Daily Digest 6/18 - The Nonna State, World Leaders Meet In Mexico

• China Closes Window on Economic Debate, Protecting Dominance of State
• As Greeks Head to Polls Again, a Fear That No One Will Win
• Worried Banks Resist Fiscal Union
• Bron Suchecki: The Role of Arbitrage in Precious Metals Markets
• The Nonna State
• World Leaders Meet in a Mexico Now Giving Brazil a Run for Its Money
• The Importance of Seagrass in Removing Carbon from the Atmosphere

Economy

China Closes Window on Economic Debate, Protecting Dominance of State (jdargis)

“It’s not a good time to speak out for reforms, but it’s a good time to speak out against them,” said Li Shuguang, a professor at the China University of Politics and Law. “The government doesn’t encourage debate.”

As Greeks Head to Polls Again, a Fear That No One Will Win (jdargis)

The winner will also face an uphill battle to inject confidence into a paralyzed economy that depends heavily on the continued infusion of money by the European Central Bank. The Frankfurt-based bank has become the last lifeline for a financial system that has all but seized up and a deficit-ridden government that has little ability to raise new revenues or borrow money to continue its operations.

Worried Banks Resist Fiscal Union (jdargis)

“Why do you think European banks won’t lend to Spanish banks?” asked Karel Lanoo, chief executive of the Brussels-based Center for European Policy Studies and an expert on bank regulation in Europe. “Because they do not trust Spanish regulators. Has Citigroup stopped lending to California? No — what we need is a single banking supervisor and a single settlement system like in the United States. And we have no time to lose.”

Bron Suchecki: The Role of Arbitrage in Precious Metals Markets (Erik T.)

Few investors are fully aware of the extent to which arbitrage influences precious metals markets, including Commitment of Traders reports and other data commonly used in fundamental analysis. In this interview, Perth Mint's Bron Suchecki gives listeners the low-down on how price is transmitted through arbitrage between both physical locations and various investment instruments.

The Nonna State (Ben Johnson)

The family state isn't just cultural, says Katherine Newman, an authority on the working poor and economic mobility at Johns Hopkins University. In modern times, family ties have compensated for welfare systems that aren't extensive or efficient enough to help needy populations. Northern European countries spend far more on social services, excluding health care, than their southern neighbors, and it is no coincidence that in countries such as Denmark, Sweden and Norway, intergenerational bonds are weaker than in Italy and Spain.

World Leaders Meet in a Mexico Now Giving Brazil a Run for Its Money (jdargis)

In contrast to the widening crisis in the euro zone, which will be the focus of the talks, Mexico will be able to point to 17 years of macroeconomic stability, low inflation, manageable debt, an open economy and increasing competitiveness. The gross domestic product expanded 3.9 percent last year, ahead of Brazil’s growth of 2.7 percent.

The Importance of Seagrass in Removing Carbon from the Atmosphere (OPA)

The ocean is actually the largest carbon sink, sequestering about 25 percent of global carbon emissions, and whilst seagrass covers less than one percent of the ocean floor, it accounts for10 percent of the carbon trapped in the ocean each year.

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