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The Corner
The Corner has a team of on-the-ground reporters in capital cities ranging from New York to Beijing. Their stories are edited by the teams at the Spanish magazine Consejeros (for members of companies’ boards of directors) and at the stock market news site Consenso Del Mercado (market consensus). They have worked in economics and communication for over 25 years.
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In Europe 3rd September 2014

Air pollution: Time for clean air lobbying

MADRID | The Corner | Around 400,000 people die prematurely in the EU due to air pollution-related problems, costing health systems around €330 billion and €940 billion. Brussels-based non profit EBB (European Biodiesel Board), lobbying for this type of fuel, measured air pollution levels in different areas of the city: they were between 60 and 120 times above considered clean standards. Schadenfreude fans: last year Beijing residents suffered 40 times the recommended maximum exposure limit set by the World Health Organization.

 

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In Europe 2nd September 2014

Paris talks mark start of Greece’s most crucial troika review

ATHENS | via MacroPolis | The first round of the new review of Greece’s Economic Adjustment Program (EAP) is kicking off in Paris today and will last until September 4. The IMF spokesman has recently clarified that the aim of these meetings is to “discuss the way forward on the forthcoming review and is expected to be followed by the full mission to Athens in late September” for the full review. 

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Spanish economy 2nd September 2014

Spanish Social Security lost 100,000 affiliated in August

MADRID | The Corner | Unemployment continues to afflict Spaniards and official figures released on Tuesday added even more pressure on the authorities: 8,700 more jobless people were registered in August, the first rise in unemployment after six months of improvement.

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Companies 2nd September 2014

Spanish bank Santander to issue 2.5bn euros in CoCo bonds

MADRID | The Corner | Spanish biggest bank Santander announced a bond issue contingent convertible (Coco) by an amount of €2.5 billion, which will be directed exclusively to qualified investors. Another Spanish company seeking financing in the capital markets is construction firm ACS, issuing of €500 million debt, which that was forced to suspend it some weeks ago due to the Portuguese bank Espirito Santo scandal.

bonds and equities

Markets 1st September 2014

Do equities and bonds live on different planets?

MADRID | The Corner | While bonds are considering a world without growth nor inflation, equities seem much more optimistic. On their Monday comment, JPMorgan analysts point out that, on a global level, monetary policies are still increasingly more expansionary in aggregate form.

 

chinese consumer

World economy 1st September 2014

Deng Xiaoping: A great legacy posing a great dilemma for China

Three decades after admired reformist leader Deng Xiaoping launched his experimental plan of economic reforms, the new Chinese president Xi Jinping is nowadays facing the exact same challenges (and pressures) than his revered comrade. Moreover, Mr Xi’s political survival depends on his ability to earn the trust of the masses and offer them real options for progress. He will have to find a way to do so without tamping the privileges of all those wealthy entrepreneurs who benefited from Mr Deng’s capitalist reforms.

 

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Spanish economy 29th August 2014

Santander to issue contingent convertible bonds (CoCos) for third time in 2014

MADRID | The Corner | Santander will issue contingent convertible bonds (CoCos) worth up to 1,500 million euros. In order to reach its aim, the bank will start a road show to sound out the market interest and, in case of suitable conditions, it will start the operation on Monday or Tuesday next week with the collaboration of Credit Suisse, HSBC, JP Morgan, Société Générale and UBS. This issue of CoCos will be the third that the Spanish bank carries out this year, after the issue of 1,5000 million euros in March at an interest rate of 6.25% and another one in May when it sold CoCos worth 1,500 million dollars at 6.375%.

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Companies 29th August 2014

Telefónica unseats Telecom Italia in the battle for GVT

MADRID | The Corner | Vivendi board has decided to enter into exclusive talks with Telefónica for the disposal of its Brazilian subsidiary company Global Village Telecom (GVT), preferring Telefónica’s bid over the Telecom Italia’s one. Telefónica will pay a total consideration of €7.45 bn, of which €4.66bn in cash and the remainder in newly issued shares of the combined Telefónica Brazil-GVT entity corresponding to a 12% economic interest.