Euro Crisis

The Japanese government yesterday lowered its assessment on the domestic economy – hard evidence it is the latest big economy to feel the fall out from the European debt crisis. Official figures showed China’s slow down was also shown to be sharper than expected. Meanwhile, European Central Bank (ECB) member Jorg Asmussen made a speech last night in which he […]

The Gold price has raced ahead by $32.30 to $1672.80 an ounce today thanks to the release of the last minutes of the meeting of the Federal Reserve Open Markets Committee (FOMC) that showed QE3 is just inevitable. Like we did not know that already. But this is just the start. Phrases involving genies and […]

Federal Reserve meeting minutes released yesterday confirmed the US government would step in to provide more stimulus measures if required, bouying markets during the afternoon. PMI services from the euro zone disappointed however,  with the ongoing European debt crisis to blame.   Meanwhile, the future of troubled Greece – seeking an extension of its bailout conditions – was...

I have warned so many times that China is set for a hard landing in the second half of 2012 that if you have ignored my numerous articles then there is probably no helping you at any stage. But I shall try again and I shall be brief. That is a pun. I am talking underpants here. […]

Finland’s foreign minister Erkki Tuomioja has caused waves by suggesting the nordic nation is preparing for a eurozone breakup. His comments forced Finland’s government to release a statement asserting Tuomioja’s views were his own and that Finland was “100 %” in support of the single currency. Yesterday, Angela Merkel voiced support for ECB president Mario...

“What a tangled web we weave, when first we practice to deceive.” Was there a banking scandal in Sir Walter Scott’s day, or did he foresee one coming?  Whatever, the answer, he sure got it right.  The banking world is a mess.  It seems like Barclays has been in the headlines more often in the […]

The Greek government is to ask for the country’s debt reform plan to be relaxed during meetings with the French President Francois Hollande and the German Chancellor Angela Merkel. According to documents obtained by the Financial Time it is expected that the Greek government will request a two-year delay with an additional cost of 20bn […]

The eurozone economy is now 0.4pc smaller than it was a year ago, whist the region contracted 0.2 pc in the second quarter, eurozone GDP figures released this morning show. Weak household consumption across the region (Germany excepted) and slower investment plans are to blame, according to analysts. In other euro crisis news, there are concerns […]

After any bear run in shares some folks always grab headlines by saying we have seen “The Death of Equities.”  Heck, you have lost your shirt it sounds believable. And so when major bond investor Bill Gross proclaimed the Death of Equities on August 1st he grabbed the headlines. Before you rush out to buy […]

The Governor of the Bank of England Sir Mervyn King has said there is “no obvious end in sight” to the on-going euro crisis, creating a series problem for a UK recovery. Writing in the Mail on Sunday Sir Mervyn argued that “if the rest of the world were growing normally, the rebalancing and recovery […]