media watch

The European Central Bank is now deciding how much liquidity to provide because it has received a quid pro quo from Italy that some analysts knew were necessary before the ECB would provide any liquidity. We will see soon whether this will…

The widening European sovereign debt crisis is a direct result of this dangerous extend and pretend policy. Tomorrow we will see whether the ECB has the temerity to step in and start buying up Belgian, Italian and Spanish debt to stem the…

Is the PBoC going to stop buying US treasuries? The debt ceiling debate and a potential default have brought this question back into the spotlight. The theoretical and the real world answer to concerns about China and US debt is the same:…

CMA sources credit prices directly from the world’s largest and most active credit investors. Data from CMA show that the US leads the list amongst sovereign credit default swap wideners today.

The contagion to Italy is a turning point in the euro zone crisis. I feel we have reached a point where the wrong decisions could mean disaster. However, I continue to hope that the Europeans will recognize how destructive the current…

I do not take the position that other writers on this blog do that Social Security and Medicare must be protected at all costs. In fact, as you can see above, I outlined very clearly two years ago what is happening politically right now.…

The problem is if “markets become skittish about Spain or Italy, which cannot be bailed out. So EU leaders will cut Greece loose” and indeed, there is talk about doing just that – allowing Greece to default. The policy of extend and pretend…

Now obviously, there are the issues of efficiency and fairness to think about. However, I want to look at this from a pure forecasting perspective. and stick to the tack I began in October 2010 with “Less Policy Advocacy and More Policy…

I want to take a look at the latest news concerning the Greek situation using the political framework I laid out earlier in the month.On the whole, things are proceeding pretty much as anticipated.

Greece is now getting a second bailout and the Greek government is attempting to get the austerity measures upon which the bailout is conditioned passed through its legislature. I think largely the same issues still apply as in May.…