ECONOMIC EXPANSION

Over the past few weeks, the patent arms race has been accelerating again.

Over the past few weeks, the patent arms race has been accelerating and the latest comes in a news story that has old frenemies – Apple, Google and Samsung – locked in a fight for InterDigital’s patent portfolio.  As you all know, Google recently lost Nortel’s patent bid at the last minute, so now Apple decided to join forces with Microsoft, RIM and others to outbid Google.

Well, Nortel is not the only company out there with a massive patent portfolio. In fact, InterDigital’s patents are “deeper and stronger” than Nortel’s, according to InterDigital CEO William Merritt. The company has around 1,300 patents related to mobile technologies. That should be more than enough to fend off the patent trolls Android is facing.

Samsung is said to be interested the most in InterDigita’s intellectual property their CEO claims is “stronger” than the 6,000 Nortel patents the Apple-led consortium recently acquired for $4.5 billion. People familiar with the matter tell the publication Samsung has been “approached to make a
bid”:
Samsung is looking at the patents along with Apple Inc. (AAPL), Google Inc. (GOOG) and other potential bidders, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the talks are private.
InterDigital, which holds patents related to mobile technologies used to transfer information, said last month that it hired bankers as it considers a sale.

InterDigital’s patent portfolio covers technology for high-speed cellphone networks “now used by the world’s biggest handset makers”, including Apple’s iPhone as well as BlackBerry and Android phones. The portfolio includes 8,000 patents in total and is estimated to be worth $5 billion or
more. “To hedge the risk, Samsung could go ahead with bidding, although they may have to pay a big premium”.
It’s interesting to see Apple, and not Microsoft, really interested in blocking Google from acquiring any patents. I could see Microsoft trying to pull this, since there are financial incentives for the company to do so.
But Apple doesn’t make money by preventing Google from getting these patents. Microsoft’s tactics may be evil, but at least they’re doing it to make money. Apple, on the other hand, is just trying to hurt Android.
Whatever the case may be, we’ll surely be following this battle very closely with hopes that Google manages to win.

Oil fell to the lowest level this year as European elections stoked speculation that austerity efforts will be derailed and escalate the debt crisis as France elected Francois Hollande president and Greek voters flocked to anti- bailout parties. Hollande, who will become the first Socialist in 17 years to control Europe’s second-biggest economy, pledged to push for less austerity and more growth.

The European election results make people worry that there is going to be instability and weaker economic results in Europe,this means lower demand for oil.
Brent oil for June settlement declined 93 cents, or 0.8 percent, to $112.25 a barrel on the London-based ICE Futures Europe exchange, the lowest intraday level since Dec. 20.
Hollande inherits an economy that is barely growing, with jobless claims at their highest in 12 years. His platform calls for policies German Chancellor Angela Merkel opposes, including higher taxes, increased spending and delayed deficit reduction. Germany is Europe’s largest economy.


Hollande’s comments were echoed in Greece, where voters flocked to anti-bailout groups, leaving the two main parties, New Democracy and Pasok, a seat short of a majority if they govern together, an Interior Ministry projection showed.
The euro fell as much as 1 percent against the dollar to the lowest level since January. A weaker euro and strong greenback reduce oil’s appeal as an investment alternative.
There is this big change of political parties in France and Greece and the euro got whacked, we are developing a new 10-dollar range from $95 to $105.
According to WorldWatch  CEO, Crude may fall further on “lackluster” macroeconomic conditions and bearish fundamentals.

WorldWatch chief analyst has confirmed the news that speculation in Portugal continues to push petrol (gasoline) prices to far beyond the acceptable price limit. Every week the consumer price goes up, this year alone prices have increased 39 times in contrast they have decreased 3 times.
Consumers pay 1,774€ per liter for regular 95 Octane (crude $118.28 per barrel), US and European consumer demand has not increased and there is no sign of doing so in the near future as Europe continues to face serious deficit problems now with France and Holland  targeted by debt and
political crisis.
One of the most critical situation is with Portugal as petrol prices for the motorist keep going up,inflated by greedy companies such as Galp, BP, Repsol, Cepsa, final consumer price for Regular 95 Octane 1,774€ per litre, this is the most expensive in Europe and one of the most expensive in the world.
Back in 2008 when Brent crude reached a record $147 a barrel, consumer prices were much lower than now around Regular 95 Octane 1.249€ per litre.As long as these prices continue inflated the tax revenue derived from petrol will continue to fall drastically forced by a severe drop inconsumer demand, this year alone its expected to drop by 18%.
If no measures are taken by the authorities Social unrest is a certainty as the population faces evermore harsh uncontrolable decline in living conditions.