LONDON | You needn't be a bureaucrat in the payroll of any of the myriad of euro institutions to launch a campaign that points at the various strengths the common currency area still possesses. Day after day, whether it's new developments in politics or foreign direct investment balances, some piece of data brings up the surprising resilience that wows non-euro observers. Amid the sorry situation of the euro estate, JP…
A curated selection of links we hope can enlighten us all; some come from our corner, some do from other corners of the net. And as always, our comment widgets are anxious to get your suggestions. Eurocrats, get your financial bazookas right now Markets are fast, but democracies slow –solving the euro crisis How investors can thrive as the eur ipad manual o zone burns Angela Merkel is drawing the…
By Julia Pastor, in Madrid | Merkel, Hollande, Monti and Rajoy. Four names for another crucial meeting in the euro zone, the one held today at Rome to smooth the path of next June 28-29 Summit. Christine Lagarde will not participate in this conversation but her name will surely loom large in the four European leaders’ minds. The International Monetary Fund’s managing director is raising the pressure for the European…
By CaixaBank research team, in Barcelona | As was expected, Italy saw a considerable drop in its GDP in the first quarter, namely 0.8%, higher than the one recorded in the last two quarters. This suggests that the recession is biting deeper and shows just how deep. The year-on-year rate of change in GDP therefore fell to -1.3%. This contraction in the level of the activity can be explained by…
MADRID | The relaxed atmosphere in a seaside resort has undoubtedly helped coming to terms with a number of common sense goals. But delivery might prove more gruelling than expected. You don’t need to cross the Atlantic and be lectured by President Obama to concede that unwinding the feedback between financial and sovereign risks stands as a key requirement. Or to accept that current Spanish and Italian risk premium should be…
By Julia Pastor, in Madrid | On Tuesday, financial analysts at Link Securities commented that “Spain would be in the spotlight of present week political contacts”, of course, in a clear reference to the G-20 meeting at Mexico. “Discussions held there will largely focus on the country’s situation.” And that is exactly what has happened. Spanish president Mariano Rajoy arrived in Mexico with the aim of putting on the table…
By Luis Arroyo, in Madrid | Why did the euro seem to work so splendidly after just a few years …to be about to crash now with such almighty noise? Here I suggest an explanation, which is simple and incomplete and yet, crucial. In the first graphic, we see the Spanish real GDP in red and Germany's in blue both at annual growth rates. The drop in the 1990s is…
MADRID | Any train traveller knows by heart the stern warning on the danger that lies in leaning out. Italians seem to pay due attention to this caution, living permanently in a risky environment. Downplaying their own problems has led them to slip to second line positions leaving Spaniards as forerunners of the raging euro battle. Spain has behaved in a most divergent way. Confronted with a looming banking crisis,…
http://exbacksms.com/ How to win back your ex By Luis Arroyo, in Madrid | Everybody is now praying for a solid coalition to form in Greece's government, a partnership that keeps tightening the rope of public spending. On the contrary, the left, whether via moderate Pasok or other radicalised groups, may have a greater role than many like to imagine. It doesn't matter. Time goes by. Greece needs more money. And…
http://exbacksms.com/ How to win back your ex euro area's GDP shrinks by -0.3 percent. The survey's results for the whole European Union, understandably, spells pessimism, too: it has fallen from -2.4 to -20.1, due not only to perceptions of the current situation but also to how the medium term looks like. zp8497586rq