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Moscow (CNN) – In the 20 years since the fall of communism, Moscow has become one of the most expensive cities in the world, and a haven for the super-rich. It has the world's largest number of billionaires living in one city, according to Forbes magazine. But this culture of spend has created a major problem. Moscow is pricing out its own people. Average salaries are just over $1000 a month, which is about the same as rent on a studio apartment. And since having a job can’t guarantee a comfortable life, the city’s unemployed are running out of hope. The bottom line: in Soviet Moscow, poverty was rife and the very rich had the spoils. In modern Moscow, the same applies. It's a boss's hardest decision – when costs rise, how long do you hold off before increasing your prices? It's a problem playing on the mind of beer-making Steve Hindy. As prices rise for the key ingredients that make Brooklyn Brewery's beers, founder and president Steve Hindy has to balance protecting his profit margin without impacting sales. Steve has seen wheat prices soar in the past 18 months, from their low in late 2009. So does he have a plan brewing? We find out in this episode of "The Boss". If Asia is supposed to be where most of the global growth is, why have the markets there been more volatile than their U.S. counterparts recently? Let's take the 3rd quarter (July-September) and compare. FULL POST |
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CNN International's business anchors and correspondents get to grips with the issues affecting world business, and they want your questions and feedback. |