The folks over at BusinessInsider were kind enough to post the presentation from Nomura Chief Economist Richard Koo's speech to George Soros' Institute for New Economic Thinking this weekend. The presentation lays out in clear detail how the U.S. and Europe are in the midst of a balance sheet recession. Koo draws comparisons between the Japanese example, exhibited from … [Read more...]
Asia's First Cap and Trade Scheme Launched in Tokyo
Demand for Carbon Credit Trading is Expected to Skyrocket The Tokyo Metropolitan Government recently launched Asia's first mandatory program to cut carbon emissions. The program will cover approximately 1,400 industries, commercial buildings and large office buildings within Tokyo. According to the Sustainability and Climate Change Reporter, “the Tokyo … [Read more...]
Global Corporate Tax Trends for 2010: An Overview of 183 Countries.
The World Bank Group's Doing Business Project recently released the 2010 edition of its Paying Taxes Report. The report is unique in that it measures the ease of paying taxes across 183 economies, by assessing the time required for companies to prepare and file tax returns and pay taxes, and also the company’s total tax liability as a percentage of commercial profits. The … [Read more...]
Switzerland and United States Reach Landmark Agreement in UBS Tax Case
Swiss Parliament Must Still Approve Amended Protocol The CBS news magazine 60 Minutes featured a story on January 3, 2010 concerning the tax controversy between Switzerland and the United States over Switzerland's secretive banking industry. At the time, it appeared there would be no end in sight to the impasse. 60 Minutes: A Crack in the Swiss Vault Yesterday, however, … [Read more...]
The BRICfast Club: A Series of Posts Dedicated to Brazil, Russia, India and China (Part II)
India Needs Massive Investment in Physical Infrastructure to Catch China Growth This is the second in a series of posts dedicated to the BRIC countries. While the late John Hughes would have appreciated the titular tribute to his Breakfast Club classic, the series is meant to stimulate a robust discussion among those interested in the subject. For the uninitiated, BRIC is an … [Read more...]
WTO Forecasts 10% Increase in Global Trade for 2010
The World Trade Organization (WTO) forecasts a significant increase in global trade this year as international commerce continues its rapid recovery. Emerging market exports will lead the recovery with a rise of 11% compared to with 7.5% for developed economies. This comes as great news after the unprecedented speed of the collapse in world trade volumes in late … [Read more...]
Internationalization of the Internet: Be Among the First to Register an Internet Domain Name in a Foreign Script
Countries will soon be able to apply for internet addresses using characters from their national languages. The first Internet addresses containing non-Latin characters from start to finish will soon be online. In January, the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers, known as ICANN, paved the way for an entire domain name to appear in Cyrillic for Russia … [Read more...]
How to Set Up a Business in Japan (And Other Business Wisdom)
Fall Seven Times, Stand Up Eight. -- Old Japanese Proverb Remember Japan? Well, Michael Shuman of Time magazine does. He’s written … [Read more...]
How To Get An Export License in 7 Steps
There’s never been a better time to expand your business internationally. Opening up revenue streams from other parts of the word is one of the best way to send your sales soaring to new heights. The good news is that most products can be exported without having to obtain a U.S. export license. However, if you are exporting anything on the U.S. Department of … [Read more...]
UK Investors Offered Amnesty Under Liechtenstein Tax Deal
In a trend that could spread to other jurisdictions, Liechtenstein is asking wealthy UK investors who have assets hidden abroad to take advantage of its “unique and attractive” amnesty program. The agreement reached between the UK and Liechtenstein combines generous terms with a promise by the principality to close the accounts of customers who could not prove they … [Read more...]