4Fisher Capital Management News: Commodity Markets 2010

The performance of the commodity markets remains very impressive.

Speculative activity is a major factor, and supply shortages, often the

result of adverse weather conditions, are also providing considerable

support; but there is clearly a view amongst both traders and investors

that the general level of prices is too low, and that they will move

higher. Over the longer-term that view is likely to prove to be justified.

Commodity markets have been extremely volatile over the past month,

rising strongly in the early part of the period, but falling back sharply

towards month-end concerns about the effects of the austerity measures

being introduced in Europe, and indications of a continuing slowdown

in China, have combined to increase fears but for most of the past

month traders and investors apparently decided that the gloom was

overdone; and commodity prices also benefited from some “safe haven”

buying by investment funds.

Base metal prices are still ending the month higher overall, but below

recent levels, with the further sharp rise in the tin price as the outstanding

feature; and food prices have also moved higher, with the continuing

surge in wheat prices as the outstanding feature of these markets, to

provide further support for the view that the era of cheap food is

coming to an end. The gold price has also improved, as investors have

sought “safe havens in the present storm”; but oil prices have fallen

back.

Base metal prices are closing higher again over the past month. Zinc

and tin prices still ended sharply higher, but overall improvements

elsewhere were fairly modest.

Chinese demand remains a critical factor in these markets. It is this

demand that has been the main driving force over recent months, and

that has pushed iron ore prices to record levels and enabled other metal

prices to recover from the lows of the recent recession.

Soft commodity markets have provided a mixed performance over the

past month, but prices are generally higher. The exceptions have been

the cocoa price, which has continued to fall as weather conditions in

the Ivory Coast have improved, crop estimates have been pushed higher,

and the effects of the technical squeeze created by the decision by

Armajaro, the London-based hedge fund, to take delivery of around

7% of the world’s annual cocoa bean production last month, have

eased; and soya-bean prices are also basically unchanged over the

month. But elsewhere there has been a sharp rise in Arabica coffee

prices, and a further improvement in the sugar price.

However the main interest over the month has been in the wheat

market, after the massive price gains, and also in other grain markets.

The most significant events during the month were the decision by the

Russian authorities to ban the export of wheat and other grains until

year-end because of the drought that has devastated crops and caused

widespread fires across the country; and to ask other neighbouring

countries to take similar action.

It is not yet clear how they will respond; but the action has already

created widespread concern.

Russia was the world’s third largest wheat exporter last year, sending

18.3 million tons abroad, and so the decision to ban exports for the

rest of the year has had a dramatic effect on prices. Attempts have been

made to limit the price gains, with the US Department of Agriculture

in particular indicating that US stockpiles of wheat are close to 30

million tons and at a 23 year high, and the UN Food and Agriculture

Organisation insisting that global stocks are more than adequate to

cope with the shortfall, even if other neighbouring countries join the

Russian ban.

But these countries were expected to supply around one quarter of

total global wheat exports this year, and so the panic conditions in the

markets have not been significantly eased. Evidence of significant

purchases of US grain by China for the first time in a decade have also

added to the concerns about the availability of global supplies, and

made it even more difficult to assess the full consequences of the Russian

decision; but it seems unlikely that the surge in the prices of wheat and

other grains in over.

After rising sharply in late-July and early-August, oil prices have

subsequently fallen back towards the $70 per barrel level. There have

been warnings from the International Energy Agency that “the short-

term global economic outlook is highly uncertain, presenting significant

downside risks to future oil demand growth”; there has been a cautious

view of future oil demand from OPEC; and also a report from the US

Department of Energy that US stockpiles of crude oil and refined

products have risen to their highest levels since weekly records began

in 1990. Much will depend on future demand in the US and in China;

but the fundamentals do not seem to point to an early and sustained

improvement in prices unless there is a serious deterioration in political

conditions in the Middle East.

The swing in sentiment towards a more cautious view of global economic

prospects, and the renewed concerns about sovereign debt defaults in

Europe, have provided further encouragement for investors to seek

“safe havens” in the present uncertain situation, and this has led to a

significant rally in the gold price over the past month.

The dollar has recovered well from weakness earlier in the month, and

so the fear of dollar weakness has not been a factor pushing the gold

price higher this month. The evidence that the sovereign debt crisis is

far from being resolved, and the indications of increased Chinese

buying of gold, have all helped to push the price higher. The latest

strength may well lead to a further period of profit-taking; but given

the present international situation, it would be unwise to assume that

the improving trend in precious metal prices is over.

Fisher Capital Management Korea is a leading global financial institution holding extensive relationships with financial institutions, institutional investors and corporations across the world. As a full service company Fisher Capital Management Korea provides a full range of investment banking services including advanced risk management, corporate strategy and structure, plus raising capital through debt and equity markets. With this as our backbone we continue to provide a client service second to none.

World Trade 2010: Fisher Capital Management

One of the more encouraging developments has been the rapid recovery

in the level of world trade. The recession in 2009 had a dramatic effect,

and the volume of world exports dropped by around 12%.

But largely because large parts of the global economy, and especially

China and other countries in South East Asia, were relatively unaffected

by the recession, the rebound in trading volumes had been very

impressive. There is already talk of reviving the Doha round of trade

liberalisation talks that collapsed in 2008. However it will be necessary

for relations between the US and China to improve substantially before

any real progress can be made, and present disagreements suggest that

progress will only be possible at a very slow pace, even if the global

economic recovery remains on track.

Major Equity Markets

Sentiment in the equity markets has been steady over the past month.

Markets in Europe have been unable to resist downward pressure. The

Japanese market is also lower; but there has been resistance amongst

the emerging markets in South East Asia that are supported by more

favourable economic conditions.

The Chinese authorities are obviously determined to prevent their

economy from overheating. The global recovery will therefore only

proceed at a very slow pace, and there may well be setbacks along the

way, although a move into a “double-dip” recession still seems unlikely.

There is also an increased danger of a sovereign debt default by Greece,

and possibly even by Ireland. But the swing in sentiment should not go

too far. So long as monetary policy remains supportive, the global

economic recovery is likely to continue, and this will eventually produce

a sustainable improvement in equity prices. Patience will therefore be

the most important requirement amongst investors until some of the

uncertainties have been resolved.

The Fed is in a very difficult position. The statement after its latest OMC

meeting was cautious about economic prospects, conceding that “the

pace of recovery in output and in employment has slowed in recent

months” and was likely to be “more modest” than anticipated in the

near-term. But monetary policy was left basically unchanged at the

meeting, perhaps because of the “unusual uncertainty” about prospects,

and this caused some disappointment. However there is little doubt

that further monetary easing will be introduced if the position continues

to deteriorate, because the bank’s main priority is to try to maintain

some momentum in the economy. And fiscal policy is also likely to

remain supportive, despite the massive size of the existing deficit.

Congress has been reluctant to authorise additional spending

programmes; but there is intense political pressure ahead of the elections

in November, and further programmes seem likely

Fisher Capital Management Korea is a leading global financial institution holding extensive relationships with financial institutions, institutional investors and corporations across the world. As a full service company Fisher Capital Management Korea provides a full range of investment banking services including advanced risk management, corporate strategy and structure, plus raising capital through debt and equity markets. With this as our backbone we continue to provide a client service second to none.

Major Equity Markets 2010: Fisher Capital Management Part 1

Sentiment in the equity markets has been steady over the past month.

Markets in Europe have been unable to resist downward pressure. The

Japanese market is also lower; but there has been resistance amongst

the emerging markets in South East Asia that are supported by more

favourable economic conditions.

The Chinese authorities are obviously determined to prevent their

economy from overheating. The global recovery will therefore only

proceed at a very slow pace, and there may well be setbacks along the

way, although a move into a “double-dip” recession still seems unlikely.

There is also an increased danger of a sovereign debt default by Greece,

and possibly even by Ireland. But the swing in sentiment should not go

too far. So long as monetary policy remains supportive, the global

economic recovery is likely to continue, and this will eventually produce

a sustainable improvement in equity prices. Patience will therefore be

the most important requirement amongst investors until some of the

uncertainties have been resolved.

The Fed is in a very difficult position. The statement after its latest OMC

meeting was cautious about economic prospects, conceding that “the

pace of recovery in output and in employment has slowed in recent

months” and was likely to be “more modest” than anticipated in the

near-term. But monetary policy was left basically unchanged at the

meeting, perhaps because of the “unusual uncertainty” about prospects,

and this caused some disappointment. However there is little doubt

that further monetary easing will be introduced if the position continues

to deteriorate, because the bank’s main priority is to try to maintain

some momentum in the economy. And fiscal policy is also likely to

remain supportive, despite the massive size of the existing deficit.

Congress has been reluctant to authorise additional spending

programmes; but there is intense political pressure ahead of the elections

in November, and further programmes seem likely.

The critical question for investors therefore is whether the continued

monetary and fiscal support will be enough. They have been prepared

to adopt a bullish attitude to the situation, and this mood has been

helped by an encouraging flow of corporate earnings results that have

often exceeded expectations, and confirmed that the corporate sector

has been coping well so far with a difficult situation.

The gloom should not be overdone. So long as monetary policy remains

supportive, we believe that the odds favour the continuation of the

slow recovery, and that this will eventually produce better market

conditions.

Mainland European markets have fallen back sharply over the past

month, after the strong rally. There has been evidence of a further

improvement in the economic background in the euro-zone, and second

quarter corporate results have generally been encouraging; but the

signs of weakness in the US economy and the slowdown in China has

raised doubts about whether the German export performance that has

been providing most of the momentum for the recovery can be

maintained; and there have also been renewed concerns about the

possibility of debt defaults amongst the weaker member countries of

the zone. The markets have therefore been unable to resist downward

pressure.

The euro-zone economy improved much faster than expected in the

second quarter of the year. Growth is estimated to have been around

the 1% level, the fastest quarterly level for three years; and this has

eased the fears about a move into a “double-dip” recession, at least for

the moment. But it is a two-speed recovery, with the German economy

estimated to have grown by 2.2% during the quarter, the Netherlands

economy by 0.9%, and the French economy by 0.6%, but with Spain

and Portugal basically unchanged and the Greek economy falling further

into recession. With domestic demand weak, it is therefore essential

that overseas demand remains buoyant if German exports are going

to continue to drive the overall economy forward; but this is now very

uncertain, and so growth projections for the rest of this year and for

2011 are still fairly cautious.

However the European Central Bank is maintaining its optimistic view

of prospects. Speaking before the latest figures were announced, the

chairman, Jean Claude Trichet, argued that the second quarter outturn

would be better than expected, that there would also be an encouraging

result in the third quarter, and that there was no prospect of a move

into a “double-dip” recession.

Fisher Capital Management Korea is a leading global financial institution holding extensive relationships with financial institutions, institutional investors and corporations across the world. As a full service company Fisher Capital Management Korea provides a full range of investment banking services including advanced risk management, corporate strategy and structure, plus raising capital through debt and equity markets. With this as our backbone we continue to provide a client service second to none.

  

Sentiment in the equity markets has been steady over the past month.

Markets in Europe have been unable to resist downward pressure. The

Japanese market is also lower; but there has been resistance amongst

the emerging markets in South East Asia that are supported by more

favourable economic conditions.

The Chinese authorities are obviously determined to prevent their

economy from overheating. The global recovery will therefore only

proceed at a very slow pace, and there may well be setbacks along the

way, although a move into a “double-dip” recession still seems unlikely.

There is also an increased danger of a sovereign debt default by Greece,

and possibly even by Ireland. But the swing in sentiment should not go

too far. So long as monetary policy remains supportive, the global

economic recovery is likely to continue, and this will eventually produce

a sustainable improvement in equity prices. Patience will therefore be

the most important requirement amongst investors until some of the

uncertainties have been resolved.

The Fed is in a very difficult position. The statement after its latest OMC

meeting was cautious about economic prospects, conceding that “the

pace of recovery in output and in employment has slowed in recent

months” and was likely to be “more modest” than anticipated in the

near-term. But monetary policy was left basically unchanged at the

meeting, perhaps because of the “unusual uncertainty” about prospects,

and this caused some disappointment. However there is little doubt

that further monetary easing will be introduced if the position continues

to deteriorate, because the bank’s main priority is to try to maintain

some momentum in the economy. And fiscal policy is also likely to

remain supportive, despite the massive size of the existing deficit.

Congress has been reluctant to authorise additional spending

programmes; but there is intense political pressure ahead of the elections

in November, and further programmes seem likely.

The critical question for investors therefore is whether the continued

monetary and fiscal support will be enough. They have been prepared

to adopt a bullish attitude to the situation, and this mood has been

helped by an encouraging flow of corporate earnings results that have

often exceeded expectations, and confirmed that the corporate sector

has been coping well so far with a difficult situation.

The gloom should not be overdone. So long as monetary policy remains

supportive, we believe that the odds favour the continuation of the

slow recovery, and that this will eventually produce better market

conditions.

Mainland European markets have fallen back sharply over the past

month, after the strong rally. There has been evidence of a further

improvement in the economic background in the euro-zone, and second

quarter corporate results have generally been encouraging; but the

signs of weakness in the US economy and the slowdown in China has

raised doubts about whether the German export performance that has

been providing most of the momentum for the recovery can be

maintained; and there have also been renewed concerns about the

possibility of debt defaults amongst the weaker member countries of

the zone. The markets have therefore been unable to resist downward

pressure.

The euro-zone economy improved much faster than expected in the

second quarter of the year. Growth is estimated to have been around

the 1% level, the fastest quarterly level for three years; and this has

eased the fears about a move into a “double-dip” recession, at least for

the moment. But it is a two-speed recovery, with the German economy

estimated to have grown by 2.2% during the quarter, the Netherlands

economy by 0.9%, and the French economy by 0.6%, but with Spain

and Portugal basically unchanged and the Greek economy falling further

into recession. With domestic demand weak, it is therefore essential

that overseas demand remains buoyant if German exports are going

to continue to drive the overall economy forward; but this is now very

uncertain, and so growth projections for the rest of this year and for

2011 are still fairly cautious.

However the European Central Bank is maintaining its optimistic view

of prospects. Speaking before the latest figures were announced, the

chairman, Jean Claude Trichet, argued that the second quarter outturn

would be better than expected, that there would also be an encouraging

result in the third quarter, and that there was no prospect of a move

into a “double-dip” recession.

Fisher Capital Management Korea is a leading global financial institution holding extensive relationships with financial institutions, institutional investors and corporations across the world. As a full service company Fisher Capital Management Korea provides a full range of investment banking services including advanced risk management, corporate strategy and structure, plus raising capital through debt and equity markets. With this as our backbone we continue to provide a client service second to none.

Fisher Capital Management - Japan Elects a New Premier Part 1

Fisher Capital Management Eight and a half months after riding the Democratic Party of Japan’s (DPJ) historic lower house victory into office, Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama announced his resignation, having haphazardly frittered away a chest brimming with political capital.

Major newspapers said that Hatoyama was resigning mainly for two reasons: his failure to keep his promise to relocate the functions of US Marine Corps Air Station Futenma, Okinawa, out of Okinawa Prefecture, and a political funding scandal that included his mother’s provision of some ¥1.26 billion to him over years.

Following Hatoyama’s resignation, Minister of Finance Naoto Kan was elected as the new Prime Minister, the fifth in four years. At his inaugural press conference Kan proposed a comprehensive reconstruction of the economy, public finance, and social security as his priority, in addition to reforming public administration, and conducting responsible diplomatic and defence policy.

Fisher Capital Management Report- Japan Elects a New Premier Part 1: The biggest question surrounding the once-popular new government is whether Kan can really turn over a new leaf for the DPJ. In his first policy speech to the Diet as prime minister, Kan sought to set his administration apart from the previous one by vowing to build “a strong economy, strong finances and strong social welfare”.

Kan stressed the need to jolt Japan out of its currently weak state, which he attributed to “anaemic economic growth, ballooning public debt and dwindling public trust in the viability of Japan's social security system”.

Observers and practitioners believe that the government is unlikely to announce any significant new policy initiatives, as Kan was already one of the main architects behind the previous administration’s economic policy, although some changes have just been announced in the DPJ election manifesto for the Upper House

election. For instance it drops the promise of doubling monthly child allowances to ¥26000 next year.

“I hope to carry over the torch of rebuilding Japan passed on to me by Hatoyama”, he observed at a press conference after his election. Alan Feldman, chief economist at Morgan Stanley in Japan, says that “although Kan’s initial speech did include some new elements, the main message was continuity with Hatoyama’s economic policies. Investors are likely to welcome the innovations, but to remain sceptical of the overall philosophy”.

However, economists believe Kan will face a mountain of challenges both at home and abroad in the near future. First, he needs to rebuild that political capital ahead of the upper house elections. Public support for the DPJ has recovered sharply after his appointment suggesting that voters have, for now, forgiven the ruling Democrats for the previous leaders’ policy mistakes. But it remains to be seen whether the initial popularity of the Kan administration will translate into a strong performance, and whether Kan will ultimately be given a strong enough mandate to push through difficult policy decisions.

Major newspaper polls give Prime Minister approval ratings of between 60 and 70 percent; but such ratings can be very fickle. The election will be an uphill battle for the DPJ. The DPJ is without one of its coalition partners, the Social Democratic Party who left the ruling camp over Hatoyama’s failure to remove the US base from Okinawa, as demanded by its leader, Mizuho Fukushima. The two parties that remain, the DPJ and the People’s New Party, hold 122 of the upper house’s 242 seats, the slimmest majority possible. Should the coalition lose that majority in the coming election, it would mean a split Diet — its majority would only remain in the lower house. And that would make passing bills extremely difficult.

Fisher Capital Management Report- Japan Elects a New Premier Part 1: Kan will have plenty on the economic front too. In terms of fiscal policy, as a former Finance minister he has turned into a fiscal conservative, having been a champion of funnelling revenue from higher taxes toward government spending in order to achieve economic growth. “Economic growth, fiscal reconstruction and social welfare reform will be achieved together”, he told reporters. 

The UK Emergency Budget - Fisher Capital Management Report Part 1

Fisher Capital Management Report - The UK has had an emergency budget and it could have been much worse. The heavy lifting is being done by a rise in VAT bringing in £13 billion. On the spending side the cuts are achieved by freezing public sector pay, indexing state benefits to the CPI rather than the faster-rising RPI and freezing child benefits. State pensions will be indexed to the higher of wages or the CPI but the pension age will be raised to 66 fairly soon.

The disappointment for the UK is on the tax side where compromises with the worst aspects of the Lib Dems are apparent. CGT goes up to 28% for top earners … a mistake.

The UK Emergency Budget - Fisher Capital Management Report: The 50% top tax rate and associated rise in the top marginal rate on pensions have been left alone. There is a Bank Levy bringing in £2 billion … defensible, just, at this level but it needs remembering that taxpayers generally make money out of bailouts because they get assets at knock-down prices and are able to hold them until times are better. Then there are cuts in corporation taxes on both large and big firms, which is to be welcomed.

But there is no clear logic here; no sense that the tax system is to be remoulded, to give incentives for entrepreneurs, inward investors to the UK and indeed home investors.

The main question that most people will be asking is whether the fiscal arithmetic will come off and the deficit come down as planned to 1.1% of GDP by 2015/16. The answer depends entirely now on growth. Contrary to most people’s comments, cutting spending as planned is not really that difficult.

The UK Emergency Budget - Fisher Capital Management Report: Much of it will involve simply freezing rogrammes in real terms and also cutting pay in real terms, which the announced freeze on pay will do. Probably some programmes can actually be cut without much trouble given the considerable decline in public sector productivity in the last decade … in other words value for money in the public sector has never been worse.

The main issue is whether UK GDP will grow as forecast, at 2–3% in the next few years. If it does, then revenues will recover substantially.

Already the PSBR figures have come in some £10 billion below the original projections and that seems to be because the original growth figures for 2010 were too low.

There are good reasons for thinking growth of this order will occur. The world economy is recovering rapidly, led by the East — China, India and East Asia. These countries are achieving extremely rapid rates of productivity growth by moving people out of low productivity agriculture mainly into high-productivity manufacturing. Hence their fast growth.

The problem for the West is that these countries also pre-empt available supplies of raw materials such as oil. So if the West grows any faster than its present moderate recovery, it would trigger renewed surges in raw material prices, which in turn would reduce Western productivity growth (factories are less profitable as those prices rise).

So there is a built-in drag on western growth. But nevertheless growth of the 2–3% order is in line with productivity growth at current raw material prices.

One concern for the UK is whether the spending cuts and tax rises themselves will derail the recovery. This is something that Labour is emphasizing.

However, the programme is spread out over five years and this should be gradual enough to be absorbed with monetary policy remaining supportive.

China - World's First Internal Combustion Engine Manufacturing Power by Fisher Capital Equipment Update

Fisher Capital Equipment Management Update- China has become the world's first internal combustion engine manufacturing power - engine oil - construction machinery industry. Avoid online internet scams; get latest updates on Fisher Capital Equipment Management website.  At Tianjin University in a few days ago " Energy Power "Academic Forum, Tianjin University, State Key Laboratory of Combustion Yao Ming-Fa fellow director, said China's current annual production has more than 60 million internal combustion units, is the world's first internal combustion engine manufacturing country. With internal combustion engine as the power source of the power system in the next 30-50 years is still the main driving force for most, it will be the internal combustion engine energy saving energy saving in China the main battlefield of the future

 "Energy and Power," Academic Forum, Tianjin University to celebrate the State Key Laboratory of Combustion opened in 20 years held. Forums, including the Chinese Academy of Sciences Gob, the Chinese Academy of Engineering, Hui Guo, Tianjin University, State Key Laboratory of Combustion chief scientist Wan-Hua Su, China FAW Car Research chief engineer Li Kang and other experts, including prior agreement will concern the focus of great concern in the current domestic and international economic  and energy savings on carbon.

China - world's first internal combustion engine manufacturing power – Fisher Capital Equipment Update. Avoid online internet scams; get latest updates on Fisher Capital Equipment Management website. Researcher, according to Yao Ming-Fa, the internal combustion engine Oil Oil consumption is about 66% of total consumption, China's dependence on oil imports more than 50%. Engine emissions and noise are also major sources of air and the environment, the city more than 50% of the harmful gases from motor vehicle emissions from combustion engines. "But the burning Engine Still the main power source in the future, fuel efficient and clean burning combustion technology is still theoretical and academic frontier. Conventional internal combustion engine is still 50% of the energy potential of renewable fuels, new synthetic fuel efficient and clean combustion is an important aspect of new energy to pursue low-carbon power has become an important international political issues, combustion engine fuel diversification energy diversification is a trend. “

 Laboratory Academic Committee, Chinese Academy of Sciences said Xu Jianzhong, although in recent decades, fossil energy is still the main source of energy, but from now on to create carbon-free, low-carbon energy system, the occupation of energy technology and industrial high ground, China's Industrial development.

1989 Tianjin University completed an open State Key Laboratory of Engine Combustion engine of China's only State Key Laboratory of the field. Combination of the laboratory "energy", "environment" and "power" major national needs and international academic front, the main research interests include internal combustion engine combustion process and optimum control of the internal combustion engine generates harmful emissions, and atmospheric environmental impact post-processing technology research, alternative fuels and new engine Power Plant Study, dynamic mechanical structural strength, vibration, noise and lubrication technology research.

Experts at the forum agreed that the green energy and low-carbon economy is becoming the leading technology and industrial revolution in the next major direction of our country is facing domestic pressure to reduce carbon emissions, carbon emissions will be the internal combustion engine technology to drive future the development of one of the main sources of power. The face of this international situation, Yao Ming-fa introducing the laboratory researcher, said the future direction of development, energy-efficient internal combustion engine and reduce harmful emissions and reducing carbon emissions are the characteristics of the laboratory, while the aircraft engines, space propulsion in the field expansion side laboratory has also made encouraging progress. "We will continue to innovate and operational mechanisms to accelerate the pace of development, take on the achievement of national goals of scientific research and high-level personnel training duty. Efforts to build a world-class laboratory research center of the engine, to meet China in the 'energy,' 'Environment' and 'advanced power' to make a significant contribution to the demand. "

Fisher Capital Management News: Equity Markets

Equity Markets: All the major equity markets, and most of the emerging

markets, Are stable over the past month. There had been expectations

that the Fed might introduce further quantitative easing measures at

its recent OMC meeting, and this provided some support for the markets

in the early part of the month; but it made only very modest.

Government Bond Markets: The major government bond markets have

made further significant gains over the past month, despite the funding

pressures resulting form huge fiscal deficits, and the renewed concerns

about debt defaults.

Short-term interest rates have remained low, and monetary policy has

been supportive; but it has been the enhanced “safe haven” status of

these markets that has provided most of the momentum, as investors

have sought “shelter from the current storm”. However the moves have

surprised most commentators, and this has led to warnings about “bond

bubbles” that will not be sustained.

Financial Markets: Sentiment in the financial markets has deteriorated.

Signs of slowdown in the Chinese economy, have produced a much

more cautious view of prospects for the rest of this year and in 2011;

and there have been renewed fears about banking problems in Europe,

and the likelihood of sovereign debt defaults. There have also been

further indications of the conflicting views of central banks about the

most appropriate response to the current problems.

Currency Markets: Uncertainty has been the main feature of the

currency markets over the past month. The dollar has recovered from

earlier weakness after the Fed made only very modest changes in its

monetary policy at the latest OMC meeting, and is ending the period

basically unchanged; sterling has weakened slightly against the dollar

but is higher against the euro; and the euro has also fallen back against

most other currencies as the fears about sovereign debt defaults in

Europe have increased.

But the feature of the currency markets over the month has been the

sharp appreciation of the yen because of its enhanced “safe haven”

status. The move is obviously an unwelcome development for the

Japanese authorities, and there has been considerable speculation about

intervention by the Bank of Japan to reverse it; but there has been no

action so far.

Short-Term Rates: There have been no changes in short-term rates in

the major financial centres this month.

Commodity markets have followed the trend in the other markets,

improving in the early part of the period, but falling back towards

month-end.

The main features have been the continued strength of wheat prices

after the Russian decision to suspend wheat and grain exports, and the

sharp fall in oil prices.

Fisher Capital Management Korea is a leading global financial institution holding extensive relationships with financial institutions, institutional investors and corporations across the world. As a full service company Fisher Capital Management Korea provides a full range of investment banking services including advanced risk management, corporate strategy and structure, plus raising capital through debt and equity markets. With this as our backbone we continue to provide a client service second to none.