Obama touts foreign investments as success story

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP-EXCITE

By JIM KUHNHENN

WASHINGTON (AP) — While in Brussels for talks with European leaders in March, President Barack Obama held a little-noticed meeting with executives of a Belgian aerospace company. It was barely a footnote in a trip dominated by tensions with Russia over Ukraine.

But the meeting was the capstone of a lengthy courtship by the Obama administration and the state of Oklahoma to attract ASCO Industries to Stillwater, Okla., to build a new $125 million production facility.

The effort was part of an initiative called SelectUSA that Obama started in 2011 and expanded last year.

Obama this week is drawing new attention to the effort, convening business leaders Tuesday at the White House to advertise success stories in the face of continuing public anxieties over jobs and the economy.

FULL story at link.


Read more: http://apnews.excite.com/article/20140519/obama-foreign_business-9c81889850.html

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File- This May 12, 2014, file photo shows President Barack Obama speaking during a press availability with Uruguay's President Jose Mujica in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington. President Obama is drawing attention to foreign investments in the United States, convening business leaders at the White House this week to advertise success stories in the face of continuing public anxieties over the economy. (AP Photo/File)

[jakeXT]

1. Belgium, third-largest foreign holder of U.S. Treasuries

Euroclear's admission solves a mystery that had captured the interest of the bond market in recent months as Belgium's holdings more than doubled between August and March. The country is now the third-largest foreign holder of U.S. Treasuries.

According to U.S. Treasury data released Thursday, Belgium's holdings of U.S. Treasury debt were $381.4 billion in March, compared with $166.8 billion as of August 2013.

Belgium-based Euroclear holds assets on behalf of more than 2,000 financial institutions in more than 90 countries, as well as for millions of retail investors.

The spokesman would not comment as to whether there's been a sudden surge of business from customers holding Treasuries. The company has about 24.2 trillion euros ($33 trillion) of all assets in custody.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/05/16/usa-treasuries-belgium-idUSL1N0O20Q220140516

[blkmusclmachine]

2. Just how much wealth does the TBTF's have offshored?!?!

Top 5 Tax Havens

http://www.shelteroffshore.com/index.php/offshore/more/top-5-tax-havens-10221/