At a dinner early in July the CEO of NatWest bank group (formerly known as RBS) Dame Allison Rose told a senior BBC journalist that the high-net-worth subsidiary of the…
Gordon Kerr
How are Central Banks Likely to Appraise the Future Viability of Neobanks?
Questionable business models in Fintech have been exposed, as predicted, in response to rising interest rates. In Europe, the UK and US, rates have risen from near zero levels at…
France receives a debt downgrade as interest costs and the EU imbalances increase. Is there any way out?
Ratings Agencies take notice of deteriorating finances Debt ratings agencies may not have the power they used to possess before the 2008 global financial crisis, but they still carry influence.…
Bulgaria Has Postponed its Entry into the Eurozone. What Does this Mean?
Introduction – Bulgaria’s recent announcement On 17 February, Bulgarian finance minister Rositza Velkova announced that, rather than continue as planned with the full, formal adoption of the euro on 1…
Croatia has Joined the Eurozone. Let’s Look at the Upside, with also a little Caution
Introduction – Recent ECB Policy Developments Croatia became the 20th Eurozone member on January 1. Regular readers know our often expressed view that the euro is a deeply flawed currency…
There was universal relief in the UK and international media at the demise of Prime Minister (PM) Liz Truss and her replacement by the man she had recently defeated in…
To what Extent Can the ECB Override Financial Markets?
Towards the end of August, every year investors focus on the Jackson Hole conference of the central banking global elite. Given widespread acceptance among central bankers that non-temporary inflation is…
ECB Policymakers Run Out of Options; Antifragmentation Cannot BOTH Address Inflation AND Contain Spreads
When the history of the euro currency’s rise and decline in popularity is written, the month of June 2022 will be viewed as decisive. In June, the ECB committed to…
How can sanctions end the war? Easily, according to respected Russian chess superstar and political activist, Gary Kasparov. Simply isolate all Russian banks from the global financial infrastructure, confiscate all…
September’15 Financial & Fiscal Features Newsletter
China devalued its currency by 3%. Financial markets responded disproportionately, but we explain that it is quite understandable, given government policies in the rich countries.
We then investigate the devaluation’s effect on the US and EU financial markets as well as on the currencies of emerging markets.