BEN 21 – Business Trends for 2013

Business Trends for 2013

In this Business English News lesson, we take a look at the prospects for 2013.

As the world rang in 2013, many analysts and commentators feel that it’s time to pull out the crystal ball and try to determine what’s in store in the coming 12 months. As the OECD Secretary-General Angel Gurria explains, there’s still a lot of work to do.

The world economy is far from being out of the woods. The US ”˜debt ceiling debate’, if it materializes, could tip an already weak economy into recession, while failure to solve the euro area crisis could lead to a major financial shock and global downturn. Governments must act decisively, using all the tools at their disposal to turn confidence around and boost growth and jobs.

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BEN 20 – US-China Economic Outlook

Business English for Economics

In this Business English News lesson, we take a look at the economic prospects for the USA and China.

The relationship between the world’s two biggest economies is sure to undergo some major changes in the months ahead. With Obama set to remain in the White House for 4 more years, and Xi Jinping moving in to Zhongnanhai for the next decade, all eyes will be on how the new faces work together amid these tough economic times.

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VV 29 – Financial English Vocabulary: Bonds (2)

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Previously, we looked at some of the main ideas and vocabulary for bonds, including such terms as yield, coupon, and maturity. In this financial English lesson, we’ll look at the different types of bonds. And we’ll explain some of the key terms related to how bonds are priced and traded.

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VV 28 – Financial English Vocabulary: Bonds (1)

Bonds have been a hot topic in the news recently. But what exactly are bonds and how do they work?

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In this financial English lesson, we’ll explain some of the main ideas and vocabulary, starting with key terms such as yields, coupons, and maturity. Then we’ll get into different types of bonds. And finally we’ll look at how governments use bonds to finance their borrowing needs.

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BEN 13 – The Euro Crisis

BEN Eurozone Crisis

The eurozone was thrown into renewed crisis this month as EU leaders struggled to agree on new stability measures.

As reported by the Guardian, “A world recession has drawn closer after the G20 summit failed to agree to fresh financial help for distressed countries and debt-ridden Italy was forced to agree to IMF monitoring of its austerity program.”

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