TOKYO | By Leika Kihara and Stanley White at Reuters | European Central Bank Governing Council member Christian Noyer said on Monday that interest rates have to remain low for an extended period and might go even lower if needed as officials try to ensure the euro zone does not fall into deflation.
LONDON | By Barclays analysts | Under our macroeconomic scenario of a mild and uneven recovery combined with subdued inflation, we do not expect the ECB to cut rates further in the coming months despite recent speculation (Bloomberg news) that it was considering a negative deposit rate.
MADRID | By Fernando G. Urbaneja | The present crisis is punishing the Europeans more than anyone else, although Germany is quite well. However, the scarce economic growth, high unemployment rates, and questionable living conditions of the society lead to think that the EU has resigned to mediocrity.
LONDON| By Yiannis Mouzakis via The Agora | You may be amongst those who are not convinced of the devastating effect that the policy mix and pace of fiscal contraction in Greece is having on society. If so, you may subscribe to the official line trotted out by the country’s lenders that the program is helping the country regain competitiveness and the economy fix its external imbalances. This is the greater cause that is demanding such a sacrifice. There is no gain without pain, goes the argument.
LONDON | By Barclays analysts | Although Q3 GDP data for euro area countries indicated growth for the second consecutive quarter, thereby confirming the end of the recession after six quarters of GDP contraction, it also showed the recovery to be subdued, uneven, and fragile.
COPENHAGUE | By Kim Faber, Tanja Parker Astrup and Jakob Sheikh at Politiken via Presseurop | With 29.5 per cent of the vote, the Social Democrats led by Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt avoided a long-predicted catastrophe in Danish local elections on November 19, reports Politiken.
MADRID | By Fernando G. Urbaneja | There is a problem with the European stress tests: they focus on solvency but forget about profitability, which is essential for the future of banks. The system doesn’t work properly and in a context of stagnant economy, banking faces a difficult future.
BERNA | By Le Temps via Presseurop | Now that banking secrecy has come to an end, “Swiss bankers are dreaming of Europe,” says Swiss daily Le Temps.
LONDON | By Barclays analysts | We discuss the Italian economic and financial situation based on data and analysis contained in the November 2013 Bank of Italy Financial Stability Report. Following almost two years of recession in Italy, positive growth should resume in Q4 this year. After a likely 1.8% GDP contraction this year, we forecast a 0.8% expansion in 2014.
MADRID | By JP Marin Arrese | The European Commission has undertaken a thorough review of national budgets following the sweeping powers conferred to it to ensure consistency across the Eurozone. When enacted, this move was heralded as breaking into new territory. Yet the opinions now delivered flatly fail to meet its ambitious goal.