MADRID | By Ana Lopez Varela | Cutbacks and balance sheet losses at the British oil giant are indicative of a more widespread malaise afflicting the oil industry. While there has been a correction in profit forecasts, firms are likely to adjust their business model accordingly.
MADRID | By Sean Duffy | Today is a massive day for the euro zone. The outcome of negotiations between Greek politicans and European bosses will be closely monitored by markets and euro zone partners alike. With Greek banks under pressure, a deal needs to be agreed soon.
TOKYO | By Nobumasa Akiyama Via Caixin | Deeds not words will determine whether Shinzo Abe will be a success in 2015, a year full of challenges.
Madrid | By Sean Duffy | Yanis Varoufakis has been causing quite a stir on his trip around Europe. The Greek Finance Minister will meet with his Italian counterpart on Tuesday, and both will be watching market reaction to proposals leaked by the Greek Government last night.
MADRID | By Sean Duffy | Markets will be looking to how relations between the new Greek Government and European creditor nations play out in the week ahead. After a week of tense negotiations, the stakes are increasing all the time. Greek claims of insolvancy have irked its eurozone partners, but can all sides find a middle ground in the coming days?
By Peter Lundgreen via Caixin | Like the Swiss, the Danes are dealing with huge capital inflows from international investors, meaning the krone is a problem for the central bank.
LONDON | BNP Paribas | Over the years we have abstained from discussing M&A scenarios among Italian banks as we always deemed it highly speculative. However we believe the proposed reform of the Italian Popolari banks (forcing them to demutualise within the next 18 months) changes everything with defensive M&A among small and mid-cap banks a distinct possibility.
By Sean Duffy | MADRID | The announcement on Friday of the Qatar Investment Authority’s purchase of 9.99% of IAG is the latest flexing of financial muscle from the Gulf state. QIA continues to grow its portfolio in Europe, having already invested over €13bn in Spanish companies since the beginning of the crisis.
MADRID | The Corner | January ends with bad news for the eurozone: consumer prices fell sharply (0.6% lower than in January 2014, having been down 0.2% on an annual basis in December). This is nothing strange given cheap oil prices, merely adding stress for policymakers. The European Central Bank hopes to stop this decline in prices -the largest since July 2009- with its new bond-buying program starting in March.
MADRID | By Sean Duffy | Market fears about Greece eased somewhat on Thursday, with Spanish banks recovering the ground lost earlier in the week. Friday brings new data on unemployment and GDP which may bring further good news for the Spanish economy