Chinese Déjà vu

December 18, 2009
Increasing Prices Spark Panic Buying in China

A Shanghai resident, who called the Sound of Hope Radio, said, “The news reported that the price of cooking oil will increase by 10 percent, but there will be no increase in our wages.”

He compared the current situation to the previous occurrence with gasoline prices. When the price of oil was US$150 per barrel, he could buy gas for US$3.30 per gallon. When the price of a barrel dropped to US$75, he had to pay US$3.60 per gallon.

December 20, 2009
The 5 million yuan student

Unlike other seniors busy scrambling for jobs, Ma, a senior majoring in media market research and analysis at Beijing-based Communication University of China (CUC) has lived his last year of college on the fast track to success, earning himself about 5 million yuan ($ 732,500)by investing in real estate and stocks.

...

As Ma approaches graduation day, he plans to keep developing his finance superpowers, but when asked what he would do if he lost it all tomorrow, Ma says he'll take his passion to the classroom.

December 21, 2009
China tightens property rules for developers

Beijing is concerned about long-term inflationary pressure building as a result of a fast economic recovery spurred by a government-engineered credit boom and public spending. It also faces public anxiety about overheating in the property sector and a potential asset bubble in the stock market, which could threaten social stability.

June 21, 2008
The rise and fall of China's stock market

"The market is a little like theatre," she says. "From behind the curtain, they seduce the audience into getting up on the stage. And once you're up on the stage you get involved in the plot. And you end up becoming a real actor in the drama.

"And then, of course, you're trapped. You can't get off the stage."

This is not going to end well, again.