BRUSSELS | By Alexandre Mato | The outcome of the stress tests led by the ECB and EBA showed that there are important weaknesses in the Italian and Greek financial sectors. 7 out of the 13 institutions that had to raise capital come from both countries. Perhaps, the era of restructuring are not yet behind us and the sector needs still more integration.
BRUSSELS | By Alexandre Mato | The financial sector has been expecting a boost to support capital markets from the incoming EC President Jean-Claude Juncker. There has been widespread speculation as to what shape such a boost might take within the monetary union. However Britain´s opposition to Juncker´s appointment means expectations have been somewhat tempered.
MADRID | The Corner | European banks have increased their holdings of govies in June by +0.1% m/m (+1.4% y/y), with one somewhat higher increase in the periphery (+ 0.6% m/m and – 1.2% y/y), mostly of a +8.6% in Ireland and +1.8% of Portugal. According to the ECB, EU lenders have reached a new all-time high of 1.8trn debt holdings, while peripheral banks are approaching 2013 numbers (€830bn vs €840bn in June 2013).
Europe’s leaders avoided their usual muddling through complacency to do something radical — and it worked. Europe’s banking union, constituting a supranational pooling of most instruments of banking policy, was established over two years ago, in the early hours of June 29, 2012. To a greater extent than was initially realized by most observers, this step marked a watershed in the European crisis by making it possible for the European Central Bank (ECB) to stabilize sovereign debt markets.
MADRID | By Julia Pastor | Financial integration that will result from the European banking union will definitely help to reduce systemic risks and simplify an industry that deeply questioned during the crisis. Strengthening capital standards, as established in the Basel III framework, as well rethinking the role of the once ‘too big to fail’ entities are some of the regulatory changes, Governor of the Bank of Spain, Pablo Linde, explained in Madrid on Thursday.
MADRID | By Jaime Santisteban | In a crucial day for the long-awaited banking union in Europe, market makers also chattered about many other issues, like the Bank of Spain -which has denied it plans to subject Spanish lenders to stress tests this month- achieving less tough criteria for Spanish banks in the upcoming EU stress tests.
MADRID | By Álex García.
MADRID | By Julia Pastor | After a 16-hour-marathon talks until 7 a.m, 28 EU states reached an agreement on the Single Resolution Mechanism in order to achieve the long-awaited banking union. But they ignore two relevant realities about the project. First, 1989’s Second EU Banking Directive already considered the same common financial tools that today are being sold as a priority and an innovation for the European construction. Furthermore, there is no point in celebrating: a French entity still does not lend money to a Greek one. This deal is not correcting the euro zone’s financial fragmentation.
MADRID | By Luis Alcaide, Luis Martí and Jaime Santisteban | Deputy Director General at the European Union’s Financial Services Nadia Calviño considers that the EBA must keep playing an important role in the coordination of the financial supervision. She believes that transparency is a key issue that must prevail within the process of the European integration in the Eurozone.
MADRID | By Jaime Santisteban | Amid the hot debate on when the banking union will be wrapped up, market makers are focusing on the main steps already taken: the ECB gets the decision-making power from the European Council and Germany tries to avoid that public money can be used in the transitional period. Link analysts don’t expect major fluctuations today, but they warn investors about some “red lights.”