Ireland

Market participants are rightfully focused on the contagion of Ireland within Europe.  However, the depth of US corporate ties to Ireland may surprise many investors.  The value-added of majority owned affiliates of US companies…

The U.S. dollar declined in September and October as the market priced in the likelihood that the Federal Reserve would resume buying Treasuries. From late August through the actual QEII announcement itself, the dollar declined about 7.6%…

Sorry, the post title is over the top. Actually, let's hope there are no riots. There is certainly anger on display in the Guardian video clip below.  So far these are pretty tame protests.     Here are the things I…

US Economic data continues to be mixed, with positive ticks in the jobless claims but weak-than-expected inflation and a surge in November’s Philly Fed.  In fact, Wednesday’s core inflation measures were the weakest print since 1958,…

Highlights The US dollar is broadly lower in anticipation of a joint EU-IMF rescue for Ireland, reigniting risk appetite and demand for higher yielding currencies, along with commodities.  The euro continued to gain on the dollar,…

A first look at why Ireland has gone to the heights and crashed spectacularly, and what options it has that other nations in crisis have used successfully.

I think this trio of videos from Latvia really puts the whole Irish crisis in perspective. After a spectacular property bubble, Latvia imploded in 2008. I was calling the Baltics the next Argentina. Indeed, by early 2009 we eventually saw…

A recent CNBC article highlighted for me why the Irish are being pressured to accept a bailout when they have repeatedly said they don't want one yet. The problem is Portugal (and Spain). To the degree that the Irish situation continues to…

Highlights The US dollar is little changed as markets start to muse the impact of a possible bailout of Ireland but remain cautious over China’s intended tightening, which continues to weigh on commodities and overall risk…

Good video of just under 15 minutes on the critical issues on Ireland.