ATHENS | Via Macropolis | A study published in the latest Bank of Greece (BoG) economic bulletin highlighted the deterioration in Greek households’ living and income conditions during the years of crisis (2008-2012).
BERLIN | By Alberto Lozano | While yesterday downs on Wall Street were marked by rising tensions in Ukraine, negative data from German manufacturing orders also seem to to be influenced by the geopolitical risks and the Russian sanctions’ impact on the eurozone’s economic recovery.
MADRID | The Corner | The headline seasonally adjusted Business Activity Index rose to 56.2 in July from 54.8 in June to signal a faster increase in activity at Spanish services companies during the month. The sharp expansion in activity extended the current sequence of growth to nine months and Spanish service providers saw new business increase at the sharpest pace since late-2006.
MADRID | The Corner | The Eurozone Sentix Index fell 2.7 points in August, its lowest level in a year, from 10.1 reached in July. The analysts’ consensus had expected that the indicator would go back to 9 points. Sentix attributes in a press release this decline to the approved economic sanctions against Russia and points out that “As this slump derives from an event which is subject to politics and power play, the central banks, particularly the European Central Bank, will have difficulty in trying to counter this.”
SAO PAULO | By Marcus Nunes via Historinhas | NGDP and RGDP trends are rather similar in both countries. The main question is: Why is the UK´s labor market so much more exuberant?
BERLIN | Alberto Lozano | In Europe the publication of first half results is about to end with 2/3 of companies having already published. The data shows that European companies are coming out of the long period of downgrades and are regaining positive terrain in earnings. A stronger euro has been a headwind to revenues this quarter and the worsening relations with Russia might disturb this European recovery in the coming months.
ATHENS | Via Macropolis | It should come as no surprise that in a the country where a large part of the political establishment is comfortable with the notion that some sort of conspiracy drove the country to bankruptcy, the same key players should spend the last few days in a hopeless debate on the recent developments in Argentina.
MADRID | The Corner | The unemployment rate in Spain falls in July by 29,841 people and drops for six consecutive months. The total number of unemployed stands at 4,419,860. For the first time, unemployment is below the 4.42 million that the current executive found when it came to power. Regarding to the nature of the employment created, it is important to highlight the growth of indefinite contracts by 18.41%. The cumulative reduction of unemployment in the first 7 months of the year (281.478 people) is the largest since 1998. In seasonally adjusted terms, unemployment registered in July grows in 32,357 people, a figure which corresponds to the time series trend, where since 2000 the seasonally adjusted unemployment always increases in July, with the only exception of 2004.
BERLIN | Alberto Lozano | The Portuguese government splits BES into two banks. On the one hand, it will inject €4.9 billion of capital in a new company called “Novo Banco”, which will get all the assets and employees from the crisis-hit bank. On the other hand, all toxic assets mostly related to its exposure to the Espirito Santo family will stay in the current Espirito Santo’s “bad bank”.
MADRID | By Alex García