From presseurop.eu | Debt-burdened Europe has stretched its diplomatic links to China authorities a never before. Whether the EU wants to tap its rich-in-cash economy or improve trade relations, Beijing seems to hold the strongest cards.
One week after Sandy, estimated costs have climbed to as much as $50 billion. Some New Yorkers start movement Occupy Sandy to help those in distress.
After the storm Sandy has hit New York, Spanish renewable energy company Acciona asks what “global warming” really means: “as well as temperature increases, it means alterations in the frequency and intensity of extreme weather phenomena.”
Brazil’s economy grew by 0.5% in the second quarter. According to market expectations, an upswing in activity as from the third quarter should come in but there will also be more pressure on prices, CaixaBank research notes.
Enric Fernández, in Barcelona | In spite of their differences, both candidates are aware that the country needs a credible adjustment plan. And, in fact, neither the United States nor the world economy can allow themselves to prolong, for too long, the uncertainty regarding the sustainability of the public finances of the world’s leading economy.
The US elections are surrounded by more uncertainty that ever before, and most of it comes from the Republican candidate. Mr Romney’s economic policies are an unknown-unknown.
Japan is slowing down and faces a second half of 2012 with weak activity, CaixaBank research shows. The fact that the nuclear switch-off will increase the cost of energy imports doesn’t help.
In economist Luis Arroyo’s view, the Spanish Treasury would have made two mistakes that hit hard the economy: too high a VAT rate, and too expensive energy bills.
CaixaBank research | The current surplus reaches almost 60 billion euros, close to the peak of 2004. Rising oil prices and the euro’s appreciation might slow up the pace of growth in the current surplus.
Economist Luis Arroyo rephrases the popular “we all are in this together” slogan: we all at the euro zone are heading towards recession in less than a year.