Markets


Telefonica1

What Telefonica did in Germany this summer

MADRID | By Francisco López, via consensodelmercado.com | Telefonica had an important reason for its well-timed U-turn: the Spanish corporation wanted to conquer a mature market with scope for expansion.



Banking regulations

Banking regulatory flaws

MADRID | By JP Marín Arrese | Ex-ante coverage of potential non-performing portfolio, plus a thorough scrutiny on banking trading and risk concentration, stands as the only effective way to prevent excessive exposure.


Spanish banking system

Spanish banking system’s forthcoming woes

MADRID | By JP Marín Arrese | The Bank of Spain tough line on refinancing is likely to force extra new provisioning. Especially in entities where that practice was developed with little precautionary measures. 




No Picture

21st Century Glass-Steagall gives Wall Street the shivers

NEW YORK | By Ana Fuentes | An American bipartisan group of lawmakers introduced on Thursday a bill for the 21st century Glass-Steagall Act, a new version of 1933 banking act that put a wall between investment banking and insured deposits. Aimed to protect the American taxpayers, this aggressive piece of law would reduce the size of US bigger banks, minimizing the possibility of a government bailout like in 2008. Wall street has a new headache.


China economy

China, free fall?

Iris Mir | By mid-June the National Audit Office of China released a report unexpectedly detailing the debts of 36 local governments. It unveiled the chilling figure of 3.3 trillion dollar in debt, by the end of 2012. A 13% higher than in 2010. Furthermore, the lack of stimulus investment plans is fuelling scepticism among those who expected the Asian dragon to keep the world economy afloat. Mostly because the priority for China now is to reorient its model of growth with ambitious programs like the new Co2 emissions exchange.