Top 7 Stories of 2007 and Happy 2008

Hi,

What a year it has been! Before we all end our year in a high note, let's recollect my take on the 7 biggest economic stories of 2007 (with a slight Malaysia twist):

1. Feb/Mar 2007 - rewinding of Yen-carry trade and global stock markets' collapses over the concern of China's over heating economy
2. Nov 2007 - Price of crude oil reached almost USD100 per barrel!
   
3. Aug 2007 - US sub-prime mortgage crisis led to fear of global financial credit crunch and resulting in billions of dollars write off for major global financial institutions and investment bankers
4. The sale of significant stakes in Citigroup. UBS and Morgan Stanley to Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, Government of Singapore Investment Corp (GIC) and China Investment Corp (CIC) respectively, following the sub-prime mortgage crisis. A sign of the emergence of Sovereign Wealth Funds (SWF) as the new master of global finance.
5. Nov 2007 - the emergence (and listing) of the world's largest plantation group, Sime Darby (formerly Synergy Drive) in Bursa Malaysia, post merger of 8 companies under Permodalan Nasional Berhad (PNB)
6. Dec 2007 - Prices of crude palm oil exceeded the record high of RM3,000 (USD895) per tonne
7. Dec 2007 - KLCI hitting record high of 1,447 on the last day of trading, representing a 31% rise for the year of 2007. Ranking wise in Asia, Malaysia is ranked fifth top performer, after China (162.5%), Indonesia (49.6%), Hong Kong (41.2%) and South Korea (32.2%).

I would like to take this opportunity to also wish all my friends and readers a Happy New Year and may the year ahead be filled with more successes and accomplishments! Be healthy too!