A Gulf Times news article opens with the following lines; ‘Sharp decline in global energy prices appear to have taken a heavy toll on Qatar, whose trade surplus shrank considerably in January this year as exports plummeted amid rising imports, according to official figures. The trade surplus of energy-major Qatar, which is fast powering its non-hydrocarbon segments as part of diversification, plummeted 48.3% year-on-year to QR18.54bn on substantially lower …

  It’s getting tougher to stay in one of the most competitive businesses — air passengers trafficking. It’s a combination of high management skills, acquisition and maintenance of state-of-the-art fleet, expert financial management, and above all, a delicate marketing approach aimed at passenger comfort. A recent AFP Tokyo news article appearing in Gulf Times reports ANA’s joining others in a bid to rescue bankrupt Skymark. The news article opens with …

  Some five years back, James Rickards, presented the scenario of impending global currency wars by war gaming with the assistance of Pentagon and a number of military, economics and financial experts. His book Currency Wars attracted a stunned readership from all around the world. A Forbes review said: At the end of the cold, and Middle East, wars, we have entered a perilous new world. Currency war is as …

  Ben Packard, the vice president of Starbucks Coffee Company, once said: ‘on the journey to make our iconic coffee cups 100% recyclable, we quickly learned that developing recyclable material is just one part of the complex equation. We had to consider the entire lifespan of the cup, including what happens after it leaves our customers’ hands. This required bringing together the entire system of stakeholders with expertise, the influence …

  An efficient and cost-effective logistics and infrastructure system not only generates economies of scale, but also creates a favorable global image of an economy. And a favorable image means more global linkages, more international business and more foreign direct investment. On domestic side too, sound logistics and infrastructure mean enhanced mobility of goods and services, which is so important for the marketing system to operate efficiently. Logistics and infrastructure …

  Qatar the Asian land of opportunities December 18 marks Qatar’s National Day. On this date, every year, the waterfront promenade Corniche witnesses in sheer joy the display of several volleys of hot colors emblazoning the sky. The dazzling night-time firework unleashes all prideful colors of Qatar’s veritable history and booming economy. A nation of 2.3 million people occupying 11,570 square kilometer of land, Qatar is one of the world’s …

  Advanced economies thrive on a well-managed system of consumer financing, which affords the pleasure of luxurious facilities without owning them. In capitalistic system, this is a win-win situation for both the users and the suppliers of goods and services. The economy benefits as demand is created for goods and services; consumer markets seem bursting at the seam as buyers, backed by the strength of consumer credit, throng to bid …

  The economics of public debt is intriguing as well as fascinating! In interest-based capitalistic system, one cannot underestimate the value of debt. The system is designed such that economic progress and growth are made subject to ever-increasing prices of goods and services. The phenomenon of increasing prices is sustained by a corresponding increase in money stock through additional printing of currency. The additionally printed currency, going into an economy’s …