Around the Globe

• Comparing the legal rights and depth of credit information in 143 countries around the world Valeo Financial Advisors
• Chinese banks rolled over at least 3/4 of all loans to local governments that were due to mature by the end of 2012 The Financial Times

U.S. Economy

• 31% of people between ages 65-69 were in the labor force in 2011 (up from 21% in 1990) Yahoo Finance
• U.S. real mortgage debt per capita nearly doubled between 1999 and 2008 St. Louis Fed
• ISM’s manufacturing index jumped to 53.1 in Jan. from Dec. 50.2, the biggest increase since Mar 2010 St. Louis Fed

Taxes

• A history of the U.S. income tax Bloomberg

Finance

• St. Louis Fed Financial Stress Index declines to -0.536, the lowest level since summer 2007 Chart: St. Louis Fed
• FOMC votes to continue purchasing agency MBS & longer-term Treasury securities at its current pace St. Louis Fed