Big Mac index tracks currencies worldwide

Big Mac index tracks currencies worldwide
Sunday, January 15, 2012
San Francisco Gate

Number of the day - $6.81

That's how much a Big Mac costs in Switzerland, according to an Economist index that tracks worldwide prices of the McDonald's sandwich. (In the United States, it's $4.20.) The magazine's Big Mac index is meant to show which currencies may be overvalued. Based on the concept of purchasing-power parity, a dollar should buy the same amount of Big Mac in every country. Switzerland had the most expensive burger, signaling that its currency has become too pricey. India, where the sandwich is called the Maharaja Mac, had the lowest cost: $1.62.

"Separating the driver from their mobile device is virtually impossible now."

Jon Bucci, an executive at Toyota, on Americans' need to stay connected while they're on the road. Automakers are adding technologies that let drivers update Facebook, make restaurant reservations and check stock prices. But the effort runs counter to the wishes of safety-minded regulators, who want to discourage the use of mobile communications in cars. "You can regulate all you want," says Jeremy Anwyl, vice chairman of auto website Edmunds.com. "I'm not sure for a lot of consumers it's going to make a lot of difference."

Heads up

Hungry? The 37th Winter Fancy Food Show gets under way today at Moscone Center, drawing at least 17,000 buyers and sellers of gourmet goods. The conference focuses on specialty-food products, with 80,000 delicacies on display from more than 35 countries. Greg Steltenpohl, the founder of Half Moon Bay's Odwalla and current CEO of Califia Farms, will give the keynote speech.