REUTERS

Abe coalition secures big Japan election win with record low turnout

TOKYO, Dec 15 (Reuters) - Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, brushing aside suggestions that a low turnout tarnished his coalition's election win, vowed on Monday to stick to his reflationary economic policies, tackle painful structural reforms and pursue his muscular security stance.

But doubts persist as to whether Abe, who now has a shot to become a rare long-lasting leader in Japan, can engineer sustainable growth with his "Abenomics" recipe of hyper-easy monetary policy, government spending and promises of deregulation.

Source: http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/12/15/japan-election-idUSL3N0TY0D220141215

BLOOMBERG

Draghi's QE Battle Almost Won as Economists See Action

The battle over whether to start quantitative easing in the euro region is all but won, economists say.

More than 90 percent of respondents in Bloomberg's monthly survey predict the Bank will begin large-scale buying of government bonds next year, up from 57 percent last month. An announcement will most likely come in the first quarter, with any decision taken against the objections of some policy makers, the poll of 55 economists showed.

Source: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-12-15/draghi-s-qe-battle-almost-won-as-economists-see-action.html

BLOOMBERG

Hedge Funds' Bullish Gold Bets Defy Goldman Outlook: Commodities

Hedge Funds are the most bullish on gold since August, defying Goldman Sachs Group Inc.'s prediction that the rally in prices will fade.

The net-long position in New York futures and options climbed for a fourth week, the longest stretch of increases since July, government data show. Futures jumped 2.7 percent last week, the most since June, as a plunge in global equities erased about $2 trillion from the value of stocks.

Source: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-12-14/hedge-funds-bullish-gold-bets-defy-goldman-outlook-commodities.html