The Weekend Read: Hostage to Crude

Under ordinary circumstances, accelerating inflation is bad for stock prices. Present circumstances, however, create a rare exception.

Investors who aim to increase their wealth by owning stocks over the next decade should hope Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke fails in his stated goal of holding inflation to 2% or less. ? Martin Fridson

China
China’s addiction to GDP highs could kill Five-Year plan – Telegraph
China targets inflation to safeguard stability – FT
Foxconn to move China jobs inland – FT
Key targets of China’s 12th five-year plan – Xinhua
Wen says China set for five more fat years of growth – MSBC

Commodities
A Gold Chart Only Bernard Mandelbrot Could Love – Forbes
Crude Advances to a 29-Month High as Unrest Threatens to Spread ? Bloomberg
Industry Leader Calls for Consolidation of China?s Rare Earth Industry – Xinhua
The Food Crisis Of 2011 – Forbes
Weekend: $104 Oil Should be No Surprise ? Energy & Capital

Credit
Higher rates double trouble for US muni investors ? Reuters
Sovereign Debt Levels Imperil Entire Financial System – Forbes

Economics
Are Booming Economies Good for the Markets? ? John Maudlin
Local Governments Keep on Paring Payrolls – WSJ
Olivier Blanchard Rewrites the Macroeconomists? Playbook ? Brad Delong
On the Brink of an Employment Breakout? ? Barron?s

Equities
Google Cranks Up M&A Machine – WSJ
Investors grapple with new crude shock – FT
Paranoid About Oil and Equities, in a Calm Way ? Barron?s
Why Stock Investors Should Root For Inflation ? Martin Fridson

Europe
ECB Officials Signal Support for Higher Interest Rates as Inflation Climbs ? Bloomberg
European Central�Bank Wants to Unload PIIGS Bonds ? Der Spiegel
‘Europe’s Banks Are in Far Greater Danger Than People Realize’ ? Barry Eichengreen
EU’s Rehn says Ireland, Greece need cheaper loans – Reuters
Parallel summits highlight EU’s north-south division – Xinhua
Portugal, Spain Aren’t Likely to Seek Bailouts, EFSF Chief Regling Says ? Bloomberg

Emerging Markets
Brazil Sees World’s Highest Interest Rates Climb Even Further ? Minyanville

Money Trickles Out of Emerging-Market Funds, Extending Weekly Outflows – WSJ

Geopolitical
Battle for Zawiyah amid claims Gaddafi’s tanks fired on residential areas ? Telegraph
Libya: Live Blog ? Al Jazeera
Libya rebels repel Gaddafi forces ? Al Jazeera
Saudi Arabia bans protest rallies ? Al Jazeera
Saudi Arabia drafts in up to 10,000 troops ahead of protests – Telegraph

Japan
Japan Will Have To Monetize The Debt ? Marc Faber Blog

Technology
Jobs delivers iPad 2 ? CNET
One-Cubic-Millimeter Computer ? Technology Review
Technology Will Make Collaboration Your Next Competitive Advantage – TR

Video
You know she’s right.� Al Jazeera is the go to source for news on the Arab uprisings.

(click here if video and chart are not observable)

Join the conversation about this story »

QUALCOMM QUANTA COMPUTER RESEARCH IN MOTION ROGERS COMMUNICATIONS SAIC