Category Archives: News/ Lessons

From Open Europe news summary of September 20, 2013: European Commission finance officials have tentatively reached an agreement to adjust the way the ‘structural deficit’ of eurozone countries is calculated. This could allow for an easing of austerity since more of … Continue reading →

From today’s Open Europe news summary: The ECB’s Money Market Contact Group, a panel of industry members who advise the ECB, have called for the central bank to renew its three year long term refinancing operation (LTRO) next year due … Continue reading →

A friend asked me if I were surprised by Bernanke’s statement that the Fed would not end or even slow down it $85 billion per month bond purchases.  Here is my reply: Not at all.  Bernanke knows that he has a Hobson’s … Continue reading →

Greece not meeting Troika’s agreement to cut civil service jobs I’m shocked!  Shocked! (Not really) that the Greeks are not living up to their promises to cut civil service jobs in order to get the latest round of bailout money.  … Continue reading →

From Charles Gave of Gavekal Research: “Germans might as well load much of their auto exports headed to eurozone  countries on to a boat and sink it outside of Hamburg. It would do as much good  as selling Audis in … Continue reading →

From Open Europe news summary of September 11, 2013 (my highlights): In his ‘state of the Union’ speech in Strasbourg this morning, European Commission President José Manuel Barroso said, “Not everything needs a solution at European level. Europe must focus … Continue reading →

My good friend Godfrey Bloom, member of the European Parliament for Yorkshire and North Lincolnshire, explains housing market realities to statist politicians in the European Parliament.  Perhaps the crime of which he speaks is so apparent and so widespread that … Continue reading →

I disagree with this news article that Peru is the dollar counterfeiting capital of the world. Here is its evidence: “Over the past decade, $103 million in fake U.S. dollars “made in Peru” have been seized…” The Fed’s QE3 program … Continue reading →

From today’s Open Europe news summary: Le Monde reports that the Spanish government is planning on putting “one quarter of the national heritage” up for sale in order to tackle their budget deficit. Euractiv Le Monde The Spanish people have … Continue reading →

From today’s Open Europe news summary: The FT reports that motorways in Portugal are deserted due to the recession, the introduction of tolls and the overinvestment in roads funded by the EU, which has left Portugal with four times more … Continue reading →