2014

As high income economies improve and the financial sectors stabilize, central bankers understandably and rightly, want to move away from the unorthodox policies that were necessary to avoid an even larger collapse and more suffering.

News links for 19 Feb 2014

Italian stocks and bonds have rallied strongly on ideas that the Italian situation can only get better. It is exactly such time, when so many observers are nearly euphoric, that the smart money may want to take some profits.

News links for 18 Feb 2014

There have been two central bank actions in Asia to note. In Europe, two countries reported lower than expected inflation.

Loan growth rate in the US, while better than in the Eurozone, remains on a downward path. The latest figures suggest that loans are increasing at less than 2%, while deposits continue to grow at 6-7% per year.

News links for 17 Feb 2014

Conditions in Venezuela are reaching boiling point. Venezuelans - particularly students - are taking it to the streets, as protests sparked by worsening living conditions have turned violent (see story). Inadequate supplies of food and…

The events of the last week have made it very clear that Scottish independence would affect all of the UK. I have no vote in this referendum, but I definitely have an interest in its outcome.

News links for 16 Feb 2014