The lingering commitment to austerity of leading Western politicians in the face of impending economic tragedy is beyond belief. The dismal science is a sobriquet often wrongly applied to economics, but…
During the Great Depression, policymakers had an irrational - and detrimental - attachment to the gold standard. Should we be worried about the similar fervour for a strong euro?
BullionVault
Are the tragedies of the 1920s repeating themselves in the twenty-first century? In the 1920s, an irrational attachment to the gold standard helped cause the Great Depression, as European fears of inflation…
German chancellor Angela Merkel and France's new President Francois Hollande meet to discuss Europe's economic woes.
EPA/Rainer Jensen
Europe is in economic dire straits and the two most powerful economies on the continent are, at least on paper, led by individuals with considerable differences.
The previous French President Nicolas…
Greek citizens took their frustration out on the ballot box this weekend.
EPA/Orestis Panagiotou
The answer, even though they see over and over again that austerity leads to collapse of the economy, the answer over and over [from politicians] is more austerity.
— Joseph Stiglitz, Asian Financial Forum…
The European Central Bank's long-term refinancing operations have reduced acute liquidity problems in the banking sector, but the situation in the Eurozone remains fragile.
AAP
By Harald Sander, Cologne University of Applied Sciences (CUAS)
In November 2011, the Eurozone crisis reached a climax with interest rates on sovereign debt of Eurozone problem debtors soaring. Fear of sovereign defaults spilled over into the interbank markets as Eurozone…
Plans by Spain's new conservative government to push through deep labour reform has provoked protests, as it struggles to tackle its soaring unemployment rate.
AAP
Spain’s general strike last week has sent a clear message to other Eurozone countries about how challenging it may be to implement labour market reform.
The strike was mostly peaceful, with the exception…
Not so funny…. Portugal is the next vulnerable Euro nation, but it doesn't fit the German-favoured critique of a profligate country unwilling to undertake reforms.
AAP
By Harald Sander, Cologne University of Applied Sciences (CUAS)
Greece is rescued, for now…maybe. Perhaps it’s time to move on to the next basket case. So, which of the PIIGS is the next Greece?
For the moment, Portugal looks to be the front-runner. The country’s…
Protests rocked Athens as Greek legislators voted to accept a tough austerity package. So what now for the Greek people?
AAP
As Greek politicians approved a tough austerity package amid fierce protests, one question dominates: is an orderly exit from the Eurozone available for Greece? And just what might be the consequences…
Just how can Europe grapple with sluggish economic growth?
AAP
When it comes to finding ways out of the European sovereign debt crisis, views appear to range widely.
At last week’s World Economic Forum Martin Wolf, chief economic commentator for the Financial Times…
Economic policies – not credit ratings – will determine the future of the euro.
AAP
The decision by Standard and Poor’s to downgrade the debt of nine Eurozone countries last week, followed by the inevitable downgrade of the Eurozone rescue fund two days later, raises important questions…
French leftists protest after Standard & Poor's downgraded the country's debt on Friday.
AAP
Standard & Poor’s decision to downgrade the credit ratings of nine Eurozone countries, including Austria, France, Italy, Spain, and Portugal, is another symptom of the contagious and vicious debt cycle…
Spain, Italy, Portugal and Greece face serious problems without EU-wide financial reform.
AAP
Every year, on the evening of December 31, the President of the Republic of Italy addresses the Italian people with a video message broadcast by all the major radio and television networks. This “end of…
British Prime Minister David Cameron had no choice but to reject the EU plan and was right to do so.
AAP
Last week’s EU Brussels summit produced a tentative fiscal compact, a mild boost of the European Financial Stability Facility’s (EFSF) reserves to €500 billion, and an acrimonious split between Britain…
Merkel, Sarkozy and Monti must accept drastic fiscal reforms if they want to save the Eurozone.
The announcement by credit ratings agency Standard & Poor’s overnight that it could downgrade the triple-A rating of Europe’s debt rescue fund has battered market confidence, which had been buoyed…
Despite happy appearances, the two leaders disagree the way out of the Eurozone crisis.
AAP
What could be a decisive week for Europe and its common currency has begun, with the announcement of a package of fiscal austerity measures in Italy.
Markets, European partners, and – perhaps above all…
Markets responded positively to the central banks' credit lifeline, but serious problems lie ahead.
AAP
For European banks threatened by a looming credit squeeze, the US Federal Reserve’s move to cut the cost of obtaining US dollars rescue hasn’t come a moment too soon.
The Fed’s decision to engage in quantitative…
The European Central Bank needs to start buying more bonds from Eurozone countries.
Images_of_Money
The departure of Silvio Berlusconi does not seem to have eased the pressure on Italy, with reports suggesting the International Monetary Fund is reading a 600 billion euro emergency bailout for the Eurozone…
The eurozone crisis is moving beyond "spendthrift" countries in need of rescue, to the rescuers themselves.
AAP
By Harald Sander, Cologne University of Applied Sciences (CUAS)
Early this week, sovereign bonds spreads for France and other Euro-core countries peaked.
Around noon on Tuesday the spreads on French and Austrian 10-year government bonds exceeded the German bund rate…
Angela Merkel and Nicolas Sarkozy must take drastic steps to maintain the legitimacy of EU institutions.
AAP
The European Union is in crisis – yet again. If you enter “Europe in crisis” into Google, more than 655 million entries pop up.
Europe’s current problems are being described as a Euro crisis – it is a…
Former EU commissioner Mario Monti will form government in Italy as Silvio Berlusconi exits.
AAP
Is the Eurozone about to crash and burn, leaving Club Med in its wake? Not so fast.
Reports have suggested that French President Nicolas Sarkozy and German Chancellor Angela Merkel have discussed a strategic…
The Irish have seen their booming economy implode. Is it a good lesson for Australia?
AAP
When Treasurer Wayne Swan finger-wagged at the recent set of G20 events, scolding his European colleagues and telling them to get their act together, he had more of a point than perhaps the Australian…
Italy's debt woes will not disappear after Berlusconi finally steps down.
AAP
Global markets have tumbled in the past 24 hours on fears over Italy’s worsening debt crisis, with media reports that Germany and France have begun talks to break up the Eurozone if the monetary union…
Berlusconi's resignation is one step towards solving Italy's debt crisis – but many more are needed.
AAP
Italy’s sovereign debt crisis has been overshadowed by Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi’s reluctant promise to resign after the country’s parliament made clear he no longer commanded a majority.
Italy…
The Greek Prime MInister is on the way out, but the new government has a lot of work still to do.
AFP/Aris Messinis
The Greek Prime Minister will resign in an effort to save the bailout deal agreed by the European Union to dig the country out of its debt crisis.
George Papandreou agreed to go following talks with the…
Italy's disturbing debt-to-GDP ratio has been decades in the making.
AAP
During prostests in Rome last month, as groups of hooded protesters clashed with the police, set cars on fire, and smashed bank windows around the Piazza San Giovanni, two large speakers installed on a…
Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou will use the referendum to try to win a mandate for austerity measures.
AAP
Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou has taken the bold step of planning a referendum on the country’s EU-imposed austerity measures, in a bid to claim a mandate for his efforts to avoid a default on…
The first free elections borne from the Arab Spring were held in Tunisia. Over 90% of registered adults voted.
EPA/Zacarias Garcia
It has been a tumultuous week in the life and times of democracy in the Mediterranean. Seven days punctuated by joyous hope and its ugly opposite, sullen despair.
The promising news came from Tunisia…
Slovakian Prime Minister Iveta Radikova's government was a political victim of the continuing Euro debt crisis.
AAP
The Central European country of Slovakia has finally ratified the EU bailout fund – but not before its initial refusal caused a spill of the Slovakian government and highlighted the deep political divisions…
Jean-Claude Trichet will step down at ECB president in November.
AAP
As the Eurozone trembles at the prospect of Greece defaulting on its debt, the winds of change are at work at the European Central Bank (ECB).
ECB President Jean-Claude Trichet will step down in November…
Euro banks have been urged to reinforce their balance sheets.
AAP
By Kevin Davis, Australian Centre for Financial Studies
Eurozone leaders have moved to address liquidity fears, with the European Central Bank announcing new measures to head off a credit crunch. Britain has also announced quantitative easing measures.
Outgoing…
Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi's austerity measures are misdirected and too dramatic.
AAP
The move by international ratings agency Moody’s to cut Italy’s credit rating for the first time in two decades will do little to ease concerns about the Eurozone’s debt crisis, despite global markets…
European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso says the FTT could raise 55 billion euros a year.
AAP
Momentum is building behind the global campaign to impose a tax on transactions in financial markets, with European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso announcing plans to introduce the measure as…
Is a partial default one of the steps to recovery for Greece?
AAP
Will Greece default and exit the Eurozone?
The best-case scenario is a managed, orderly, partial default with the European Financial Stability Facility (EFSF), a fund created in 2010 to manage Eurozone…
Greeks protest the austerity measures put in place during the ongoing debt crisis
AAP
Europe is in crisis once again and this time it is deadly serious.
At stake is not only the survival of the European currency, but also of the entire integration project. Collapse of the Euro could trigger…
If Greece's economy collapses, it could easily lead to a breakdown of civil order.
AAP
Global markets look set for a rough week amid new concerns that Greece could default on its massive debt.
The Australian share market has spent most of the day down 3% after reports that Germany could…
Nicolas Sarkozy and Angela Merkel believe an FTT can help solve Europe's debt woes.
AAP
French President Nicolas Sarkozy and German Chancellor Angela Merkel have announced a plan to impose a financial transactions tax (FTT) for the Eurozone, as part of an effort stem the bloc’s worsening…
While the US is finding its footing, China is looking to expand its global economic power by pushing for the renminbi importance in international transactions.
Fotopedia/Philip Roeland
The downgrading of US debt by Standard & Poor’s may sound the starting gun for an enduring rebalancing of global economic power.
For decades, investors worldwide sought the safety of US government…
German chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Nicolas Sarkozy have outlined a rescue plan for the Eurozone.
AFP
German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French president Nicolas Sarkozy have overnight laid out plans for a stronger European integration that seeks to control deficit restrictions on member countries and…
The only way out of this crisis is to dishonour some of the debt that is weighing down the global economy
AAP
The dramatic falls in share prices of Greek debt-laden French banks overnight highlights just how closely tied the current market chaos is to the world’s worsening debt woes.
Market crashes like that…
