MADRID | By Carlos Díaz Guell | Analysts in Madrid expect that the investigation over the causes of the Santiago accident will have made public its conclusions before the Brazilian government awards the project.
MADRID | By Carlos Díaz Guell | Mario Draghi was accused of having become a trader, but the ECB governor is just giving the European Monetary Union enough time to implement reforms.
MADRID | By Carlos Díaz Güell | After years of heavy investment (in 2007 it reached 112 bn euros), Spanish companies abroad are reducing their debt by selling their assets. Time for deleverage in order to cope with the crisis.
MADRID | By Carlos Díaz Guell | The days of over-protection and unflinching pride are a thing of the past. At this stage, the curtains have been lifted for good in Spain. Corporations with a good level of international exposure, sound cash generation, proven growth and sustainable sales cannot escape the net of foreign investors.
MADRID | By Carlos Díaz Güell | The Western world’s unemployment has reached brutal dimensions. There are more than 200 million jobless people around the world, representing 5.9 per cent of the labour force on the planet, according to the International Labour Organisation. Perhaps it is time to retire or rethink Keynes and also–why not?–Hayek and seek new formulas that will lead us out of the tunnel.
Eurozone countries are under an obligation to reduce their deficits to below 3% of GDP by this year. Failing could mean to be fined up to 0.2% of GDP. But the Commission seems to have eased its austerity-led policies in order to boost growth. “It may be reasonable to extend the deadline by two years and to correct the excessive deficit by 2015 at the latest,” European commissioner for economic and monetary affairs and the euro Olli Rehn has said.
MADRID | By Carlos Díaz Guell | Federal funds’ main interest rates, currently at 0% and 0.25%, are likely to remain untouched. Why? The Fed explained it wouldn’t increase them unless unemployment rate falls.
MADRID | By Carlos Díaz Guell | The future of Spain’s economic growth is uncertain, especially since the crisis has proved that many industries only worked when fueled by subsidies. Exports seem to be the country’s only hope and politicians are too busy fighting to make productivity, R&D investment or education a priority.
MADRID | By Carlos Díaz Guell | The Spanish government has already made clear to the regional authorities that the old savings bank model must die for its sins.
MADRID | The day will come when we’ll need to calculate the costs of having Chancellor Angela Merkel re-elected, and having her making decisions about the European Union as though only Berlin deserved to be heard and obeyed.