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In Europe 3rd April 2012

Écouter! French PMI drops most since November 2008

MADRID | Afi analysts drew today investors’ attention to the widening divergence between the manufacturing cycle of the European Monetary Union and other economic blocs. PMI figures of the manufacturing sector fell again in the euro zone’s aggregate indicator, slipping into activity contraction levels. Apart from China’s, the rest of PMI numbers are either consolidated or approach the expansion area. At Afi, experts forecast a EMU GDP downward correction of 0.1pc…

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In Europe 2nd April 2012

Italy or Spain? An off-the-record confusion

By Jacobo de Regoyos, in Brussels | The idea that Spain is the real sick man of Europe is catching on again. Suddenly, there is less talk of Greece and Italy. Portugal is going through its particular tunnel in silence. And as for Ireland, almost nobody in the financial media seem to remember its problems. Yet, Spain is back, surrounded but Europe’s ringing alarms. Proof of this is the evolution of the risk premium…

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Markets 30th March 2012

Friday’s graph: 2-year Italian bond yields

AFI analysts duly noted on Friday that markets have again focused their irritation on Italy and Spain. Corrections have shown a measure of the punishment investors are willing to inflict on those euro zone member countries seen as the weakest link unless Brussels gets its act together, since domestic solutions will necessarily be patchy. “Spanish and Italian sovereign debts have this week become protagonists, particularly over the short section of…

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aggregation line 30th March 2012

Morgan Stanley: “In the medium-term we are optimistic about Spain and Italy”

MADRID | In a note to investors, Morgan Stanley analysts let go a few words from the bright side of their view on some of the euro zone countries that have endured the worst part of an altogether bumpy week. And here at The Corner, we cannot help but spread the love. Experts at Morgan Stanley maintain their estimates for the general GDP of the European Union, which points at…

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Markets 1st March 2012

Italy and Spain gain easier access to credit markets

By Julia Pastor, in Madrid | The hangover following the second LTRO round has brought no headaches, so far. Analysts at the Spanish bank Sabadell have described as ‘very positive’ the €530 billion demanded to the ECB last Wednesday, as well as the increase of the participating European financial entities to 800. “It can be said that attending these auctions is not a stigma anymore,” say the experts. Furthermore, they…

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Markets 24th February 2012

LCH.Clearnet punishes Italy’s and Spain’s fiscal adjustments, markets beg to differ

The Spanish minister of Economy Luis de Guindos’ visits to London earlier this month and to Washington on Friday have borne fruit. Yield of 10-year Spanish sovereign bonds have softly fallen back to the 5pc region (it was 5.6pc), while the CDS spread in comparison to German bonds has tighten and is now 316bp from 380pb last week. The Italian 10-year bond has also behaved in a positive way, with…

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In Europe 23rd February 2012

Italian prime minister praises Spanish labour reform

MADRID | Mario Monti explained in an interview to the daily newspaper El Mundo that the Spanish labour reform ‘goes in the direction’ of the one he wishes to implement in his country. The Italian prime minister also comments on the reforms his government has carried out in Italy, such as the pension reform and he praises the Italian people’s ‘mature attitude’ when “it came time to accepting the sacrifices that…

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In Europe 2nd February 2012

The EZ to grow by 0,2% in 2012 against the IMF’s forecast of -0,5%

By Julia Pastor, in Madrid | The eventual coming out of green shoots within the dark scenery outlined by the world economy is well worth a mention. The analysts at the City of Madrid emphasise three good macroeconomic figures. Particularly, Santander refers in their analysis to Europe’s PMIs, which even in recessive zone at 48.8, compared to previous 46.9 of December, are standing at their highest mark in the last five…

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Interviews 11th January 2012

Monti cuts short Merkozy’s hegemony

By Julia Pastor, in Madrid | The Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti visited Berlin last week to meet with German Chancellor Angela Merkel. Monti, who was interviewed by the German newspaper Die Welt did not hesitate, despite his admiration for Germany, to criticise the actions of the Franco-German axis in resolving the debt crisis. “Angela Merkel and Nicolás Sarkozy cannot lead the European Union by themselves,” he said. Moreover, in…