If you have invested any money in gold, you may be jumping for joy right now as the price of gold has climbed to an all-time high on Wednesday. Whereas the previous high for gold was set on March 18, 2008, at $1,003.20 an ounce, gold is now worth $1,020.20 an ounce due to a sagging dollar and concerns about inflation.
 
The dollar, however, has fallen to a one-year low thanks to increased optimism in global economic recovery and many investors’ desire to acquire riskier assets, such as stocks. According to most analysts, the weakness of the dollar is the main …read more

While many experts in the United States are breathing a sigh of relief thanks to signs that the economy may be turning around, Japan is currently seeing some ominous signs. Japan, which has the world’s second largest economy, saw unemployment rise to a level it hasn’t seen since the end of World War II.
In July, Japan’s unemployment rate was 5.7%. In June, it was 5.4%. The previous post-World War II record was 5.5% in 2003. According to the latest stats, for every 100 job seekers, only 42 jobs are available.
Experts in the country think that unemployment could reach 6% at …read more

If you think your small business isn’t affected by changes on the other side of the globe, think again. In today’s world we are all affected by each other. In other words, it’s a small world, smaller than you think. Even if your small business is a one man (or woman) show, it’s still probably more global than you think.

The parts you use to make your product may come from China, or Japan.
The customer service person you talk to about the copier you just purchased may be from India, or Mexico.
With today’s communication methods, and the power of the internet, …read more

With many nations around the world struggling in this current economic climate, it’s not too much of a surprise that China’s exports are suffering. Compared to May of 2008, this May saw exports drop by about 26.5%.
While that is a massive drop, it’s comparable to the 25.7% drop that occurred in February. Ever since the final few months of 2008, exports from China have struggled mightily.
In China, the drop in exports has led to a huge number of job losses. Factory job losses alone are in the millions.
As China waits for the global economy to recover, the Chinese government is …read more

Japan, which has the largest economy in the world outside of the United States, is feeling the affects of the worldwide economic mess. According to the Kaoru Yosano, the finance minister of Japan, the country will need more than $200 billion in public spending to help Japan reverse their recession.
Japan has seen its economy contract massively in recent months. Many experts believe that Japan is on pace to see their economy contract by a double-digit percentage amount in 2009 alone.
Although there are many factors that have led to Japan’s troubles, the United States being in a recession of their own …read more