Having encountered a number of recent setbacks it perhaps comes as no surprise that Obama’s popularity in the polls has experienced a decline. With three years left to run, it will be interesting to see how he fares during his remaining time in office. When Obama took to his second term, he did so with confidence and a vision of change, exclaiming that he would introduce new gun control laws, a new health care plan, tackle the Iranian nuclear problem and renew talks on climate change. So what, if any, progress has been made and did he, as some have suggested, omit one crucial factor; the economy? In spite of this, Obama has asserted that “2014 can be a breakthrough year for America.” With the uncertainty that still surrounds current political and economic issues, this may serve as a reminder that we should never take positive change for granted. Read more…
Tag Archives: Iran
Iran’s Double-Speak On Nuclear And Oil
On the surface, it seems that Iran’s recently elected President is more moderate and open to negotiation than his predecessor. Rouhani has repeatedly emphasised Iran’s desire to normalise relations with the West and even admitted in a CNN interview the existence of Holocaust, long been denied by Iran’s religious extremists. Whether he is politically influential enough and whether his policies will impact the financial markets remains to be seen. Skeptics would argue that logic and theocracies do not always go together and words do not always translate into definitive actions. Rouhani’s current promises and the short term drop of oil prices do not paint a full picture in this highly complex political and economic reality. Since the history of the financial markets teaches us that tensions and uncertainly in the Middle East without fail impact on the price of oil worldwide, should Rouhani’s words be taken with caution? Read more…
