Chinese in big purge of US Treasuries By Alan Rappeport in Washington / Published: February 17 2010 02:00
China sold $34.2bn in Treasury securities during the month, the US Treasury said yesterday, making Japan the biggest holder of US government debt, with $768.8bn (€559bn, £487bn). China had overtaken Japan in September 2008.
The figures come as the White House seeks ways to cut the record US deficit, projected to be $1,560bn in 2010, or 10.6 per cent of gross domestic product.
Salmon prices leap as fish disease outbreak devastates Chile's supply By Anjli Raval / Published: February 18 2010 02:00
"Chile, which was the second- biggest producer of salmon, has seen its output plunge more than 75 per cent in two years," said Aslak Berge at First Securities in Norway. "During peak production in 2008, Chile sold 403,000 tonnes, but we forecast a sales estimate of 90,000 tonnes this year."
Norway, the world's biggest producer of salmon, has had to pick up the slack. In 2008 it accounted for about half of the global volume - 1.5m tonnes - of Atlantic salmon. This is expected to rise to close to 70 per cent in 2010. Canada and the UK, which collectively account for about 20 per cent of the market, are also expected to see their shares expand.