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06/10/10 4:30 AM

#323101 RE: Stock Lobster #323099

>>Oil use fell most since 1982: BP

From Herald News Services June 9, 2010 10:00 PM

Demand - World oil consumption fell by 1.2 million barrels per day in 2009, the largest volume drop since 1982, but is likely to rise this year due to robust demand from emerging markets, British oil major BP PLC said Wednesday.

Economic recession cut global oil consumption for the second consecutive year and the world's fossil fuel energy use for the first time since 1982, BP said in its annual Statistical Review of World Energy.

"The strong link between energy and the global economy asserted itself," said Christof Ruehl, BP's chief economist.

© Copyright (c) The Calgary Herald

Read more: http://www.calgaryherald.com/fell+most+since+1982/3135591/story.html#ixzz0qR9fPoce

Tuff-Stuff

06/10/10 4:32 AM

#323102 RE: Stock Lobster #323099

bbc<>Finland in double-dip recession

Finland's economy slipped back into recession during the first three months of 2010, official figures have shown.

During the January to March quarter, its economy contracted by a seasonally-adjusted 0.4%, after a decline of 0.2% in October to December of last year.

It is the first eurozone country to re-enter recession after emerging from it, in what is known as a double-dip.

Finland, whose main exports include paper and Nokia mobile phones, was hit hard by the downturn in global trade.

However, official figures, also released on Thursday, showed that its exports have since recovered.

The country's exports rose 7% from a year earlier to 4.4bn euros ($5.3bn; £3.6bn) in April, the biggest growth since November 2008.

This resulted in Finland reporting a trade surplus of 355m euros, its first for six months.

A report last year by the World Economic Forum said Finland had the world's sixth most competitive economy.

Finland's economy had previously contracted for four quarters in row, covering the period from April 2008 to June 2009. The economy then grew by 0.5% in the third quarter of 2009.

A country is generally considered to be in recession following two consecutive quarters of economic contraction.

Along with Luxembourg, Finland is the only eurozone country to have stuck to EU fiscal rules requiring it to keep its government deficit below 3% of its GDP and its debt under 60% of GDP.

Eurostat figures say its debt was 44% of its GDP in 2009.