LONDON | Whether it is electoral incentives or sincere concern what compelled the UK government to call for supervision from outside the banking sector, free market advocates must have felt an acute sense of betrayal. On Tuesday, the Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne no only reminded the City that the British Bankers Association members will not see a penny of the £290-million fine that has been imposed to Barclays…
MADRID | The cost excess the Spanish government pays for credit from the capital markets in comparison with Germany, which is considered the benchmark in confidence matters in the sovereign bond sector, has fallen since last week's euro summit. The main two reasons seem to be that the plan for financial aid for Spain to recapitalise its banks was somehow agreed by the euro authorities, and the possibility that the…
MADRID | The Summit has just avoided the worst from happening. Super-Mario and an unexpectedly bold Mariano Rajoy achieved a coup d’état toppling Ms Merkel from her undisputed pedestal. Hollande’s support was vital in depriving her of her hitherto boundless power. Yet one has the impression we assisted to a rehearsed show meant to provide an excuse for Germany to cave in to pressure. Everyone was afraid of having to confront the…
By Julia Pastor, in Madrid | After so many fruitless meetings, conversations and rounds nobody expected that the European leaders would be able to reach a more than reasonable agreement for Europe, that tough Germany would relax its position towards its Southern partners, and Spain and Italy would resist before the steam engine of the euro zone. But it happened. Banks will be recapitalised directly with the European Stability Mechanism…
By CaixaBank research team, in Barcelona | France's statistics institute confirmed the French economy's stagnation in the first quarter and the year-on-year rate of change stood at 0.3%. In April, the economic climate indicator worsened and, in May, most leading indicators showed this decline getting worse, affected by the economic uncertainty, particularly due to the euro area crisis. The economy is therefore likely to continue slowing down in the second…
Hedge funds are better at fighting back amid terrible economic conditions and financial weather. Just look at the graphic. According to the FT Lexicon, they are investment funds that aim to meet high targeted returns using aggressive trading strategies that involve the movement of large amounts of capital from one market, asset class or currency to another. According to most European politicians, though, they are the greediest of the market…
In five out of nine times that the European Council has met since January 2011, market expectations have been missed. Analysts at BNP Paribas have done the research, which supports the heavy air of pessimism surrounding this Thursday's euro summit that is set to present some sort of action plan on Friday. “Although it is improbable that we get a final solution to the euro area crisis,” BNP Paribas said…
LONDON | By 2026 the UK could have increased its international business activity a booming 66 percent. The latest Global Connections trade forecast this week from HSBC Commercial Banking predicted that emerging markets will experience a tipping point in the balance of trade power, where imports will grow faster than exports within the next five years. That's opportunity for British ears. how to get your ex back According to official data,…
From www.valenciaplaza.com | By Tomas Berggren, equity analysts at Saxo Bank | The result of the independent stress test on Spanish banks calmed the market somewhat. According to the report, the total losses in a worst-case scenario are €250-270 billion with the corresponding capital shortfall being €51-62 billion, i.e. well within what was expected and probably in line with what Madrid wanted to hear. The losses are still hefty, though, and should be…
By Tania Suárez, in Madrid | José Luis Herrera, analyst at CMC Markets, considers that it’s necessary a Federal Europe in order to achieve economic policies with a combination of austerity and growth. In his opinion, authorities need to undertake growth measures that have an effect on the real economy, but avoiding a new bubble. You recently said in an interview that world central banks could take a joint action…