BARCELONA | Analysts at CaixaBank welcome the European Central Bank’s decision of propping up state debt by moderating its cost in the markets. It will give the euro zone room to progress in its integration.
If Madrid is taking its time to officially sign for the inevitable rescue, it’s because someone else bought it time. Check with the European Central Bank and Berlin before blaming Spain for the delay.
National supervision and control has had its days, analysts at la Caixa claim. The survival of the European Monetary Union now depends on speeding up banking system integration. Or else.
MADRID | Whereas London has gone to battle in the Scottish independence referendum, Madrid would rather focus on the dire situation of the state finances and a looming rescue when challenged by Catalan independentists. Carlos Díaz Guell believes the Spanish government has no spare strength to spend.
Although the latest intervention from the European Central Bank may have opened a window of respite for Spain’s president Mariano Rajoy, economist Juan Pedro Marín Arrese alerts he should be wary of delaying decisions.
There is a saying in Spain about building a house from the roof down. Economist Juan Pedro Marín Arrese says that is exactly what Jose Manuel Barroso, president of the European Commission, proposes with his talk of federation. And it’s not going to work.
Community jargon shows how mere wishful thinking is turned into what seems a rock-solid reality-to-be. The EU is full of expectations that never materialize. Yet, this shortcoming does not deter officials from bombastically naming policies or mechanisms as if there was no chance they might derail. Just take the rescue label so often applied to Greece. One takes for granted that once you are rescued from peril you can consider…
José Luis Marco, CAPITAL MADRID | Although Spanish banks have little direct exposure in Greece, the country over which hangs the euro zone exclusion threat, something different happens with several European banks: they have a direct interest in the Hellenic country both with their branches in the country and with the assumption of Greek sovereign debt. Some of the biggest banks are partners or shareholders of several Spanish banks. Banco…
The mere announcement of an intervention by the ECB has already had a clear effect on the evolution of the yields on Spanish and Italian bonds in the shortest time. The Spanish two years bond that skyrocketed in July to 7.1%, has fallen to 3.072%. A very different story is however the 10 years bond, currently at 6.57%, far from the peak of 7.7% in July but still very high….
Governments and markets are anxiously waiting for Draghi’s words to know what the ECB plans to do. They might be deceived by the lukewarm message he is likely to deliver. Central bankers have a keen expertise in saying as little as possible. Greenspan was an outstanding master in playing that game. Draghi while following his path, still needs some training to develop a fully persuasive oratory laden with a string…