Greece

alleyes

All eyes on Greece

LONDON | June 24, 2015 | BARCLAYS | Although the news from  Greece’s programme negotiations was mildly positive, we remain cautious on the eventual outcome as the situation remains very tense, particularly with respect to the banking sector.


imbroglio

Better red than dead

MADRID | June 21, 2015 | By JP Marín Arrese | Bertrand Russell coined this famous phrase when the cold war nuclear escalation threatened the survival of the human race. A useful tip for intractable confrontations where sanguine sentiments lead conflicting sides to prefer collective ruin rather than reaching a compromise. The Greek imbroglio is a good example.


Tsipras2

Don’t give up on politics!

MADRID | June 18, 2015 | By Luis Martí | The negotiating tactics of the Greek government can only be understood against the backdrop of an impossible set of electoral promises –impossible, that is, unless the government gained access to an unlimited inflow of financial resources from abroad at no charge. This not being the case, President Tsipras has to act within a constrained framework. 




Greece deal

Greece is gasping for a deal

ATHENS | April 22, 2015 | By Nick Malkoutzis via MacroPolis The Greek government made another payment to the International Monetary Fund earlier this month. This time it was just 450 million euros, a relatively manageable amount compared to the 1.5 billion that Greece had to pay back to the IMF in March. Each of these payments brings relief that a possible default has been avoided, but they also bring greater anxiety that a default is getting closer.


Greece's return

Greece in the month ahead

The Corner | April 2, 2015 | Manos Giakoumis, chief analyst with Greek financial website Marcropolis, speaks to The Corner about the most pressing issues currently confronting the Greek government. He notes that the ECB squeeze on Greek banks issuance of T-bills could prove problematic in the month ahead, and says that the thorny issue of privatisations could continue to thwart negotiations with the country’s creditors.


Now Investment

Consumer confidence points to brighter times in EMU

The Corner | March 30, 2015 | Consumer confidence in the EMU is set to hit its highest level in eight years, with economic sentiment improving across the currency block. In Spain, inflation figures are expected to remain in negative territory, but with the caveat that lower prices are having positive knock-on effects elsewhere in the economy.


Tsipras and Varufakis

Greece in dire distress

MADRID | March 17, 2015 | By JP Marín ArreseThe cliffhanger tactics applied by Varoufakis have backfired. He has lost precious time in his bid to baptise the barbarous Troika under the more Christian and palatable name of Institutions. 


coffee with beans

Morning briefing: US Fed language will focus attention

The Corner | March 16, 2015 | The week ahead is likely to be dominated by the FOMC meeting in the US.  Market watchers are expecting some movement on the semantics of pronouncements by the US Fed. In essence, any change in language will signal that a rates hike from the central bank is drawing closer.