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Dance together

In Europe 8th April 2014

EU’s mergers ballroom is open

MADRID | By Julia Pastor | Telecoms were the first sector opening fire in the European M&A’s market with the purchase of Ono by Vodafone. Now it is the turn of the construction industry via the merger of the two cement makers global leaders French Lafarge and Swiss Holcim. Joining both businesses would result into a company valued at $ 40 bn, which is presumably to face an investigation by competition authorities. Tourism sector would also participate in the corporate ball by selling 49% of airline Alitalia to Arab Emirate’s Etihad.

Angela' s lies

In Europe 8th April 2014

Angela’s little lies

BARCELONA | By Vinçent Navarro | Germany is not only about minijobs. Although Southern European economies are debating about this measure that Berlin took under Schröder’s government in order to tackle unemployment, much less is said about the German model or ‘Rhineland capitalism’, essentially based on works councils and co-management.

No Picture

In Europe 8th April 2014

ECB: April inflation screening mode

LONDON | By François Cabau at Barclays Capital| The ECB stayed on hold this month. Keeping its easing bias, the Governing Council had a “very rich” and “ample” discussion on possible further easing measures. In our view, if expectations of a rebound in April HICP are not met, affecting the medium-term price outlook, the ECB may need to ease further.

british economy

In Europe 7th April 2014

British economy: in construction

LONDON- THE WEEK THAT WAS | By Víctor Jiménez | One in five homes built in the UK since last April have ended sold through the program Help to Buy, according to the largest stock market listed estate agent in the UK, Countrywide. This figure shots up to more than 50% in northern England where the housing sector had fallen into a deeper recession than elsewhere. In London, a resilient spot, one in ten homes have seen contracts exchanged following the heavy but comforting hand of the state.

 

No Picture

In Europe 4th April 2014

Popular to purchase Citibank’s retail banking business in Spain

MADRID | By Ana Fuentes | After months of conversations and rumours, Citi is closing a deal with Spanish Banco Popular to sell its retail banking business in Spain, including 45 branches and 300 employees, sources close to the operation confirmed to The Corner’s Spanish stock markets site Consenso del Mercado on Thursday.

oro china

In Europe 4th April 2014

Why was China carrying gold?

SCOTTSDALE (ARIZONA) | By Keith Weiner via Truman Factor| I would discourage everyone from making too much out of the Chinese gold carry trade. It’s not a giant conspiracy to buy up all the gold, while suppressing the price. It is not some farsighted plan to anticipate the collapse of the dollar by owning hard assets.

No Picture

In Europe 3rd April 2014

ECB likely to bet on inaction again

MADRID | By The Corner | Bundesbank’s Jens Weidmann shift, more inclined to consider bonds purchases, basically reponds to pure economic policy. Although it could anticipate those are closer than ever, it does not mean that ECB is to take action in today’s meeting. Most of analysts at Madrid’s financial place agree that Draghi would be more explicit regarding eventual tools to fight deflation- or low inflation as European authorities prefer to call it now-. He could announce some kind of corporate financing support such as securitization’ buyings at most. 

energy security2

In Europe 3rd April 2014

Shale and European Energy Security

What does the shale revolution mean for European energy security? An increase in localized production would shift dependence and decrease the exorbitant prices that European consumers pay for energy. Currently, electricity costs in Europe are roughly triple American prices and double Japanese prices.