Top Stories

ECB

No Picture

In Europe 26th March 2014

Is ice between ECB and Bundesbank melting?

MADRID | By Julia Pastor | The Bundesbank must be really worried about euro zone’s economy evolution. The German central bank’s chairman Jens Weidmann, paradigm of the country’s economic orthodoxy, opened the door to an ECB’s eventual bond purchase program for the first time in order to fight against common currency’s appreciation and the ghost of deflation. Furthermore, the German economy, strongly linked to Ukrainian interests, could suffer a downturn in the 2Q14, according to Bundesbank’s estimations. Meanwhile, the ECB could be studying some operational and legal points to start the stimulus program.

ecb stress tests

Markets 20th March 2014

Why is the ECB so demanding with Spanish banks?

MADRID| By Francisco López | Spanish banks are the most closely examined in the world, but it does not seem to be enough for supervising institutions. The ECB has urged them to undergo a new and comprehensive assessment of their exposure to real state sector before the European banking industry’s Asset Quality Review previous to the stress tests that will take place by the end of the year. The central bank has rejected that Spain’s entities use 2012’s review by audit firm Oliver Wyman. Even though ,they reckon, that would save money and time.

No Picture

In Europe 19th March 2014

Germany feels sure about European rescue fund- not ECB’s OMT

MADRID | By Julia Pastor| German judges are removing uncertainties little by little. The country’s Constitutional Court confirmed on Tuesday that the European Mechanism of Stability is legal and does not damage the Bundestag’s budget. Furthermore, they also approved euro zone’s fiscal pact. The court had brought an appeal against constitutionality of both treaties in June of 2012. The third appeal regarding ECB’s bond purchase program is still pending of a sentence, however, and apparently it would be more difficult to solve: Karlsruhe’s court has required European Court of Justice to decide against the program following the arguments -more economic than legal- that Bundesbank has handed to them.

No Picture

Markets 13th March 2014

Today’s Talk Of The Market In Spain

MADRID | By Jaime Santisteban | BBVA takes a look on the bright side of the Spanish economy in 1Q14: growth, exports, domestic demand, labor market, public spending reduction. Santander urges the EU to hasten arrangements on SRM to meet Banking Union agenda. Otherwise, stress tests won’t have credibility.

800px George Soros World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2011 1560x690 c

In Europe 12th March 2014

Soros: “German Parliament Imposed Wrong Discipline On Spain”

MADRID | By The Corner Team | Greek billionaire, investor, philanthropist and speculator Geoge Soros is well known for his pessimissm towards the euro and his enthusiasm for getting headlines. During a visit to London for his book tour, he made a case against the excess of austerity in the eurozone and critizised the recipes imposed by the German Parliament on its neighbours like Spain.

Spanish banks

World economy 17th February 2014

Spanish banks poised to face trouble

MADRID | By JP Marin Arrese | Not so long ago, markets gauged solvency problems in Spain to lay in former saving banks as many found themselves in a shambles. Few investors cast doubts on the main credit institutions, staunchly anchored in their extensive non-domestic business. Yet sentiment has markedly shifted as trouble is looming on Latin America. Argentina undoubtedly stands as a weird and quirky case. Still, the peso collapse has sent shivers down the spine.

No Picture

In Europe 14th February 2014

Karlsruhe, ECB’s OMT or the turn of the screw

MADRID | By Luis Martí | Each time the monetary union takes a step forward, German individuals and/or civil or political groups file a case with the Constitutional Court in Karlsruhe. So far, the Court has sanctioned that German governments were correct in accepting obligations emanating from Maastricht or the Lisbon Treaty, for example, but at the same time, it has also turned the screw on the Berlin executive by setting more and more strict limits to their freedom of action, by requiring –for instance- higher levels of co-decision with the legislative organs.

German court

In Europe 11th February 2014

ECB’s OMT: The trick in German Constitutional Court’s sentence

MADRID | By Luis Arroyo | Germany set off a time bomb against the euro by transferring from the country’s constitutional court to European Court of Justice the decision about “legality” of ECB’s Outright Monetary Transactions’ program. Some Spanish analysts appear to be pleased with the sentence, contrarily to common sense: it is good that German Court starts to agree the European Union’s. They say that recognising Europe’s jurisprudence assures Community law’s unity. God bless their innocence.