowdown

By ALEX KENNEDY - Associated Press | AP – 1 hr 6 mins ago

SINGAPORE (AP) — Oil prices fell to near $81 a barrel Friday in Asia, extending a sell-off fueled by investor fears that a slowing global economy will undermine demand for crude.

Benchmark oil for September delivery was down $1.07 to $81.28 a barrel at late afternoon Singapore time in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Crude fell $5.20, or 5.9 percent, to finish at $82.38 on Thursday.

In London, Brent crude for October delivery was down $1.53 to $105.49 per barrel on the ICE Futures exchange.

Commodities such as oil fell sharply Thursday as signs of weakening U.S. economic growth raised worries that the country could be headed for a recession. A report on Philadelphia-area manufacturing dropped to its lowest in two years while home sales tumbled 3.5 percent in July.

Concerns that European banks may face funding difficulties amid the EU's debt crisis also weighed on investor sentiment. The Dow Jones industrial average sank 3.7 percent Thursday and Asian stock markets fell Friday.

"The world economy has clearly stalled and it is hard to see any meaningful recovery in demand unless commodity prices, and especially oil, continue to weaken," Capital Economics said in a report. "The fragility of the world economy means there is high chance that fresh financial shocks will trigger more falls in commodity markets."

Capital Economics said it expects Brent to fall to $85 during 2012.

Other analysts are more optimistic, pointing to recent signs of strong U.S. crude demand.

"The recent U.S. oil demand numbers do not support the view that the economy has fallen back into recession," Goldman Sachs said in a report. "We expect supply-demand balances to continue to move to critically tight levels in 2012, with prices above recent levels by next year."

In other Nymex trading for October contracts, heating oil fell 1.1 cents to $2.87 per gallon and gasoline futures dropped 0.4 cent to $2.66 per gallon. Natural gas for September delivery rose 2.9 cents to $3.92 per 1,000 cubic feet.

http://news.yahoo.com/oil-falls-near-81-global-growth-slowdown-075921424.html

A Kadir Jasin: Menteri Palanivel dan macam-macam cerita

A Kadir Jasin

KALAU menambahkan bilangan, menaikkan KPI, maka KPI Perdana Menteri naik se takuk lagi. Beliau baru sajamenambah bilangan anggota kabinetnya kepada 30 dengan melantik seorang ahli politik kecundang.

Sebenarnya saya pun tak tahu kedudukan KPI menteri, pegawai dan jabatan. Yang saya baca, Idris Jala kata, kadar jenayah menurun dan matlamat NKRA sedang dicapai.

Tapi yang saya baca setiap hari orang kena bunuh, mayat reput ditemui, orang kena ragut sampai mati dan macam-macam lagi jenayah ngeri. Yang saya tengok, tak ada kawasan perumahan di Kuala Lumpur dan Petaling Jaya yang tak dikepung dan dikawal siang malam.

Perdana Menteri melantik presiden MIC, Palanivel a/l Govindasamy aka G. Palanivel menjadi seorang lagi Menteri di Jabatan Perdana Menteri, menaikkan bilangan mereka kepada lima.

Seperti Koh Tsu Koon dan Shahrizat Abdul Jalil, Palanivel juga kalah pilihan raya umum. Dia kalah kepada calon PKR di Hulu Selangor dan tidak dicalonkan untuk bertanding pilihan raya kecil kawasan yang sama tahun lalu. Dalam PRU akan datang, dia dikatakan akan bertanding di Sungai Siput, Perak, kawasan bekas bosnya S Samy Vellu yang kalah kepada DAP.

Memang kabinet kita besar. UK dengan 62 juta penduduk ada 23 menteri, Perancis 66 juta ada 23 menteri, Amerika 312 juta ada 12 ahli kabinet dan Switzerland lapan juta ada tujuh menteri. Kita ada 28 juta penduduk dan 30 menteri. Tidak hairanlah susah nak jumpa menteri sebab tak tahu yang mana satu.

Seorang pegawai media Perdana Menteri berkata, PM ada 11 pegawai media yang terdiri daripada bekas pengarang, wartawan kanan dan eksekutif TV. Paling ramai Dr Mahathir ada sepanjang jadi PM adalah tiga.

Malaysia Boleh Di Mana-Mana

Dilaporkan yang pasangan lesbian Menteri Kewangan Australia peranakan Malaysia, Penny Wong, yang dikenali sebagai Sophie Allouache mengandung. Perempuan dengan perempuan bersekedudukan boleh mengandung?

Sehebat mana pun orang Malaysia atau kelahiran Malaysia, perempuan dengan perempuan dan jantan dengan jantan tak menjadi. Hukum Allah macam itu. Pasangan lesbian Penny Wong mengandung secara in vitro dengan ihsan seorang penderma sperma – air mani lah tu.

Kerana pasangan lesbian Penny Wong bunting, Perdana Menteri Australia, Julia Gillard berkata dia gembira. Gillard bukan lesbian, tapi tak kahwin. Dia ada pasangan tetap bernama Tim Mathieson.

Tukar-Menukar Harap Berjaya

MAS dan AirAsia bertukar-tukar saham. Sebab saham AirAsia mahal dan saham MAS murah, Tune Air, iaitu syarikat induk AirAsia, mendapat 20.5 peratus saham MAS dan Khazanah, induk MAS, dapat 10 peratus saja saham AirAsia.

Pertukaran saham itu bernilai hampir RM2 bilion berdasarkan harga AirAsia RM3.95 seunit Jumaat lalu dan saham MAS RM1.60 seunit. Khazanah masih pegang 49 peratus saham MAS.

Pengarah Urusan MAS, Tengku Azmil Zahruddin letak jawatan. Tony Fernandez dan rakan kongsinya Kamaruddin Meranun sertai Lembaga Pengarah MAS.

Yang menarik ialah majoriti eksekutif kanan Tune Air/AirAsia adalah Melayu. Jelas syarikat-syarikat milik usahawan India Malaysia yang disenaraikan di Bursa Malaysia cenderung memberi jawatan bermakna kepada eksekutif Melayu yang berkemampuan, tidak seperti syarikat milik kaum-kaum bukan Bumiputera lain yang ambil Melayu jadi pengarah hiasan, kerani, pemandu, penghantar surat, pengawal keselamatan dan pengawal peribadi. GRO Melayu pun ramai mereka ambil.

Salah seorang ahli lembaga pengarah baru MAS adalah Ketua Pegawai Eksekutif Astro Malaysia Holdings, Rohana Rozhan. Astro adalah sebahagian daripada empayar korporat Ananda Krishnan.

Kalau ikut Idris Jala, Menteri di Jabatan Perdana Menteri, Khazanah akan jual banyak lagi saham GLC. Khazanah akan kurangkan pegangan saham dalam lebih 30 GLC atau menjualnya terus. Harap-harap janganlah hanyut pengurus dan eksekutif Bumiputera dalam GLC.

Tak Sangka Bawa Angkara

Menteri di Jabatan Perdana Menteri, Nor Mohamed Yakcop, memberitahu wartawan Jumaat lalu yang krisis kewangan Eropah dan kemerosotan ekonomi Amerika tidak akan memberi kesan kepada ekonomi Malaysia.

Alhamdulillah kalau betul, Isyak-Allah akan terbukti.

Tak tahulah saya kalau menteri itu anggap kejatuhan harga saham di Bursa Malaysia, kemerosotan import oleh Amerika, kejatuhan pengeluaran perindustrian dan kenaikan harga barang pengguna tidak jejas ekonomi negara.

Yang kita tahu, bila ekonomi negara menguncup pada tahun 2009, Nor Mohamed Yakcop kata dia tak sangka. Tak tahulah saya kalau pengurusan ekonomi dan persediaan menghadapi krisis ekonomi global boleh diasaskan kepada sangka dan tak sangka. Wallahualam.

Source: http://kadirjasin.blogspot.com/2011/08/menteri-palanivel-dan-macam-macam.html

http://bm.harakahdaily.net/index.php/articles/analysis-a-opinion/4846-a-kadir-jasin-menteri-palanivel-dan-macam-macam-cerita

Dr Dzulkefly: PAS tak jangka pilihan raya tahun ini

Dr Dzulkefly: PAS tak jangka pilihan raya tahun ini

Ogos 10, 11 5:30pm

PAS akan terus mempersiapkan semua jenteranya untuk menghadapi pilihan raya ke-13 walaupun percaya Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Najib Razak tidak akan membubarkan Parlimen pada tahun ini.

Menurut Pengarah Eksekutif Pusat Penyelidikan PAS, Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad, BN dijangka terpaksa menangguhkan pilihan raya umum daripada diadakan tahun ini kerana kemelut ekonomi yang sedang meruncing di seluruh dunia.

"Cakap-cakap yang PM akan adakan pilihan raya mengejut tahun ini saya rasa tidak munasabah lagi kerana para penganalisis politik dan ekonomi hanya menjangkakan krisis ini akan pulih tahun depan.

"Seperti telahan ramai pihak penganalisis dan pundit politik, saya sukar meramalkan Najib akan berani membuat pilihan raya mengejut dalam bulan September.

"Permintaan global akan menguncup dan pertumbuhan ekonomi negara juga terjejas kerana penguncupan permintaan global. Saya yakin PM tak akan buat pilihan raya umum," kata Dr Dzulkefly yang dipetik Harakahdaily.

Organ rasmi PAS itu juga memetik beliau berkata Bursa Malaysia sedang mengalami kemersotan RM91 bilion dalam tempoh lapan hari lalu berdasarkan rekod yang diperolehi pada jam 10 pagi ini.

Kedudukan panik kini melanda seluruh dunia khususnya di Eropah dan Amerika berikutan penerapan hutang negara itu yang memberikan kesan kepada bursa saham seluruh dunia.

Keruntuhan ekonomi global

Sejak beberapa hari lalu pasaran saham utama Asia di Tokyo, Taipei, Shanghai dan juga Sydney juga terus merudum. Bursa Malaysia juga mengalami pengucupan sejak Jumaat lalu.

Indeks Dow Jones Amerika Syarikat dilaporkan jatuh 4.1 peratus dalam masa 10 hari - kejatuhan terbesar sejak tahun 2008 manakala indeks FTSE London pula susut RM245 bilion sejak seminggu lalu.

Berikutan itu juga, mata wang Euro merosot dengan mendadak dan dilaporkan hampir lumpuh.

Perkara itu diburukkan lagi dengan rusuhan di kota London yang bermula dengan protes kecil Sabtu lalu apabila seorang remaja kulit hitam ditembak mati tetapi kini merebak ke bahagian lain di ibu negara Britain itu.

Justeru, kata Dr Dzulkefly yang juga adalah ahli parlimen Kuala Selangor, keruntuhan ekonomi global itu juga akan menyebabkan eksport Malaysia, khususnya petrol terjejas dan pendapatan negara berkurangan.

Kesannya bakal ditambah-buruk lagi apabila harga komoditi makanan beras, gandum, gula terus meningkat akibat permintaan yang tinggi.

Suasana ini dikatakan akan menghimpit perdana menteri dengan suasana serba salah untuk mengadakan pilihan raya umum tahun ini.

“Tetapi kini dengan krisis ini ia (cadangan membubarkan parlimen) akan tergendala..., ia bakal menjadi mimpi ngeri untuk Najib (jika pilihan raya umum diadakan tahun ini)," katanya.

http://malaysiakini.com/news/172590

Belajar dari sejarah, kata pakar ekonomi PBB

Hazlan Zakaria
Jul 31, 11
8:47pm

Kegagalan untuk belajar dari sejarah menjadi halangan terbesar bagi Malaysia dalam perjalanan ke arah menjadi sebuah negara berpendapatan tinggi.

Ini adalah ingatan dari penolong setiausaha agung bagi
pembangunan ekonomi di jabatan halehwal ekonomi dan sosial, Pertubuhan Bangsa-Bangsa Bersatu, Jomo K Sundaram.

"Adalah penting untuk belajar daripada kegagalan dan kejayaan kita. Jika kita tidak tahu tentang sejarah kita, bagaimana kita hendak teruskan perjalanan?" hujahnya.

Jomo bercakap di sidang kemuncak pemimpin pelajar Malaysia di Kuala Lumpur hari ini. Beliau menjadi anggota panel yang membincangkan tajuk bagaimana Malaysia boleh mencapai matlamat ekonomi berpendapatan tinggi.

Beliau merujuk kepada pengalaman Malaysia mengharungi kemerosotan ekonomi pada awal tahun 80-an dan pertengahan tahun 90-an. Sesuatu yang menurutnya, boleh dielakkan jika kerajaan kita lebih tajam akal.

Jomo melihat pengajaran dahulu sebagai petanda yang berharga dalam perjalanan kita untuk menjadi negara berpendapatan tinggi, tetapi bimbang kerana kerajaan, menurutnya, menutup mata terhadap kesulitan dan masalah yang sama.

Beliau mengeluh ketika menyentuh tentang FDI neagara, walaupun menurutnya, ada tanda-tanda amaran dari kesukaran yang lalu.

Di kebanyakan negara, tegasnya, pelaburan domestik menjadi peneraju dan FDI mengikutinya, tetapi di Malaysia, ia adalah sebaliknya.

Dasar sedemikian, kata beliau, melemahkan kerajaan kerana ia kemudiannya menjadi terhutang budi kepada pelabur asing yang mengharapkan insentif dan imbuhan-imbuhan lain.

Dari hujah Jomo itu, kita dalam merumuskan bahawa Malaysia akan dijadikan tebusan oleh para pelabur asing yang boleh menarik diri jika keadaan tidak menguntungkan mereka.

[Baca berita penuh]

http://malaysiakini.com/news/171594

'Langkah BN kawal inflasi bebankan golongan muda'

'Langkah BN kawal inflasi bebankan golongan muda'

Aidila Razak
Jul 26, 11
1:07pm

Tindakan kerajaan menaikkan kadar faedah bagi mengawal inflasi, sebenarnya memberi tekanan dan bebanan khususnya ke atas golongan muda dan berkeluarga, kata pengarah strategi PKR Rafizi Ramli.

“Tindakan Bank Negara Malaysia yang dijangkakan akan menaikkan kadar pinjaman asas/kadar faedah dalam masa terdekat untuk berdepan dengan masalah inflasi akan juga membawa kesan kepada golongan muda dan yang berkeluarga, sekiranya tindakan itu tidak disusuli dengan bantuan yang khusus kepada mereka,” katanya.

Sebagai contoh, kata Rafizi kenaikkan Kadar Dasar Semalaman (OPR) sebanyak 25 mata asas telah menyebabkan peningkatan kos tambahan sekurang-kurangnya RM50 bagi keluarga yang mempunyai pinjaman perumahan RM280,000. Nilai itu adalah harga purata sebuah rumah kos sederhana di kawasan bandar dan separa bandar.

“Rata-rata golongan muda masih lagi menanggung pelbagai hutang seperti hutang rumah dan hutang kereta...

“Kesan berganda daripada peningkatan ini; apabila dicampur dengan kenaikan hampir sekali ganda bil elektrik bagi isi rumah yang bilnya melebihi RM77 sebulan, kenaikan harga minyak, kenaikan makanan, kos persekolahan anak-anak dan sebagainya sudah memuncak ke peringkat yang benar-benar membebankan golongan muda; apatah lagi bila mana gaji tidak meningkat selari dengan kenaikan harga barang,” katanya dalam satu kenyataan.

Langkah drastik

Menurutnya, tindakan Bank Negara untuk menaikkan kadar faedah adalah 'kaedah konvensional' dalam menangani isu inflasi. Justeru, katanya menjadi tanggungjawab kerajaan bagi mengambil tindakan drastik bagi mengurangkan impak kenaikkan kos ke atas rakyat.

Semalam, Gabenor Bank Negara Tan Sri Zeti Akhtar Aziz berkata Malaysia perlu menimbangkan langkah lain selain dasar monetari bagi mengekang inflasi.

Menurutnya, kadar inflasi semasa sebanyak 3.5 peratus adalah agak tinggi berikutan harga tenaga dan komoditi yang tinggi.

"Ia menyebabkan harga makanan dan bahan api yang tinggi. Memang betul, ia (inflasi) sangat dirasai kerana kedua-dua perkara itu adalah komponen penting di dalam bakul penggunaan kita," katanya.

Kadar inflasi tahunan Malaysia mencatatkan paras tertinggi dalam 27 bulan pada Jun lalu, iaitu pada 3.5 peratus. Sebelum ini Bank Negara meramalkan purata kadar itu akan berlegar sekitar 2.5 hingga 3.5 peratus tahun ini.

Menurut Rafizi, walaupun tindakan konvensional mana-mana bank pusat dalam keadaan ini adalah menaikkan kadar pinjaman, sewajarnya pimpinan kerajaan BN juga mengambil langkah drastik mengurangkan kesan kenaikan harga barang kepada rakyat.

“Ini termasuklah mengkaji semula pemotongan peruntukan kepada sekolah-sekolah sehingga menyebabkan kos persekolahan naik mendadak apabila ibu bapa terpaksa menyumbang kepada sekolah untuk menjalankan aktiviti dan mengambil langkah lebih proaktif menyelesaikan masalah harga rumah yang terlalu tinggi bagi golongan muda.

“Langkah yang diambil melalui Skim Rumah Pertama tidak lebih dari melepaskan batuk ditangga kerana ia tidak menyelesaikan masalah asas iaitu harga rumah yang terlampau tinggi, sebaliknya hanya menyediakan jaminan wang cengkeram yang hanya menambah hutang pembeli,” katanya.

Menurut Rafizi, undi golongan muda adalah undi penentu dalam pilihan raya umum ke-13 akan datang. Justeru, sewajarnya apa-apa tindakan yang merugikan golongan muda dikaji semula oleh BN.

[Baca berita penuh]

http://malaysiakini.com/news/171057

U.S ECONOMY TO CRASH SOON?

POSTED BY ADMIN ON JULY 25TH, 2011

WASHINGTON (AP) — With bipartisan debt-limit talks deadlocked, House Republicans and Senate Democrats readied rival emergency fallback plans Sunday in hopes of reassuring world financial markets the U.S. government will avoid an unprecedented default.In a conference call, Speaker John Boehner summoned his conservative rank and file to swing behind a “new measure” that could clear both houses of Congress.

“It won’t be ‘Cut, Cap and Balance’ as we passed it,” he said, referring to a measure — killed in the Senate on Friday — that would have required spending cuts of an estimated $6 trillion as well as congressional approval of a constitutional balanced budget amendment for ratification by the states.

The new approach is “going to require some of you to make some sacrifices,” he added, according to a person familiar with his remarks.

Separately, President Barack Obama invited the two top congressional Democrats to a highly unusual White House meeting Sunday evening.

One of them, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, was at work on a Democratic fallback measure, too.

Without congressional action by Aug. 2, the Treasury will be unable to pay all its bills, risking a default that could have severe consequences for the U.S. economy and the world’s, too.

Details of the rival plans were sketchy.

Republican officials said Boehner envisioned an increase in the nation’s debt limit by $1 trillion and slightly more than that in federal spending cuts, with the promise of additional progress on both sides of the ledger if Congress could agree.

Democratic officials said Reid was at work on legislation to raise the government’s debt limit by $2.4 trillion — enough to assure no recurrence of the current crisis until 2013 — and reduce spending by slightly more.

They said that plan envisioned no higher taxes.

Administration officials have stopped just short of promising to veto the approach Boehner outlined. Obama has also said for months any bill must include higher revenue.

The White House was largely consigned to a spectator’s role on a weekend that began with Boehner’s decision to call off talks with Obama.

But the president in the early evening began talks with Reid, House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi and Vice President Joe Biden in the Oval Office.

Asked earlier what the administration’s plan was to avoid default, Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner said, “Our plan is to get Congress to raise the debt ceiling on time.”

The state of play veered between bipartisanship and brinkmanship on an issue of immense economic consequences.

Despite hours of compromise talks in the Capitol, lawmakers’ aides had so far been unable to agree on a two-step plan that would satisfy Obama’s demand for a large enough increase in the debt limit to tide the Treasury over until after the 2012 elections.

Interviewed on Fox, Boehner said, “I would prefer to have a bipartisan approach to solve this problem. If that is not possible, I and my Republican colleagues in the House are prepared to move on our own.”

He arranged to brief the Republican rank and file on a conference call late in the day.

It was unclear when Reid would disclose details of his own plan.

The officials who described the rival fallback plans spoke on condition of anonymity, citing the sensitivity of the issue.

Boehner’s plan, still under negotiation on Capitol Hill, is intended to get the nation beyond this crisis and snag enough votes from House Republicans who won’t raise the debt limit without spending cuts, too.

Deeper and more complex reductions in the nation’s deficits would be part of the deal, but under later timelines.

White House chief of staff William Daley said Obama was insisting that any package must expand the debt ceiling beyond the next presidential and congressional elections and into 2013 to provide economic certainty. Daley said anything short of that would be a gimmick and prompt the world to say: “These people just can’t get their act together.”

White House and congressional leaders talked past each other on the Sunday TV shows as negotiations unfolded in secrecy.

“There will be a two-stage process. It’s just not physically possible to do all of this in one step,” Boehner said. “I know the president is worried about his next election. But, my God, shouldn’t he be worried about the country?”

Republican leaders called their rank and file back to Washington earlier than expected for the new work week and set a mid-afternoon Monday meeting to go over the debt-limit legislation.

With an eye on the financial markets, Geithner insisted anew the United States would not default.

“It’s just unthinkable,” Geithner said. “We never do that. It’s not going to happen.”

The debt deal-making has consumed Washington for weeks and has put on display a government that at times risks utter dysfunction.

Even after talks about between Obama and Boehner broke down in spectacular fashion Friday, Geithner said the two men were still negotiating.

He also suggested the ambitious framework the two leaders had discussed, targeting a deficit reduction of $4 trillion, remained under consideration.

“I don’t know. It may be pretty hard to put Humpty Dumpty back together again,” Boehner said of that grand plan. “But my last offer is still out there. I have never taken my last offer off of the table and they never agreed to my last offer.”

That last offer included $800 billion in new tax revenues as part of a broad overhaul that would lower tax rates. Obama wanted $400 billion more in tax revenue for deficit reduction to help balance out the spending cuts. Or, if not that, a reduction in some of the proposed cuts being discussed to entitlement programs such as Medicare.

The talks halted primarily over that issue and over how to ensure that both parties kept their reform promises in the months ahead.

Any plan must get through the Democratic-run Senate, where Majority Leader Reid has called a short-term debt limit expansion unacceptable.

Obama’s role looms, too.

Asked if Obama would veto a plan that did not extend the government’s borrowing authority into 2013, Daley said, “Yes.”

Under any scenario, Washington’s leaders have run themselves almost out of time.

It will take days to move legislation through Congress. A default could cause catastrophic damage to the standing and the economy of the United States.

Daley said, in fact, the consequences are already taking hold.

“I don’t think there’s any question there’s been enormous damage done to our creditworthiness around the world,” Daley said.

Boehner appeared on “Fox News Sunday.” Geithner was on Fox, ABC’s “This Week” and CNN’s “State of the Union.” Daley and Coburn spoke on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” and Daley also appeared on CBS’ “Face the Nation.”

http://www.kl-today.com/2011/07/u-s-economy-to-crash-soon/

Protest marches converge on Spain's capital

By HAROLD HECKLE - Associated Press | AP – 35 mins ago

MADRID (AP) — Several hundred Spaniards angry about their country's economic crisis protested on the outskirts of Madrid Saturday after spending about a month marching to the capital from their hometowns.

The marchers set off from Barcelona and Bilbao in the north, Valencia in the east and Cadiz in the southwest on June 25. En route, they were joined by other people angry about Spain's economic woes, including high unemployment, and what they see as their government's inept handling of the crisis.

Five columns of marchers are due to converge on downtown Sol square, adjacent to Madrid's town hall, for a large rally on Sunday.

"Every morning we were up early at 6 a.m. to respect the march's starting time," said Abdel Latif, 67, who described himself as an illegal immigrant from Tunisia.

Several dozen demonstrators stopped outside Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero's official residence just north of Madrid to wave banners and chant slogans.

Another group halted traffic on a highway entering Madrid from the north.

On May 15, many young demonstrators began camping out at Sol, one of Madrid's busiest squares, in a protest that lasted three weeks and struck a chord with sympathizers across Spain and elsewhere in Europe where similar camps were set up.

Two years of recession have left Spain with 21 percent unemployment — the highest in the 17-nation eurozone — and burdened with debt. Joblessness for those aged 16 to 29 stands at about 35 percent.

During the marches to Madrid, physiotherapists traveling in support vehicles helped the protesters keep their leg muscles in shape, while sympathetic paramedics treated blistered feet, said participant Beatriz Puerta, 24.

"Many volunteers offered to act as cooks for us, preparing marvelous dishes which enabled us to keep up our strength. It's been a very positive experience," said Puerta, who hails from the northern port city of Bilbao.

Puerta said many of the young unemployed people who have marched on Madrid plan to continue on to Brussels.

"We want to arrive there in early October, to keep our cause in the public eye," she said.

http://news.yahoo.com/protest-marches-converge-spains-capital-174209111.html

Pengguna panik beli ayam

Oleh Siti Nadirah Hafidzin
nadirah@hmetro.com.my

HABIS...Gopal menunjukkan bekalan ayam yang kehabisan.

KUALA LUMPUR: Kenaikan mendadak harga ayam di pasaran yang mencecah RM8.50 hingga RM9.90 sekilogram tidak menjejaskan permintaan makanan itu apabila bekalan ayam di kebanyakan pasar basah dan kedai runcit habis seawal jam 12 tengah hari.

Tinjauan Harian Metro di beberapa pasar basah, pasar raya dan kedai runcit sekitar ibu kota mendapati kebanyakan pengguna terburu-buru dengan membeli bekalan ayam dalam kuantiti banyak ekoran kebimbangan harga itu akan terus meningkat.

Suri rumah, Saodah Abdullah, 50, berkata pengguna tidak mempunyai pilihan selain membeli ayam walaupun menyedari harga di pasaran terlalu mahal dan membebankan.

“Saya berkeluarga besar yang memerlukan penggunaan ayam yang lebih sebagai bahan masakan.

“Suami dan anak-anak lebih gemar ayam berbanding ikan atau daging menyebabkan saya membelinya dalam kuantiti banyak,” katanya ketika ditemui di sini, semalam.

Saodah berkata, kenaikan itu tidak wajar kerana membebankan isi rumah yang terpaksa berbelanja lebih setiap hari terutama sepanjang seminggu cuti persekolahan selain faktor kenduri kahwin.

Pengguna, Ahmad Bohari Mohd Nor, 46, berkata kenaikan harga ayam secara mendadak iaitu kira-kira RM1.50 itu memberi kesan kepada perbelanjaan hariannya.

“Saya harap pihak terbabit memantau harga ayam terutama pada musim cuti sekolah dan perayaan kerana ada pihak mengambil kesempatan menaikkan harga terlalu tinggi,” katanya.

Peniaga pasar basah, R Gopal, 31, berkata peniaga terpaksa menaikkan harga kerana pembekal menjual ayam kepada mereka dengan harga tinggi RM8 sekilogram.

Katanya, peniaga memperoleh untung kecil selain perlu menampung beberapa kos penyelenggaraan termasuk bayaran pekerja dan perkhidmatan yang disediakan pasar itu.

“Minggu lalu, kami menjual ayam pada harga RM7.50 sekilogram, tetapi naik sedikit demi sedikit hingga sekarang dengan harga RM8.50 sekilogram,” katanya.

Sementara itu, Pengarah Komunikasi Gabungan Persatuan Pengguna Malaysia (Fomca), Mohd Yusof Abd Rahman, berkata masalah kenaikan harga ayam secara mendadak ini berpunca daripada harga tinggi bekalan makanan ayam yang diimport dari negara luar.

Mohd Yusuf berkata, kebanyakan negara pengimport kini mengalami bencana alam yang menyebabkan bekalan produk dijual dengan harga mahal dan senario ini memberi kesan kepada harga barangan terutama bekalan ayam di pasaran.

http://www.hmetro.com.my/myMetro/articles/Penggunapanikbeliayam/Article/index_html

Japan's crisis will pinch U.S. consumers

From Gas to Gadgets: Japan's Disaster Means Higher Prices

Posted Mar 14, 2011 02:44pm EDT by Aaron Task in Electronics, Recession

Related: EWJ, OIL, SNE, TM, HMC, UNG, AAPL

With a horrific environmental and humanitarian disaster unfolding in Japan, it seems petty to discuss financial matters. Still, Japan is home to the world's third-largest economy and, at over $200 billion annually, is America's fourth-largest trading partner.

For American consumers, the most direct impact from Japan is being felt in oil prices, which have fallen sharply since Friday, when the quake hit. Crude futures briefly fell below $100 per barrel early Monday, before rebounding amid reports of violent protests in Bahrain, which borders Saudi Arabia.

Japan is the world's third-largest importer of oil, behind only the U.S. and China. With economic activity ground to a halt, its power-production crippled and the nation's major oil refineries shut down or damaged, Japan's demand for oil is expected to fall sharply -- at least in the near term.

Crude prices have now fallen 6% in the past five trading days and hit a two-week low Monday. But don't expect any relief at the pump, where the average price for a gallon of regular was $3.54 on Friday.

As everybody knows, gas prices don't track oil prices nearly as closely when crude is falling versus when it's rising. Furthermore, even if Japan's demand for crude falls, its need for gasoline and other "distilled" products is expected to rise because of the damage done to the nation's refineries. "That is going to drive up the market price for everything from diesel and gasoline to jet fuel," James DiGeorgia, editor of the Gold & Energy Advisor, tells The LA Times.

Furthermore, the drop in oil prices is expected to be short-lived unless Japan's disaster tips the world economy back into recession, an unlikely scenario barring a total nuclear meltdown. Japan will need plenty of energy for its rebuilding effort, and if the accident at Fukushima prompts a backlash against nuclear power, in Japan or elsewhere, that will only mean more demand for "conventional" sources, most notably oil. (See: Japan's Nuclear Meltdown Has Congress Questioning Nuclear Energy)

Made in Japan, Costs More Here

The massive earthquake and resulting tsunami struck the nation's industrial heartland and triggered the worst nuclear accident since Chernobyl -- and one with a highly uncertain outcome. The areas affected by the disaster, including Tokyo and eight prefectures, account for 40% of Japan's GDP.

Here's a rundown of other consumer areas affected by the disaster:

Autos: Expect the price of Japanese cars to rise in the coming months after Toyota, Honda and Nissan Motors each closed plants hit by the earthquake, tsunami and resulting power outages. Japanese automakers have manufacturing plants all over the world, including here in the U.S., so scarcity should not be a problem -- save for certain models such as the Toyota Prius and Honda Fit, which are literally and figuratively "made in Japan."

Citing IHS Global Insight, USA Today reports shipments of models such as the Toyota Yaris; Scion xD and xB, Honda CR-V, Accord, and Fit; and Acura TSX and RL, are likely to be at risk if the production snags last long. In addition, most Lexus vehicles sold in America are made in Japan, although the firm has a plant in Ontario, Canada.

Consumer Electronics: The home of Sony, Toshiba and Hitachi, Japan produces some of the world's best consumer gadgets and the components that power them. Prices of memory chips and liquid crystal displays have surged since the quake, The WSJ reports, amid fears of shortages and supply disruption.

There have been no reports of shortages yet, but Sony alone has halted production at six factories in northern Japan. And I don't want to incite concern among Apple's rabid supporters, but it's worth noting that Toshiba supplies NAND flash memory for use in Apple's hugely popular iPhones and iPads.

Research firm IHS iSuppli is predicting "some disruption in semiconductor supplies from Japan during the next two weeks," and it's unlikely U.S. consumers will see any big change in electronic prices before then. But any prolonged snags in the complex production supply chain will almost certainly be felt by Easter, so expect fewer and smaller discounts from electronics retailers this spring.

Hello Kitty, Goodbye Mochi: In response to the disaster, the Bank of Japan has flooded its economy with money, while Japanese corporations and ex-pats have repatriated assets back to their home country. That has resulted in strength in the yen vs. the dollar, already under pressure because of the Fed's easy money and Uncle Sam's huge deficits. Further and sustained weakness in the dollar will drive up the price Americans pay for all Japanese imports, everything from Sony TVs to Toyotas to Mochi ice cream balls and Sanrio's Hello Kitty paraphernalia.

The Worst Crisis

The silver lining in Japan's disaster is that the quake and resulting tsunami struck in the northeast region of the country, which is not a heavily populated area. The loss of life, while certain to rise from the current official tally of 1,500, was further mitigated by Japan's sophisticated earthquake-resistant buildings, as well as nationwide preparedness drills.

Still, "the earthquake, tsunami and the situation at our nuclear reactors makes up the worst crisis in the 65 years since the war," as Prime Minister Naoto Kan said.

Financial markets and the global economy will recover sooner or later, but many Japanese communities and families will never be the same again. If there's any good that can come from this, it's only if such a disaster helps the rest of us come to appreciate the blessings we have and remember what's "really" important.

For those interested in sending help to Japan, the U.S. Agency for International Development refers visitors to InterAction.org's list of "appropriate disaster relief."

Aaron Task is the host of Tech Ticker. You can follow him on Twitter at @atask or email him at altask@yahoo.com

http://finance.yahoo.com/tech-ticker/from-gas-to-gadgets-japan%27s-disaster-means-higher-prices-536027.html

Kerajaan tambah subsidi petrol jika…

Posted by admin on March 9th, 2011

Subsidi petrol dijangka menokok dengan tambahan sebanyak RM4 bilion tahun ini jika harga bahan api itu kekal di pasaran sekarang iaitu RM1.90 setiap liter bagi RON95 dan RM2.50 seliter bagi RON97. Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak berkata, kos yang tinggi itu terpaksa ditanggung kerajaan jika tiada perubahan bagi harga petrol di pasaran kini yang menyaksikan kenaikan harga bahan api itu di peringkat global.

Beliau berkata demikian kepada pemberita selepas menerima taklimat daripada Gabenor Bank Negara, Tan Sri Dr Zeti Akhtar Aziz di sini Rabu.

Ini bermakna subsidi minyak dalam Bajet 2011 yang ditetapkan sebanyak RM10 bilion berdasarkan harga minyak mentah dunia iaitu AS$85 (RM259) hingga AS$90 (RM274) setong meningkat kepada RM14 bilion tahun ini.

Selain itu kerajaan turut mempertuntukkan sebanyak RM4 bilion untuk subsidi lain. Bagi tahun 2010, subsidi minyak meningkat sehingga RM10 bilion.

Pakar ekonomi menjangkakan harga minyak mentah dunia akan kekal melepasi AS$100 (RM305) setong, mengakibatkan kerajaan terpaksa menanggung subsidi kira-kira RM4 bilion.

Najib berkata, perbelanjaan defisit itu bergantung kepada nilai pendapatan kerajaan mampu diperoleh dengan peningkatan kos subsidi.

Kerajaan menyasarkan defisit dalam bajet pada 5.4 peratus dalam Keluaran Dalam Negara Kasar (KDNK) tahun ini berbanding 5.6 peratus tahun lalu sedangkan sasaran ialah untuk menurunkan kadar defisit kepada 2.8 peratus menjelang tahun 2015.

Bulan lalu, Najib berkata mungkin akan mengkaji subsidi minyak jika krisis di Asia Barat berterusan, namun sehingga kini tiada perancangan ke arah itu buat masa ini.

Kali terakhir harga RON97 naik ialah pada 1 Februari lalu selepas naik 10 sen pada 4 Januari. Pada Disember, harga petrol RON95 dan diesel meningkat 5 sen seliter masing-masing kepada RM1.90 dan RM1.85 seliter.

http://www.kl-today.com/?p=14553

CAP dakwa harga makanan lonjak hingga 167 peratus

Mac 3, 11 10:15am

Persatuan Pengguna Pulau Pinang mendakwa harga pelbagai makanan telah melonjak antara 20 peratus hingga 167 peratus sejak bulan lalu akibat kenaikan harga pelbagai barangan keperluan.

Presidennya, SM Mohamed Idris berkata peningkatan harga makanan itu telah menyebabkan kesukaran yang amat sangat kepada kehidupan pengguna.

"Satu hidangan sayuran yang dijual pada harga 60 sen enam bulan yang lepas, kini dijual pada harga 80 sen hingga RM1.00 setiap hidangan, peningkatan 25 peratus hingga 66 peratus; udang (saiz sederhana) daripada RM1.50 hingga RM4.00 setiap satu, peningkatan 167 peratus," katanya dalam satu kenyataan media.

Menurut SM Mohamed, pengusaha restoran dan pemilik gerai makanan yang ditemubual oleh pegawai CAP, berkata kenaikan harga makanan dan minuman ringan adalah akibat daripada kenaikan harga barangan keperluan yang diimport seperti bawang, bawang putih, kacang dal dan rempah; ayam, daging, daging kambing, ikan, udang, sayuran, tepung beras, telur, susu pekat manis, biji kopi, serbuk teh daripada antara 20 peratus sehingga 200 peratus serta peningkatan dalam harga gas dan bahan api.

Katanya kajian yang dijalankan sekitar gerai-gerai di Pulau Pinang itu mendapati kenaikan bukan sahaja membabitkan kedai makanan orang Islam tetapi juga menjejaskan makanan orang Cina dan India.

"Harga char koay teow di gerai makanan Cina menunjukkan peningkatan 50 peratus daripada RM3.00 kepada RM4.50 sepinggan.

"Barangan makanan lain seperti moey daging atau bubur meningkat daripada RM3.50 kepada RM4.50; mee udang daripada RM4.50 kepada RM5.50; mee tomyam RM4.00 kepada RM4.50; nasi goreng daripada RM3.50 kepada RM4.00," katanya.

Menurut beliau bagi makan India pula, harga tosai yang dijual RM1.00 setiap satu kini meningkat RM1.20, peningkatan 20 peratus harga roti canai dan nasi lemak masih sama tetapi kandungannya telah dikurangkan.

"Harga kopi dan teh telah meningkat daripada 80 sen kepada RM1.00 hingga RM1.10 segelas; Nescafe, Horlicks dan Milo meningkat daripada RM1.20 kepada RM1.30 segelas; minuman tin dan jus segar pula meningkat daripada RM1.50 kepada RM2.00, peningkatan 33 peratus.

"Di sesetengah tempat ais kosong telah meningkat daripada 20 sen kepada 40 sen segelas iaitu peningkatan 100 peratus," katanya.

Presiden CAP itu berkata memandangkan kenaikan kos, bayaran bagi perkhidmatan lain seperti pembaikan paip, elektrik, bengkel kereta, membaiki motosikal juga telah meningkat bayarannya daripada antara 20 peratus kepada 30 peratusdalam tempoh lebih enam bulan lalu.

Sehubungan itu, SM Mohamed menggesa kerajaan mempertimbangkan perkara ini dengan serius bagi mencari jalan bagaimana untuk mengatasi kenaikan kos.

"Pengguna (perlu) berhati-hati dalam berbelanja dan untuk meminimumkan makan di luar dan jika mereka tidak mempunyai pilihan tetapi terpaksa makan di luar, maka pilihlah kedai yang mengenakan harga yang berpatutan.

"CAP juga menggesa peniaga supaya memainkan peranan mereka dalam membantu situasi kenaikan harga dengan mengurangkan pengambilan keuntungan bagi memastikan mereka dapat meneruskan perniagaan," katanya.

http://malaysiakini.com/news/157553

Gempa bumi jejaskan ekonomi

Susunan NADZARUL AMIR ZAINAL AZAM
amir.azam@kosmo.com.my

---

KESUBURAN tanah yang dianugerahkan kepada New Zealand telah menyaksikan negara tersebut berjaya menempatkan diri sebagai salah satu pengeluar pertanian disegani dunia.

Negara beriklim sederhana itu boleh dianggap masih hijau dan berada berjauhan daripada pasaran dunia dari segi geografi.

Bagaimanapun, pendekatan unik dan kreatif ditekankan New Zealand telah membuatkan industri pertanian menyumbang hampir suku pertumbuhan Dalam Negeri Kasar (GDP) negara berkenaan.

New Zealand telah menggunakan kepakaran dalam perladangan berkualiti untuk menjadi pengeksport produk tenusu, daging lembu, kambing dan bulu biri-biri bagi menempatkan diri sebagai pemain ekonomi pertanian dunia.

Dalam pada itu, negara berkenaan juga merupakan salah satu daripada lima pengimport tenusu dunia yang membekalkan 90 peratus produk tenusu di pasaran antarabangsa.

Bagaimanapun, gempa bumi yang melanda Christchurch baru-baru ini dijangka melumpuhkan pertumbuhan ekonomi di New Zealand sehingga memaksa negara tersebut menurunkan kadar faedah dan kemungkinan berdepan kemelesetan ekonomi.

Menteri Kewangan, Bill English berkata, bencana yang dipercayai telah meragut lebih daripada 240 nyawa akan meninggalkan kesan mendalam terhadap ekonomi negara itu malah menyediakan sedikit pertumbuhan dalam tahun ini.

“Sehingga bulan Jun ini mungkin akan menyaksikan tiada pertumbuhan ekonomi langsung,” katanya kepada Radio New Zealand.

---

“Ia merupakan satu senario berbeza daripada apa yang kami jangka enam bulan lalu tetapi kami akan terus memulihkan ekonomi negara ini,” ujarnya.

Pakar ekonomi pula menganggarkan bandar kedua terbesar di New Zealand, Christchurch itu mencatatkan kira-kira 15 peratus daripada ekonomi negara berkenaan.

Mereka juga menganggarkan kerosakan disebabkan bencana terburuk negara itu sejak 80 tahun lalu boleh mencecah sehingga AS$12 bilion (RM36 bilion).

English berkata, bencana tersebut akan menjejaskan pertumbuhan dan enggan mengetepikan kemungkinan berlaku kemelesetan ekoran gempa bumi 6.3 pada skala Richter yang melanda Selasa lalu.

“Saya tidak mempunyai jawapan kepada perkara tersebut.

“Kita akan berdepan pertumbuhan yang rendah sama ada terdapat kemelesetan ataupun tidak, sama ada ia dipanggil kemelesetan hanya akan ditentukan oleh ahli statistik,” katanya.

Kebergantungan ekonomi perladangan New Zealand telah menguncup sebanyak 0.2 peratus pada suku Ogos-September tahun lalu apabila Christchurch digegarkan gempa bumi 7.0 pada skala Richter.

Bagaimanapun, gempa bumi yang berlaku pada 4 September tahun lalu tidak mengorbankan sebarang nyawa tetapi hanya melemahkan struktur bangunan bandar itu.

Kata English, pertumbuhan bulan Oktober-Disember yang akan dikeluarkan pada akhir bulan ini juga bakal menyaksikan ekonomi agak mendatar.

Kesan kemelesetan

“Apa yang saya dapat maklum balas, orang ramai tidak terburu-buru dalam perbelanjaan mereka, peruncitan dan perumahan juga agak mendatar. Apabila ia mendatar anda tidak akan memperoleh peningkatan pertumbuhan ekonomi.

---

“Kini kita berdepan bencana gempa bumi pula yang akan menjejaskan pertumbuhan,” katanya.

Sekiranya data Oktober-Disember menunjukkan pengecutan, secara teknikal New Zealand akan berada dalam kemelesetan dengan dua suku berturut-turut mengalami pertumbuhan negatif.

Dengan separuh pertama tahun ini mengalami kepincangan disebabkan gempa bumi, English berkata, Bank Simpanan mungkin merendahkan nilai faedah untuk merangsang kegiatan ekonomi.

Ketua Bank Simpanan, Alan Bollard telah mengekalkan kadar pada tiga peratus sejak Julai apabila New Zealand bergelut daripada kesan kemelesetan pada awal tahun 2008 hingga pertengahan 2009.

Bagaimanapun, pakar ekonomi menjangkakan pengurus bank pusat akan mengurangkan kadar sehingga 0.5 peratus apabila bank bertemu pada 10 Mac nanti.

Membuka perniagaan

“Pasaran mengatakan apa yang difikirkan akan berlaku. Gabenor Bank Simpanan apabila membuat keputusan dia akan mengambil kira bukan sahaja mengenai gempa bumi tetapi fakta pertumbuhan ekonomi yang sedikit mendatar berbanding jangkaan mereka tiga atau empat bulan lalu.

“Ini akan menentukan keputusan tetapi kita akan melihat pada minggu hadapan,” katanya.

Sementara itu, bencana yang melanda bandar kedua terbesar New Zealand, Christchurch telah menyebabkan sektor ekonomi terjejas teruk.

Pemilik bersama Beach Cafe, Andy Vanlier yang menjalankan operasi di pantai Waimairi berdekatan perairan pantai Christchurch menganggarkan dia sudah kerugian simpanan stok dan perniagaan bernilai AS$18,750 (RM56,943).

Dia bercadang untuk membuka semula perniagaan selepas pembersihan dilakukan tetapi bimbang kesan jangka panjang gempa bumi yang berlaku baru-baru ini.

“Banyak orang telah meninggalkan Christchurch. Kita berharap orang ramai akan kembali seperti sebelum ini menikmati kopi dan bercerita mengenai pengalaman mereka,” katanya.

Bagi Les Overend pula, dia berasa agak gementar untuk kembali menjalankan perniagaan trak aiskrim Mr. Whippy di jalanan terlalu awal.

Bagaimanapun, dia mendapati penduduk amat menghargai segala imbauan kehidupan sebelum bencana gempa bumi melanda.

“Orang ramai sangat bersyukur apabila melihat kami,” katanya mengenai trak yang mengeluarkan bunyian untuk menarik perhatian pelanggan-pelanggan.

“Mereka melihat kami sebagai salah satu kehidupan normal di sini,” ujarnya lagi.

Tatkala bandar Christchurch berdepan pelbagai dugaan, dokumen bersejarah yang tersimpan rapi di dalam arca kurun ke-19 terbongkar apabila ia rebah menyembah bumi.

Datuk Bandar Christchurch, Bob Parker berkata, manuskrip kulit tulisan tangan di dalam sebuah botol dan silinder tembaga tertutup rapi dipercayai mengandungi dokumen-dokumen telah dijumpai di dalam arca pengasas bandar itu.

Arca tersebut terletak di dataran utama berdekatan gereja besar bersejarah bandar itu. Ia telah terjatuh pada 22 Februari lalu ketika gempa bumi yang meragut kira-kira 155 nyawa.

Pada waktu ini, pakar muzium sedang melakukan kajian terhadap barangan tersebut dan mengandungi pesanan daripada pengasas bandar Christchurch menyuarakan wawasan mereka.

Parker berkata, ia kelihatan seperti suratan takdir apabila menjelma dalam memberi sumber inspirasi kepada kami di saat-saat berdepan masa paling sukar.

http://www.kosmo.com.my/kosmo/content.asp?y=2011&dt=0304&pub=Kosmo&sec=Rencana_Utama&pg=ru_01.htm

Harga RON95, diesel kekal, kata menteri

Harga RON95, diesel kekal, kata menteri

Feb 24, 11 3:57pm

Kerajaan mengekalkan harga semasa bagi petrol RON95 pada RM1.90 dan diesel pada RM1.80 meskipun harga minyak dunia semakin meningkat, kata Menteri Perdagangan Dalam Negeri, Koperasi dan Kepenggunaan Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob, hari ini.

Beliau berkata berikutan itu kerajaan sedang dalam perbincangan dengan Kementerian Kewangan untuk mencari alternatif bagi menampung peningkatan itu.

"Kerajaan akan mengekalkan harga semasa, dan melihat opsyen atau alternatif lain walaupun tanggungan kerajaan bertambah.

"Setakat ini boleh tahan, untuk tidak naikan harga RON 95 dan diesel," katanya kepada pemberita selepas mengumumkan keputusan kewangan 2010 Bank Rakyat di Kuala Lumpur.

Beliau berkata peruntukan bajet untuk subsidi (bahan api) tahun ini sebanyak RM10.3 bilion dan jika trend itu berterusan, ia akan mencecah RM14 bilion.

Subsidi 10.3 bilion itu termasuk petroleum, RON95, diesel, gas LPG, gula, beras dan minyak masak.

Disember lalu, harga RON95 dan diesel masing-masing meningkat lima sen kepada RM1.90 dan RM1.80 seliter.

Antara altenatif yang sedang dikaji ialah menyemak semula kuota petrol dan diesel yang diterima oleh pihak-pihak tertentu, katanya kepada pemberita.

Ditanya bila kedua-dua kementerian akan memuktamadkan perbincangan itu, Ismail Sabri berkata ia akan dicapai secepat mungkin.

"Ia tidak akan mengambil masa yang panjang. Lebih lama diambil, lebih banyak subsidi akan ditanggung oleh kerajaan," katanya.

Beliau berkata harga barangan makanan juga meningkat, terutama produk import yang menyebabkan negara sebagai pengimport, perlu menanganinya.

Mengulas sama ada harga barangan subsidi lain akan meningkat memandangkan harga bahan api tidak dinaikkan, Ismail Sabri berkata "kita tidak bercadang untuk menaikkan subsidi barangan lain".

"Mulai 1 Februari, subsidi untuk semua pengilang makanan dan minuman manis yang menggunakan gula sebanyak 500 metrik ton sebulan, dihentikan.

"Kerajaan dapat menjimatkan sebanyak RM128 juta," katanya memberi contoh tindakan yang dilaksanakan oleh kerajaan untuk menjimatkan peruntukan subsidi.

- Bernama

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