Energy

Is Oil the Next Greece?

Christine Lagarde, managing director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), said yesterday that the threat to the euro and the eurozone has been met for the time being and that the next battle to be waged in the continuing recovery of the global economy will be over the high price of oil:

The rising price of oil is becoming a threat to global growth. And, …there is a growing risk that activity in emerging economies will slow over the medium term.

While this might sound obvious the salient point here is that any threat to emerging economies is far worse than high energy prices in the world’s developed economies. Emerging economies are growing much faster than developed ones and if skyrocketing energy prices aren’t moderated, this faster growth will stop and then the global economy will really be in a fix.

According to MarketWatch, Lagarde noted that concerns about oil prices are “either supply-driven or come from geopolitical forces” and that governments need to be prepared to deal with either one.

Paul Ausick

Credit Card Companies Are Doing Something Nuts

Credit card companies are at war. The biggest issuers are handing out free rewards and benefits to win the best customers.

It’s possible to find cards paying unlimited 1.5%, 2%, and even more today. That’s free money for qualified borrowers, and the type of thing that would be crazy to pass up. Those rewards can add up to thousands of dollars every year in free money, and include other benefits as well.

We’ve assembled some of the best credit cards for users today.  Don’t miss these offers because they won’t be this good forever.

 

Flywheel Publishing has partnered with CardRatings for our coverage of credit card products. Flywheel Publishing and CardRatings may receive a commission from card issuers.

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