China is pressing Rio Tinto PLC (NYSE ADR: RTP) hard for a sharp reduction in the prices the company charges for its iron ore. But mining companies like Rio, who have had their bottom lines eviscerated by a slump in commodities prices, may have a hard time acquiescing.

The dollar fell to $1.42 per euro yesterday. Many believe it is the Achilles Heel of the entire world financial system – including Warren Buffett.

The price of water is starting to rise in a big way, at least in China. I’ve expected this for a few years.

The global markets are getting volatile. While Asian markets are dropping, a handful of American small caps are surging ahead. These three are leading the charge.

Check out this “megatrend”: 97% of global population growth over the next 40 years will occur in Asia, Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, says the shiny new 2009 World Population Data Sheet. The headline data point was the total growth projection for the world population: 7 billion by 2011. That’s a 200 million extra people on this Earth in just two years.

Asia is poised to become the “new” Detroit.

As shares of Berhshire Hathaway Inc. (NYSE: BRK.A, BRK.B) plunged over the past year, it became fashionable to ask whether or not Warren Buffett had lost his touch.

Oh woe! Oh woe! O! Bama! Where is thy recovery? Yesterday, the world’s stock markets took a hit. The Dow lost 186 points… following a very bad showing in China. Is this the end of the rally?

Imagine waking up tomorrow morning with no access to the Internet. No e-mail. No news. No streaming video.

Risk Aversion comes back strong! Risk assets get sold… What games will be played with TIC’s? 40 years since Woodstock! And Now… Today’s Pfennig!