José Ramón Díez Guijarro (Bankia Estudios) | Fortunately, in the EMU, with the exception of the second half of 2014, when the expected inflation expectations traded by the five year German bond reached negative territory, this deflation risk seems much more contained. This could be the principal difference between the European and Japanese economies.
via The Conversation | New Year’s Day 1999 saw the largest monetary changeover in history. On that date, just 20 years ago, 12 members of the European Union formally adopted a brand-spanking-new currency, the euro. Today seven additional EU member states use it, along with Montenegro, Kosovo, Andorra, Monaco, San Marino and Vatican City. If survival is the ultimate gauge of success, then this grand monetary experiment can be said to have succeeded.
Inflation fell six decimal points in November to 1.7%, the lowest in seven months in Spain. Within the deflationary evolution, almost general across components, energy process (electricity and oil) stand out. Analysts at Bankia Estudios predict a further fall for next year: It will recover in the first months of 2019 to around 2% and close the year at 1.5%.
The times of wage containment are beginning to be left behind in Spain. The ILO and the OECD themselves favoured an increase in the minimum wage, basing itself on the slight improvement in productivity over the last two years, but the first question is whether the proposed increase in the minimum wage is possible.
Atul Singh | How much value have technological advances created? On one side are internet bears who point out that productivity has been falling and the internet is not a big a deal. On the other side are internet bulls who argue that the internet has unleashed a new wave of productivity that is not captured by current measures accurately.
Investors and the authorities have learnt the lessons from the collapse of the investment bank, but we could be looking in the wrong direction when looking for the next turbulence, according to Paras Anand, Director General of Asset Management for the Asia Pacific in Fidelity.
The sudden finding last week that Deutsche Bank’s operations in the US would need to be cut back as the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation was worried about the bank’s local funds is disastrous news. The situation does not allow for a recapitulation of some kind.
Weaker balance sheets are not very attractive…From time time, we check out whether the “junk,” as defined by a non-investment grade credit rating, is a good investment. At the moment, it doesn’t seem to be.
In response to the US tariffs on Chinese exports worth USD 50 billion, it threatened to impose levies of 25% on a range of US goods worth about the same amount, including soybeans. The US is one of two world’s largest sellers of soybeans, together with Brazil. China is the world’s dominant buyer, accounting for more than 60% of all imports