Perspective
Worthy Insights / Opinion Pieces / Advice
Economist – The choice that could save South Africa, or wreck it – Leaders 12/9
NYT – Trump’s Lies vs. Obama’s – David Leonhardt, Ian Prasad Philbrick, and Stuart A. Thompson 12/14
Markets / Economy
WSJ – Nearly 5 Million Americans in Default on Student Loans – Josh Mitchell 12/13
- “The number of Americans severely behind on payments on federal student loans reached roughly 4.6 million in the third quarter, a doubling from four years ago, despite a historically long stretch of U.S. job creation and steady economic growth.”
- “The total number of defaulted borrowers represents about 22% of the Americans who were required to be paying down their federal student loans as of Sept. 30. That figure has increased from 17% four years earlier.”
- “The money they owe is becoming a bigger share of total outstanding student debt in repayment. Defaulted student loans totaled $84 billion at the end of the quarter, or 13% of the roughly $631 billion that borrowers were required to be paying down.”
- “The government’s student-loan portfolio now totals $1.37 trillion.”
Energy
WSJ – Daily Shot: US Total Crude Oil Production 12/13
- “One of the trends spooking oil traders is what appears to be an acceleration in US crude oil production.”
Environment / Science
Economist – A nasty-tasting shellfish could be just the job for cleaning rivers – 12/7
China
FT – China lenders lobby to soften shadow bank rules – Gabriel Wildau and Yizhen Jia 12/13