We are nearly 20 years into the new millennium and it is an unrecognizable place compared to when it started. Lehman is gone, Bear Stearns – gone, Merrill Lynch – acquired, Citigroup is a fraction of its former self. Blockbuster, Toys R Us, Woolworths are all part of the history books now. Europe, where we […]
EU
Brexit vote: EU president says UK remaining is only option (The Independent)
“The president of the European Council has dared British politicians to back remaining in the EU after Theresa May’s Brexit deal was voted down by the House of Commons by a historic margin of failure.” – by Jon Stone
Italy backs down in its budget standoff with the E.U. (Washington Post)
“The populist Italian government’s first experiment in challenging Europe appeared to near its conclusion Tuesday with reports of the most conventional of outcomes: an agreement with Brussels bureaucrats.”
What the 2018 EBA stress tests (don’t) tell you about Italy (Bruegel)
The results of the latest European Banking Authority stress tests were eagerly awaited for their results on the four biggest Italian banks. At first sight, these banks seem well prepared to withstand an adverse macro-financial shock. But judging by the market reaction following their publication, the results have not appeased investors.
Italy Vows to Stick to Budget That Breaches EU Rules (WSJ)
“Italy’s government vowed to forge ahead with its spending plans, despite warnings by the European Union that its proposed budget would breach the bloc’s fiscal rules, raising the chances of a clash with Brussels.”
The 10 Most Important People in Italy Worth Watching Right Now (Bloomberg)
“Italy’s determination to deepen its budget deficit next year is driving up the government’s borrowing costs and setting it on course for a clash with the European Union. These are the people that traders really need to pay attention to in the weeks ahead.”
ESM: The New Face of the Eurozone Bailout Fund (Spiegel)
The European Stability Mechanism may soon be granted far-reaching new powers, including the kinds of functions currently possessed by the IMF. It would be expected to play a bigger role in bank bailouts and would be empowered to better assist governments that find themselves in a tight spot.
Speech by Mario Draghi at the ACPR Conference on Financial Supervision (ECB)
“As much as the global financial crisis has exposed weaknesses in the regulation and supervision of banks around the world, in the EU such weaknesses were exacerbated by fragmentation.” “Progress in completing the Banking Union – namely, first harmonising options and discretions, completing resolution, and laying the groundwork for the creation of an effective deposit […]