The Economist (July 13)
Matteo Salvini has in effect “been the most powerful man in Italy since shortly after he became a deputy prime minister in June last year.” His domestic rise has been “relentless,” though it is not connected “to pre-eminence by solving or showing how he might solve any of Italy’s obvious malaises.” Even more worryingly, Mr. Salvini has a very antagonistic relationship with the EU and he could very well instigate a new crisis, willingly or otherwise. “The troubling fact for Europe is that no one knows what this meteor that has flashed across Italy’s skies will do next.”
Tags: Antagonistic, Crisis, Deputy prime minister, EU, Italy, Malaises, Relentless, Salvini, Troubling
WARC (May 28)
“In eight major markets, including the three largest, internet advertising already takes the majority of media dollars. The $107.5 billion spent on internet ads in America made it the dominant medium for the first time last year, while the balance tipped in China and the UK during 2016.” By the end of this year, “internet is expected to account for over half [52.7%] of media spend for the first time this year” in the key markets of “Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, Russia, the UK and the US.”
Tags: Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Dominant medium, France, Germany, India, Internet advertising, Italy, Japan, Major markets, Media dollars, Russia, the UK U.S.
Bloomberg (May 28)
“Vietnam was one of the fastest-growing sources of American imports from Asia last quarter.” Imports to the U.S. “jumped 40.2% in the first three months of 2019 from a year earlier…. If Vietnam’s pace of growth can be sustained for a full year—which would be a major feat—it could leapfrog Italy, France, the U.K., and India in the ranks of top exporters to the U.S.”
EU Politico (May 27)
“Phew. Turns out the bark of Europe’s far right is worse than its bite. Yes, illiberal parties did well in France and Italy, Poland, Hungary and beyond. But overall no better than expected, and in some cases worse so…. That’s good news for Europe’s democratic parties and even better news for the European Union.”
Tags: Democratic parties, EU, Europe, Expected, France, Hungary, Illiberal parties, Italy, Poland
LA Times (November 5)
Though the “Trump administration slapped tough U.S. sanctions on Iran’s energy, banking and shipping industries,” there are “gaping holes” as the White House “granted waivers to the six largest importers of Iranian oil.” China, India, South Korea, Turkey, Italy and Japan accounted for “more than 75% of Iran’s oil exports last year.”
Tags: Banking, China, Energy, Exports, India, Iran, Italy, Japan, Oil, Sanctions, Shipping, South Korea, Trump, Turkey, U.S., Waivers
Wall Street Journal (October 26)
The European Central Bank is now faced with “a dilemma as it edges toward higher interest rates just as the region’s economy slows and faces escalating risks, from international trade tensions to a European dispute over Italy’s budget.” For now, President Mario Draghi has no plans to change course as the ECB seeks to “phase out easy-money policies.”
Tags: Budget, Dilemma, Draghi, ECB, Economy, Interest rates, Italy, QE, Risks, Trade tensions
Bloomberg (October 24)
“Don’t let Italy off the hook. The euro area needs budget rules, and the European Commission is right to enforce them…. The euro area has a strong collective interest in each member’s willingness to maintain fiscal discipline.”
Tags: Budget rules, Collective interest, Enforce, euro, European Commission, Fiscal discipline, Italy
The Economist (August 18)
“It is not just in Italy that questions should be asked about monitoring and maintenance regimes. Bridges throughout Europe, America and Asia are all showing signs of deterioration…. With the world covered in reinforced concrete, this is a problem that spans countries. The failure of the Morandi bridge shows that it must not be ignored.”
Tags: Asia, Bridges, Deterioration, Europe, Failure, Italy, Maintenance, Monitoring, Morandi, Reinforced concrete, U.S.
Wall Street Journal (June 4)
Despite the “unanimous concern and disappointment” expressed in a statement by G7 members Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the UK, ”the Trump administration showed no sign of backing down from restrictive tariffs” or provided any indication “that the administration was wary of inching closer to a trade war.”
Tags: Canada, Concern, Disappointment, France, G7, Germany, Italy, Japan, Tariffs, Trade war, Trump, UK, Unanimous
CNBC (May 29)
“Political uncertainty in Italy has unhinged world markets, raising the specter of a euro crisis that could ripple across the global economy and even force the Federal Reserve to slow its rate-hiking plans.” While odds appear low that Italy will opt out of the single currency bloc, “internal chaos and a new election could make for a rocky summer for markets and even put a dent in European economic growth.”
Tags: Chaos, Currency, Economy, Election, Euro crisis, Fed, Growth, Italy, Markets, Political uncertainty, Rate hike, Unhinged
