8 June 2019
Question: What University just shut down its part-time real estate programme?
US jobs blow spurs rate-cut debate – Pg. 1
– The US added just 75,000 jobs in May, a sharp slowdown from a month earlier, intensifying debate on whether the Federal Reserve needs to cut interest rates to sustain a decade-long expansion and counter drag from trade conflicts
– …185,000 predicted…
– The unemployment rate held steady at 3.6%, matching its lowest level since 1969, but the disappointing hiring data added to worries about the US economy is beginning to lose momentum as trade tussles with China and other partners dent corporate confidence
– The latest figures and revisions means that monthly job gains have averaged 164,000 in 2019, well below the average gain of 223,000 per month in 2018. Growth in GDP is also showing signs of slowing, ….annualized growth of 1.5%…
Nasa opens space station for business – Pg. 2
– Nasa is opening up the ISS for tourism and commercial marketing, as the US space agency looks to cut spending on the 20-year-old project and free up more money to explore the moon and beyond
– Russia already permits private astronauts and other commercial activities on its segment of the ISS
– Nasa’s latest move throws open the doors of the ISS to private astronauts, manufacturing products that benefit from being made in microgravity environment, and other commercial and marketing activities
– Use of the facility will come at a hefty price. Access to the space station’s “regenerative life support and toilet” will cost $11,250/day, with another $22,500/day for crew supplies such as food, air and exercise equipment
– ….$42 for a kWh of power and $50 to send a gigabyte of data back to earth
– The Trump administration has been looking for ways to reduce government spending of around $3.5bn a year on the ISS
Break-up threat casts shadow over the Valley – Pg. 14
– …the House judiciary committee announced its own inquiry into whether US antitrust laws need to be tightened up to deal with the large tech groups
– The possibilities raised most frequently include declaring some markets off-limits to the biggest tech companies, carving out their most powerful platforms to become separate regulated utilities, and unwinding past acquisitions that raised few concerns at the time they were completed
– Restrict markets they can enter
– Split off platform businesses
– Reverse past acquisitions
Answer: Johns Hopkins University (Prof Note: I am saddened by this news. Some of my best mates were met due to this programme. I was proud to have been part of it from 2006 – 2012 (approximately, long in tooth, do not remember exact dates). I can only hope that I gave as much to this programme as it gave to me. It was a true academic programme in its hey day. I still remember faculty meetings where JG and I would battle over portfolio optimization theory. There were merits in both of our arguments (I was right, damn it! J) I am proud to still be lecturing in the full-time, remaining, real estate programme and the business school but admit a part of me died when I learned the part-time programme was to be no more. MANY great people put much work and effort into this programme. I am not criticizing the decision made by Hopkins, I was not involved in any of these decisions so have no knowledge, but remain saddened by the news. To the many that participated in this programme, I thank you for the countless memories shared and for the memories still to be created from the lifetime relationships.)