New York Times (February 18, 2014)
“Some analysts and public officials say the beleaguered euro zone is finally on the road to recovery…. But theirs is an overly optimistic view.” Europe risks falling into deflation “if government officials and central bankers do not take steps to bolster the economy.” Coordinated efforts would be ideal, but with European governments unlikely to work together “it is up to the central bank to act when it meets again next month.”
Tags: Analysts, Central bank, Deflation, Economy, Euro zone, Europe, European governments, Optimistic, Recovery
Euromoney (January Issue)
“US claims that Germany’s external surpluses are hindering global recovery are inaccurate and unjustified…. The complex reality is that Germany’s relative export success is not built on beggar-thy-neighbour policies or on the imposition of unnecessary austerity on its neighbours. It is founded domestically on higher productivity, better investment and substantial labour market reforms.”
Tags: Austerity, Beggar-thy-neighbour, Exports, Germany, Investment, Labour, Market reforms, Productivity, Recovery, Surpluses, US
The Economist (October 26)
“The euro mess has morphed from an acute crisis into a chronic one.” In contrast with the progress made on sovereign debt, however, “the euro zone has made less headway than other places in reducing this private-debt burden…. If the euro zone’s recovery is to strengthen, this burden of private debt must be lightened. According to the IMF, private debt is a bigger drag on Europe’s growth than government debt.”
Tags: Burden, Crisis, Euro zone, Europe, Government, Growth, IMF, Private-debt, Progress, Recovery, Sovereign debt
Wall Street Journal (October 11)
The misleading “story you hear in Brussels, Berlin and Frankfurt” is that “Greece’s fiscal adjustment is on track and its economy is bottoming out.…. Europe’s politicians prefer the status quo of eternal, rolling bailouts because it serves their purposes. They never have to present their taxpayers with a bill for the Greek rescue. And while Greece’s economy never really recovers, it might avoid any new crisis.” The time has come for more realistic reckoning.
Tags: Bailouts, Crisis, Economy, Europe, Greece, Greek rescue, Politicians, Recovery, Status quo, Taxpayers
Euromoney (September Issue)
“There is nothing understated or stumbling about the recovery in Japanese markets since the Abe government took power last December with a pledge to lift the country out of a prolonged slump. The overvalued yen has plummeted giving a massive boost to beleaguered Japanese exporters, while the Tokyo stock market has gone from global backwater to top performer.”
Tags: Abe government, Global backwater, Japan, Japanese exporters, Recovery, Slump, Tokyo, Top performer, Yen
New York Times (May 3, 2013)
“Despite all the questions about whether college is worth it or not, college graduates have gotten through the recession and lackluster recovery with remarkable resilience.” In fact, college graduates have gobbled up most of the new jobs. With employment rising 9.1%, college-educated workers are “the only group that has more people employed today than when the recession started.” In contrast, employment for high-school graduates has fallen by 9%.
Tags: College, Employment, Graduates, High school, Recession, Recovery
Financial Times (April 18, 2013)
“The revival of Japan will be beneficial to the rest of the world, since it is also a process of evolution into a mature economy that can build win-win relationships with its economic partners,” writes Finance Minister Taro Aso. He continues, “the Bank of Japan has fired a monetary bazooka at deflation,” aiming to achieve 2% inflation. A “second bazooka” will seek to create private demand with flexible fiscal policy and the aim of boosting real GDP by 2%. Already, there is a dramatic improvement of economic and market sentiment. This “momentum must now be turned into a recovery.”
Tags: BOJ, Deflation, Economy, Finance Minister, Inflation, Japan, Market sentiment, Recovery, Taro Aso
New York Times (December 2)
While there have been some signs of a housing recovery in the U.S., action is still required. “In all, nearly 12 million borrowers collectively owe $600 billion more on their mortgages than their homes are worth, a loss of wealth and a load of debt that make a strong and steady economic recovery all but impossible.” President Obama should “use his second term to get mortgage relief right and, in the process, put the economy on a firm footing.”While there have been some signs of a housing recovery in the U.S., action is still required. “In all, nearly 12 million borrowers collectively owe $600 billion more on their mortgages than their homes are worth, a loss of wealth and a load of debt that make a strong and steady economic recovery all but impossible.” President Obama should “use his second term to get mortgage relief right and, in the process, put the economy on a firm footing.”
The Economist (October 6)
“For investors around the world, the recovery seems assured. The MSCI global share index has risen almost 10% since July. The credit for this largely goes to central bankers.” This is not, however, a time for overconfidence. “As long as politicians in the world’s big three economies continue to dither, another global recession is possible.”
Tags: Central bankers, Economy, Investors, MSCI, Politicians, Recession, Recovery
The Economist (September 29)
“Growth at last appears to be returning to Britain’s economy…. The squeeze on real take-home pay is easing as inflation falls and wages edge up. Business surveys suggest activity is picking up…. which suggests the current quarter will see a positive figure for GDP growth.” In 2009, the UK experienced a “false dawn.” With “countless threats to renewed recovery,” leaders should avoid choking this recovery to make up for revenue shortfalls.
Tags: Economy, False dawn, GDP, Growth, Recovery, Revenue shortfalls, Threats, UK
