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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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World economy 24th November 2014

PBoC delivered asymmetric rate cuts, what’s next?

By Jian Chang (Barclays) | The PBoC announced after the market close on Friday it was lowering the benchmark interest rates, effective 22 November 2014. The cut will be asymmetric, with the 1y lending rate down by 40bp to 5.6% and the 1y deposit rate down by 25bp to 2.75% (Figures 1 and 2). Meanwhile, the central bank further advanced its interest rate liberalization agenda. Banks can offer deposit rates at 20% above the benchmark rate, up from 10% currently (the upward flexibility was first introduced in June 2012, also along with a 25bp cut in the deposit rate). The bank also removed the benchmark guidance for the 5y savings rate.

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Markets 24th November 2014

Investors find it hard to trust the ECB…

MADRID | The Corner | It seems Mario Draghi is preparing the markets and the ECB’s Government Council for further action as soon as next December. Investors are reluctant to trust Mr Draghi’s words, but they seem to be more confident lately. However, this “affair” will come to an end if the ECB does not take effective measures. According to market watchers at Link Securities, markets will closely monitor the ECB’s Government Council meeting, which will be crucial for investors to maintain their trust in the European institution.

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In Europe 21st November 2014

Spain and Portugal are the Eurozone countries at most risk of “prolonged low inflation”

MADRID | The Corner | Internal demand is recovering within the euro area, activity is getting back on track and experts believe that companies are about to start investing, hiring more workers and boosting consumption. However, credit flow, the production gap and unemployment are still major challenges. Analysts at Cortal Consors think that Spain and Portugal are the Eurozone countries most at risk of a “prolonged period of low inflation or mild deflation.”

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Markets 21st November 2014

ECB to start ABS purchases

MADRID | The Corner | The European Central Bank published the legal act for purchases of asset-backed securities, setting it up to start buying the debt as soon as this Friday. Proponents say the measure “could boost the shaky eurozone recovery by reducing borrowing costs for businesses, households and governments.” According to market watchers at Link Securities, Mario Draghi will reiterate the intention of adopting new measures to boost the economic growth in the Eurozone.

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In Europe 20th November 2014

Is there (sustainable) growth in Greece?

ATHENS | By Jens Bastian at The Agora | Greece finally exited its six-year long recession in the third quarter of 2014. The Hellenic Statistical Authority ELSTAT said that the economy grew by 0.7 percent in the third quarter (compared to the same quarter in 2013). The positive third quarter reading is the first after 24 consecutive quarters of negative GDP performance dating back to Q3 2008. Still, the economic damage from this recession is staggering. It will take years – perhaps even decades – to bring Greece’s real economy back to the levels last achieved in 2007. 

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World economy 20th November 2014

China-U.S. Investment Treaty Would Strengthen Economic Relations

BEIJING | By Sean Miner via Caixin | The United States and China disagree on many issues but especially in the foreign policy sphere, and there are few reasons the two economic heavyweights will become closer in the next few years. Among the few areas that could bring them closer could be increased bilateral investment. With the recent “breakthrough” between China and the United States in the negotiations on the Information Technology Agreement, the prospects for a bilateral investment treaty (BIT) between them have been improved.

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In Europe 19th November 2014

The EU is a union of rules, not a union of force

The European Union (EU) is a group of sovereign states, who are sovereign in that they are entirely free to leave the EU. This freedom to leave means the EU is not a “super state.” There is no coercive force — and no EU army — to make Britain or any other country remain in the union. Britain enjoys a freedom, within the EU, that colonies did not enjoy within the British or other European empires. Britain is, therefore, entirely within its rights in considering the option of leaving the EU, although that does not mean such a course would be wise.

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Markets 19th November 2014

Deflationary risk: Which countries are most likely to be impacted?

MADRID | The Corner | In a report by Atradius Credit Insurance, they say that the disinflationary trend is visible across the Eurozone, but not all countries are expected to face the same issues. Countries that have a large output gap and those that still have to implement the most reforms will face the highest disinflationary pressure. To create a list of the countries most likely to be impacted, we first select the Eurozone markets that have a budget deficit larger than 3.0%, as these are subject to the Excessive Deficit Procedure which forces them to implement fiscal and structural reform.