Dubai brings down world
Stock markets around the world cracked as the epicentre of the world’s latest financial earthquake, Dubai, sent tremors of uncertainty. The worst afflicted were emerging markets — Hong Kong and South Korea were down almost 5 per cent, Taiwan 3 per cent and Australia and China 2 per cent.
A day after Dubai World — the conglomerate that spearheaded the emirate’s breakneck growth — announced a proposal to delay paying back loans worth $59 billion (Rs 276,000 crore), investors read it as a sign of yet another implosion after Iceland and Ireland.
This is almost three-fourths of the country’s total $80 billion (Rs 374,000 crore) debt.
What do you think is there another crisis waiting?