How did markets respond to Romney’s temporary surge in polling data?

How did the market respond to Romney’s temporary surge in polling data? And which sectors of the economy expect to do better if Romney is elected? For the companies included in a survey, the share prices for all large banks and large health insurance and managed care providers rose when Romney’s poll numbers unexpectedly surged, while prices for the companies in the telecommunications and technology sectors declined.

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October 19 WIPO negotiations on copyright exceptions for disabilities

After three days, the WIPO intersessional negotiations on copyright exceptions for persons with disabilities adjourned. On July 26, 2012, the SCCR negotiating text (SCCR 24/9) was 26 pages long, with 4051 words, and included 56 brackets, and 20 alternatives. The Final document on Friday (copy here) evening was 26 pages, with 47 brackets, and 22 alternatives.

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US department of Commerce heavily redacts FOIA request regarding Thailand compulsory license

What type of leverage has the Obama Administration used to pressure Thailand to prevent the granting of compulsory licenses on drug patents? The US Department of Commerce has just released a FOIA request with 298 pages of documents on this topic. 136 pages of the FOIA are for a Fall 2010 masters theses by Stephanie Tranchevent Rosenberg (pages 36 to 171 of the FOIA). Continue Reading

WIPO GA, notes from October 3, 2012

This morning, under agenda item 6, the WIPO General Assemblies decided to defer a decision until 2013 on the application for accreditation by Pirate Parties International. I was told that the US, Switzerland the France raised objections in the informal consultations, and that some other European countries wanted to raise objections, but found it awkward given the recent success of domestic Pirate Parties in national elections. The USA said it asked for a hold on the decision until WIPO could decide if it wanted to accept political parties as WIPO observers. Continue Reading

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