When the mysterious figure of Satoshi Nakamoto first devised the Bitcoin and introduced the concept of the cryptocurrency to the world it’s unlikely that he (or she, or they) could have foreseen that in just eight years its value could be over US$11,000 per coin.

If there is one phrase which describes the financial performance of the autonomous region of Macau, it is punching above its own weight. Thought to be home to just 600,000 people, the area remains in rude health with its economy expanding by 6.1 percent year-on-year in the third quarter of 2017 and growth across the first three-quarters of the year being recorded at 9.3 percent year-on-year in real terms.

There is no doubt that Japan is one of the leading bitcoin nations right now. Indeed, on some days up to 60% of all the trades carried out on the planet originate here. So, what is it that has led to the virtual currency being so accepted here when other countries have been far slower in taking it up? There are a number of reasons why this is the case.

Started two years ago, I have been writing about future trends for the upcoming years. Last year, I wrote about the top 5 green trends for 2016 so I thought I would repeat the idea this year but I would throw a twist by mixing green with techie as it is what Fullcircle Innovations's newest site: Grendz.com is all about it.

As the world continues to dump down oil barrels prices, searching for new political collaborations and resources alternatives, shutting down nuclear plants (well, Japan still needs to learn from this one) and reinventing itself towards a greener path. We can finally sing along (paraphrasing Phill Collins): "I can feel it coming : green is in the air tonight, oh Lord And I've been waiting for this moment for all my life, Oh Lord "

A victim of its own actions, yields on Japanese debt have been pinned near zero ever since the Bank of Japan embarked on its aggressive bond buying program. Europe isn’t much of an option too, as yields turned negative this year on the region’s own quantitative easing.

On Saturday, the People's Bank of China announced that it will cut the benchmark deposit and loan interest rates by 25 basis points starting 1st March. That would put the one-year deposit rate at 2.5 percent and the one-year lending rate at 5.35 percent.

Eurozone finance ministers agreed to extend Greece’s bailout deal for another four months, provided it came up with a list of reforms by this week. Under the deal, Greece will still live under the EU/IMF bailout which Greek Prime Minister Alex Tsipras had pledged to scrap.

This week, euro-area finance ministers prepare to reconvene in Brussels to try and break an impasse over financing Europe’s most indebted state, Greece.

U.S. non-farm payrolls increased by 257,000 in January, capping a total gain of 1 million workers since November, the strongest three-month increase in 17 years.