Japan To Further Ease Monetary Policy

"They have already done QE I, QE II, now there will be a third round, and the third round might be larger than the smaller amount of quantitative easing that they have done so far." - in reuters

Related: iShares MSCI Japan Index (ETF) (NYSE:EWJ)

Japan Is Going To Need A Significant Depreciation Of The Yen

"Japan is going to need a significant depreciation of the yen to increase its net exports because domestic demand is going to be anemic for a while. Therefore on a fundamental basis, the yen is going to be much weaker rather than stronger because you need improvement of external balance given the shock to the domestic economy." - in CNBC Asia

Bloomberg Video Interview: Japanese Earthquake, Euro Zone Debt Problems And Markets

Video: Roubini Says Japan Quake 'Worst Thing' at Worst Time

March 11 (Bloomberg) -- Nouriel Roubini, founder of Roubini Global Economics, discusses the earthquake in Japan and the European debt crisis. He talks with Maryam Nemazee on Bloomberg Television's "The Pulse." (Source: Bloomberg)

If Oil Goes Up Another 15 to 20 Percent...

"If oil goes up another 15 to 20 percent [from the current prices], there's a risk to the US, the Eurozone, Japan." - www.arabianbusiness.com

With Oil At 140 USD, Advanced Economies Will Start To Double Dip

The oil price going up to where it was in the summer of 2008, at $140 a barrel, at that point some of the advanced economies will start to double dip. In the U.S., where growth is accelerating fast, a 15 to 20 percent increase in oil prices, there won’t be double dip but growth reaching a stalled speed again. - in Bloomberg

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European Debt Situation: Portugal & Spain

"I fear that Portugal is going to need an IMF and EU program … I think the biggest issue is going to be Spain, that is right now too big to fail but also too big to save." - in CNBC

Oil Could Rise To 150 Dollars A Barrel If Troubles Spread To Bahrain And Saudi Arabia

“If troubles spread to other countries such as Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, this could push oil prices up to 140 to 150 dollars per per barrel, which could trigger a double-dip recession in the periphery of Europe and the U.K.” - in a Paris conference

Related: Exxon Mobil Corporation (NYSE:XOM), Chevron Corporation (Public, NYSE:CVX), Halliburton Company (NYSE:HAL) , Schlumberger Limited. (NYSE:SLB), Repsol YPF, S.A. (ADR) (NYSE:REP), Murphy Oil Corporation (NYSE:MUR), ConocoPhillips (NYSE:COP), Marathon Oil Corporation (NYSE:MRO), Occidental Petroleum Corporation (NYSE:OXY) , Hess Corp. (NYSE:HES), Petroleo Brasileiro SA (ADR) (NYSE:PBR), United States Oil Fund LP (ETF) (NYSE:USO), iPath S&P GSCI Crude Oil Total Return (NYSE:OIL), Energy Select Sector SPDR (ETF) (NYSE:XLE)

The Muni Bond Market Outlook

"The municipal bond market has generated tremendous debate in the past months, with Cassandras predicting another “subprime” disaster, while apologists (often with vested interests) claim there is little justification for these warnings. We take an unbiased, detailed look at history beyond the halcyon largely default-free post-war era, and an honest assessment of state and local finances, present and future. Our base case sees close to US$100 billion of defaults over five years, but typical 80% recoveries are far higher than on corporate bonds." - in RGE

The Rise Of Protectionism

"Conflicts over trade liberalisation have recently pitted the United States, the European Union, Brazil, China, India, and other emerging economies against one another as each government looks to protect its own workers and industries, often at the expense of outsiders. Officials in many European countries have complained that Ireland's corporate tax rate is too low and last year pushed the Irish government to accept a bailout it needed but did not want. German voters are grousing about the need to bail out poorer European countries, and the citizens of southern European nations are attacking their governments' unwillingness to continue spending beyond their means." in www.cpifinancial.net

Related: iShares MSCI Emerging Markets Indx (ETF) (NYSE:EEM), iShares MSCI Brazil Index (ETF) (NYSE:EWZ), SPDR S&P 500 ETF (NYSE:SPY)

Oil Price Shocks Have Led To Recessions Before

"Oil price shocks have led to US recessions in 1974-75, 1980, 1990, 2001 and 2008-2009. 3 of these were caused by Mid East political shocks" - in Twitter

Oil Was Rising Even Before The Recent Political Shocks In The Middle East

"Even before the recent political shocks in the Middle East, oil prices had increased above 90 dollars a barrel, driven not only by the fundamentals of a global economic recovery but also by non-fundamental factors:

- a wall of liquidity chasing assets and commodities in emerging markets amid near-zero policy rates and quantitative easing in advanced economies;
- momentum and herding behaviour (as in 2007-08);
- and limited and inelastic supply of new oil capacity"

in The Globe And Mail

Related: United States Oil Fund LP (ETF) (NYSE:USO), iPath S&P GSCI Crude Oil Total Return (NYSE:OIL), Energy Select Sector SPDR (ETF) (Public, NYSE:XLE), Exxon Mobil Corporation (NYSE:XOM), Chevron Corporation (NYSE:CVX), Halliburton Company (NYSE:HAL), Schlumberger Limited. (NYSE:SLB), Repsol YPF, S.A. (ADR) (NYSE:REP)