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What Do They Know That We Don’t?

by Wolf Richter •  • Comments Off on What Do They Know That We Don’t?

Friday evening when no one was supposed to pay attention, Google announced that Executive Chairman Eric Schmidt would sell 3.2 million of his shares in 2013, after having already sold 1.8 million in 2012—suddenly dumping 53% of his Google shares, though he’d sold practically nothing from 2008 through 2011. And Google’s reasons don’t make sense.

French Socialist Nightmare: ‘The State Cannot Do Everything’

by Wolf Richter •  • Comments Off on French Socialist Nightmare: ‘The State Cannot Do Everything’

The preannouncement came Thursday evening: PSA Peugeot Citroën, France’s largest automaker, would have a write-down of €4.7 billion. On top of a hefty operating loss. It would be colossal. An all-time record. Rumors spread immediately that PSA would need a bailout. The second in four months.

The New Reality Of ‘Economic Recovery’ For American Workers

by Wolf Richter •  • Comments Off on The New Reality Of ‘Economic Recovery’ For American Workers

Despite optimism-mongering in the media, in certain quarters of Washington, and elsewhere, we’ve had indication after indication in the economic data that American workers have not benefited from whatever lousy progress has been made in nudging up GDP. But now we know from the horse’s mouth: they’re mired in a tough new reality that is getting worse.

French Workers Threaten To Blow Up Their Factory

by Wolf Richter •  • Comments Off on French Workers Threaten To Blow Up Their Factory

Tuesday morning, the 168 remaining employees of DMI in Vaux, a tiny town near Montluçon in the Department of Allier, smack-dab in the middle of France, rigged about ten gas cylinders throughout the factory they’d been occupying and threatened to blow it up—unless their demands were met. Another day in the decline of the private sector à la Française.

College Graduates Are The New Debt Slaves

by Contributor •  • Comments Off on College Graduates Are The New Debt Slaves

Contributed by Chriss Street. With the average cost of attending college in America at $120,000, a family of four should expect their children’s college to cost more than a home. Yet, optimism about the value of education provided justification for students to borrow $42 billion from the US this year. And many of them will end up as student-loan debt slaves. 

French Government Fears ‘Social Implosions Or Explosions’

by Wolf Richter •  • Comments Off on French Government Fears ‘Social Implosions Or Explosions’

The drumbeat of layoffs and plant closures has been riling up desperate workers who have little hope of finding a job elsewhere, with unemployment at 10.5%. But now the Socialist government, worried about a “radicalization” of these angry workers, has instructed police intelligence services to keep an eye on them. Not exactly one of the campaign promises.

The Confidence Crisis In Spain Sends Out Shock Waves

by Wolf Richter •  • Comments Off on The Confidence Crisis In Spain Sends Out Shock Waves

It should have been an exciting event for Spanish Prime Minister Rajoy: a tête-à-tête with German Chancellor Merkel. Afterwards, he’d stand next to her, illuminated by her glory. He’d brag about implementing structural reforms, cleaning up banks, and moving Spain forward. She’d endorse him with her benevolent smile. Instead, it was a slugfest about corruption.

The Putrid Smell Suddenly Emanating From European Banks

by Wolf Richter •  • Comments Off on The Putrid Smell Suddenly Emanating From European Banks

By now we should have gotten used to the odor emanating from banks—bailouts, money laundering, Libor rate-rigging, the other misdeeds. But in Europe over the last few days, it was particularly dense. “In this uncertain world, I cannot exclude anything,” said Deutsche Bank co-CEO reassuringly.

Chevron Whacked By Record Fine so Small it Might Not Notice

by Wolf Richter •  • Comments Off on Chevron Whacked By Record Fine so Small it Might Not Notice

The California Division of Occupational Safety & Health just slammed Chevron with massive, record-breaking penalties related to the refinery in Richmond—the one that ended up in a fireball last August and caused 15,000 people to seek medical treatment. Purpose: to teach the mega-company an excruciatingly painful lesson. Alas….

Libya, An Energy Asset Security Nightmare

by Oilprice.com •  • Comments Off on Libya, An Energy Asset Security Nightmare

Contributed by Jen Alic of Oilprice.com. Libya—awash with roving militias and undergoing a near-total evacuation of Westerners from oil-producing Benghazi—is doing its best to make cosmetic security changes in an atmosphere of growing uncertainty. But much of the country’s south and half of its border regions are not even under government control.