On Friday, global stock markets weakened and both the euro and gold slipped, as a new setback in talks to avert a U.S. fiscal crisis and evidence of the ongoing economic difficulties of Europe stoked investor nerves.

A proposal from Republican leader John Boehner to avoid the so-called fiscal cliff failed to get support from his party, casting fresh uncertainty over talks to avoid across-the-board tax hikes and spending cuts that could push the U.S. economy into recession in 2013.

The dollar and yen and U.S. and German Government bonds all rose as falls in London (.FTSE), Paris (.FCHI) and Frankfurt (.GDAXI) pushed the FTSEurofirst 300 (.FTEU3) index of top European stocks and MSCI’s global index <.MIWD00000PUS> down 0.6 and 0.4 percent respectively.

“Risk assets look vulnerable over the holiday trading period. The recent performance of key benchmarks has priced in a satisfactory outcome to the U.S. fiscal discussions, which is far from a done deal,” said Peel Hunt strategist Ian Williams.

Brent crude oil fell more than $1 per barrel towards $109 and bullion slipped $1.38 an ounce to a near four-month low.

“The market volume is thin amidst all these uncertainties, and the year is coming to an end. Many of the investors prefer to take profits and just leave the market,” said Brian Lan, managing director of GoldSilver Central Pte Ltd in Singapore.

Tags: fiscal crisis, recession, stock markets

On Wednesday, Asian stock markets fell as improved economic data out of the U.S. failed to overcome worries about Europe’s festering debt crisis.

Nikkei 225 index of Japan lost 0.1 percent to 8,529.98 while Hong Kong’s Hang Seng slid 1.7 percent to 19,025.92; Benchmarks in Singapore, Taiwan, Australia and mainland China also fell.

From in.news.yahoo.com:

Stocks in Asia didn’t follow through on the momentum from Wall Street, where a session of big swings ended with modest gains. The Dow rose 0.1 percent to 12,096.16. The S&P 500 gained 0.5 percent to 1,257.81, and the Nasdaq added 1.1 percent to 2,686.20.

Data on retail sales showed Americans spending more on autos, electronics and building supplies in October — the fifth straight month of increases.

Sales increased 0.5 percent from the previous month, a faster rate than economists expected and the latest indication that the U.S. economy is likely to avoid another recession.

Europe could head back into recession over the coming months, according to many economists.

Tags: debt crisis, recession, retail sales, S&P 500, stock markets

McDonald’s, the leading international food chain, has decided to open more stores in China.

This means that fans of McDonald’s could now enjoy burgers, fries, and shakes from their favorite international food chain in no time.

From news.yahoo.com:

McDonald’s aims to open at least 700 new stores in the country by 2013. At present, there are 1,300 Big Mac outlets in China, marking its largest expansion strategy ever deployed there. The newly announced goal sharply accelerates its December plan to open just 200 locations. So why the sudden move?

Mickey D’s is no stranger to the Middle Kingdom. In fact, McDonald’s has been in China for about two decades and, therefore, understands the market better than many of its rivals who may be just jumping in.

McDonald’s bet on China is clearly a play on the country’s growing attractiveness as an investment destination and as an opportunity to capitalize on the “Westernization” of consumers. To boost sales and improve profitability, companies have raised stakes in emerging markets where availability of cheap labor and raw materials often help these companies improve margins.

The second reason for this expansion can be the pressure McDonald’s is facing from its competitors. The fast-food market is heating up, and this is the time to expand. McDonald’s is looking at Asia for growth as it prepares to take on key rival Yum! Brands (NYSE: YUM – News) in its pursuit for growth in China.

McDonald’s has the advantage of a two-decade-old presence and success in its Chinese expansion would be witnessed by an immediate impact on sales and bottom line.

Tags: debt ceiling, expansion strategy, financial crisis, food chain, in emerging markets, investment destination, McDonald's, recession

Many big companies like Microsoft are piling billions of dollars through bond issues at ultra-low interest rates and sad part for the economy is that these companies are actually spending the money on new factories, equipment or jobs. Instead, they are stockpiling the cash until the economy improves.

This happens at times when many households and small businesses are being turned away by bank loan officers and recession again seems so much likely.

From NYTimes.com:

The development presents something of a chicken-and-egg situation: Corporations keep saving, waiting for the economy to perk up — but the economy is unlikely to perk up if corporations keep saving.

This situation underscores the limits of Washington policy makers’ power to stimulate the economy. The Federal Reserve has held official interest rates near zero for almost two years, which allows corporations to sell bonds with only slightly higher returns — even below 1 percent. But most companies are not doing what the easy monetary policy was intended to get them to do: invest and create jobs.

The Fed’s low rates have in fact hurt many Americans, especially retirees whose incomes from savings have fallen substantially. Big companies like Johnson & Johnson, PepsiCo and I.B.M. seem to have been among the major beneficiaries.

Dana Saporta, an economist at Credit Suisse in New York, says that these companies are benefiting themselves by borrowing and keeping this cash, but it is not benefiting the economy yet.

Tags: create jobs, economy, monetary policy, recession

If you think that tough times such as recession always witness falling sales, this YouTube video will surely help in motivating you to change your stance. This video is a must-see for all small hotels, motels, and restaurant owners.

Tags: recession, sales, YouTube video

If you are running a small offline business and finding no respite from the competition, market norms, or recession, the reason for this is nothing but failure to identify and implement the effectiveness of web marketing on time.

Web marketing, also known as online marketing, is nothing but creating and maintaining an effective presence on the web. The fact that 72 percent of world’s potential customers, including your customers, are on the web and searching for product vendors and service providers on the web itself means that you are not even visible to a huge majority of the potential customers. It also means that premium, rewarding market avenues are not within the reach of your business. The result – falling sales, low credibility, gains of competitors, and almost a shutdown situation for your business.

What now? It is always said that it is always better to be late than never. Hire the services of an Internet marketing agency now to create a website and then promote in the online and offline worlds. Update this presence on a regular basis and you will be surprised to note that customers are again coming back to you and this time their arrival is more loyal and rewarding. Moreover, your business would be now accessible by worldwide customers at all possible times. What’s more, you get a business and sales representative answering customer queries and staying visible at day and night creating enough trust and credibility among customers. This enhanced appearance ultimately results in improved customer satisfaction and sales besides reducing marketing expenses. All these web marketing benefits for a small business, including that of yours, would surely guide your business to new heights.

Tags: Internet Marketing Agency, marketing, online marketing, recession, Web Marketing, web marketing benefits for a small business

A business that makes nothing but money is a poor business. – Henry Ford

Anyone who has lost track of time when using a computer knows the propensity to dream, the urge to make dreams come true and the tendency to miss lunch. – Tim Berners-Lee

A cardinal principle of Total Quality escapes too many managers: you cannot continuously improve interdependent systems and processes until you progressively perfect interdependent, interpersonal relationships. – Stephen Covey

Everybody makes business mistakes. I mean, I take the responsibility, and I did. I was the captain of the ship and I took that responsibility. – Alan Bond

The most successful businessman is the man who holds onto the old just as long as it is good, and grabs the new just as soon as it is better. - Lee Iacocca

You are surrounded by simple, obvious solutions that can dramatically increase your income, power, influence and success. The problem is, you just don’t see them. - Jay Abraham

The measure of success is not whether you have a tough problem to deal with, but whether it’s the same problem you had last year. – John Foster Dulles

Action may not always bring happiness, but there is no happiness without action. – Benjamin Disraeli

You are never given a wish without also being given the power to make it true. You may have to work for it however. – Richard Bach

You can’t do today’s job with yesterday’s methods and be in business tomorrow. – Unknown

In the end, all business operations can be reduced to three words: people, product and profits. Unless you’ve got a good team, you can’t do much with the other two. – Lee Iacocca

Tags: blog on business quotes, business owner, Business Quotes, recession