More links: 2013-07-01

Samsung Galaxy S 4 Active (AT&T) Review & Rating | PCMag.com

Autos Sales in June Stayed on Best U.S. Pace Since 2007 – Bloomberg

“Rates charged for new-car loans didn’t budge from near-record lows after the Fed began signaling a tapering of its bond-buying as the central bank adjusts to an economy that’s following the auto industry’s rebound. Bernanke’s comments triggered a jump in mortgage rates and a stock-market slide. “

When Numbers Don’t Add Up  – Bloomberg

Asia PMI Data Shows Slowdown in Manufacturing in June – WSJ.com

Berlin accuses Washington of cold war tactics over snooping | World news | The Guardian

Secret Documents: NSA Targeted Germany and EU Buildings – SPIEGEL ONLINE

Starving the Squid by J. Bradford DeLong – Project Syndicate

“Over the past year and a half, in the wake of Thomas Philippon and Ariell Reshef’s estimate that 2% of US GDP has been wasted in the pointless hypertrophy of the financial sector, evidence that America’s financial system is less a device for efficiently sharing risk and more a device for separating rich people from their money – a Las Vegas without the glitz – has mounted.”

Edward Snowden applies for asylum in Russia – Telegraph

New NSA leaks show how US is bugging its European allies | World news | The Guardian

Hollande demands halt to ‘unacceptable’ US spying – FT.com

Give Us Your Real Dollars for Our Fake Dollars: Argentina Credit – Bloomberg

ekathimerini.com | Greece to investigate reports that NSA spied on its embassy and UN mission

UK manufacturing grows at fastest pace in two years – Telegraph

ekathimerini.com | Greek PMI in manufacturing edged up to 45.4 in June

BBC News – Spain’s manufacturing activity ‘stable’ in June

BBC News – Why China loves to build copycat towns

ekathimerini.com | USA spied on Greek embassy in Washington and mission at UN, reports claim

BBC News – China manufacturing growth rate slows

Optimism Returning to Japan’s Manufacturers, Survey Shows – WSJ.com

Analysis – The buyers are back, Canada housing market defies doomsayers | Reuters

“After nearly a year of cooling sales and plenty of concern that Canada could head for a U.S.-style housing crash, demand has roared back in key markets. What’s still unclear, however, is whether the recent surge is a reinflation of a real estate bubble, a final rush of buyers before rising rates choke off demand, or just a sign of market resilience.”

Consumer sentiment ends June to near six-year high | Reuters

“There was a divergence in outlook between higher-income families and lower-income ones, according to the latest Thomson Reuters and University of Michigan consumer survey.

Higher-income households showed increased optimism about their incomes and wealth, while lower-income ones reported less optimism. Families in the top third income bracket were the most optimistic since the June 2007 survey.”

Apple Finds It Difficult To Divorce Samsung – WSJ.com

China HSBC PMI slips to nine-month low of 48.2 in June | Reuters

“China’s factory activity shrank for a second straight month in June and reached its lowest in nine months as new orders fell despite price cuts by producers, a private survey showed on Monday, reinforcing signs of economic slowdown in the second quarter.”

Samsung Slides Equivalent of Sony as S4 Sales Disappoint – Bloomberg

““Consumers find no good reason to buy the S4 since it has no big difference with its predecessor,” said Oh Sang Woo, an analyst at Leading Investment & Securities in Seoul. “Chinese companies are becoming a bigger threat to Samsung than any other players.” “

SandP 500 posts best first half since 1998 | Reuters

Regulators Charge Corzine, O’Brien in MF Global Collapse – WSJ.com

“Federal regulators on Thursday filed civil charges against former MF Global Holdings Ltd. Chief Executive Jon S. Corzine and a top lieutenant for overseeing the misuse of almost $1 billion in customer funds, saying Mr. Corzine “bears responsibility” for the New York commodities brokerage’s 2011 demise. “

NSA Spied on European Union Offices – SPIEGEL ONLINE

EU Officials Furious at NSA Spying in Brussels and Germany – SPIEGEL ONLINE

German Prosecutors To Review NSA Spying Allegations – SPIEGEL ONLINE

“SPIEGEL has learned that the German Federal Prosecutors’ Office is looking into allegations that a US intelligence agency has conducted massive spying against German citizens. A first formal complaint has already been lodged in one city.”

BBC News – Facebook removes ads from controversial pages to avoid boycott