In 1972, Russia’s wheat crop failed. Russia had to dip into the global grain markets to meet demand. Before Washington knew the plight of its Cold War adversary, Russia bought up all of the surplus wheat in the US. Dubbed “The Great Grain Robbery,” Russia’s purchases sent grain prices soaring around the world.
August 10th, 2010 | Chris Mayer | 14 comments | ContinuedAll Posts Tagged With: "russia"
Americans Believe Economy Has Worsened During Past Year
“By an almost 2-to-1 margin Americans believe the economy has worsened rather than improved during the past year, according to a Bloomberg National Poll conducted March 19-22…
April 1st, 2010 | Bill Bonner | 3 comments | Continued
BRIC Nations: The Fundamentals
A few years ago, someone coined the term: BRICs. This was an acronym for the countries of Brazil, Russia, India, and China.
October 15th, 2009 | Chuck Butler | 5 comments | Continued
Britain, the Empire Which Had Paramount Global Power
Historians agree that Britain’s rise as a pre-eminent global power came as a response to changing circumstances and not as a part of a grand master plan; Britain, it has been said, stumbled into an empire.
October 7th, 2009 | Leon Hadar | 3 comments | Continued
For the GSEs the Rest Has Been History
Even though the GSEs enjoyed lower borrowing costs than other corporate borrowers because of their implied U.S. government guarantee, he said, they would face higher borrowing costs if interest rates spiked. If that were to happen, the GSEs would likely be unable to grow their balance sheets or earnings.
May 14th, 2009 | Dan Denning | 1 comment | Continued
When Gold Ruled the Earth, Part II
“It took three generations,” wrote a professional metals consultant in Feb. 2009, “but we now seem to have reached the point in the world’s history where, for the first time, gold is valued only for jewelry use and speculation.
April 27th, 2009 | Adrian Ash | 0 comments | Continued
Buying Gold, Gossip & Russia’s Tu-160 Bombers
Germany in 1944 could buy materials during the war only with gold,” as Sir Alan of Greenspan said in May 1999. Which might (or might not) explain certain events in the gold and T-bond markets of late. Our thoughts attached…
March 19th, 2009 | Adrian Ash | 2 comments | Continued
LNG in 2009
Russia supplies Europe with 25% of its natural gas, and 80% of that gets to Europe via Ukrainian pipelines. The Russians say the gas is being siphoned off illegally and then sold at a higher price. Maybe it is. Maybe it isn’t. Who knows? The real issue is control of the energy resource and the network for transporting it. One is no good without the other. Both are critical, and happened to be owned by competing interests…
January 12th, 2009 | Dan Denning | 2 comments | Continued
Russians Can Cut Off Natural Gas to Europe Anytime They Want
They have the energy; we don’t. If they cut off the gas, it will be a long, cold winter for us…
August 29th, 2008 | Bill Bonner | 7 comments | Continued
The U.S. Took Advantage of Russia During the Soviet Collapse
The U.S. had taken advantage of temporary confusion in Russia, during the ten-year-long post-Soviet-collapse interval, and set up a client government in Georgia…
August 20th, 2008 | James Howard Kunstler | 5 comments | Continued
Red Bear Rising: Russia’s Resource Based Geopolitical Strategy
Is the Red Bear Rising again? We promised a few extra thoughts on what’s going on in the Caucasus yesterday. Here they are. Investors should take note that Russia’s Grand Geopolitical Strategy is resource based (energy and metals).
August 12th, 2008 | Dan Denning | 3 comments | Continued
Price of Oil May Rise Due to Scale of Georgian Conflict
“Oil rises on troubles in Georgia…” The headline is a sign of our time. Today, the world believes in money. In economics. In material progress. Everything else takes second, third, or fourth place. It is easier to see small changes in the price of oil than big changes in the way you look at the world.
August 12th, 2008 | Bill Bonner | 0 comments | Continued
BRIC – Brazil, Russia, India and China Suffer High Rates of Inflation
These four countries are the world’s biggest nations…and its fastest-growing economies. But they are very different one from the other…
July 31st, 2008 | Bill Bonner | 0 comments | Continued
