MADRID | CAPITALMADRID.COM In the years 1992/93 the Spanish authorities struggled for longer than events recommended to keep the exchange rate of the peseta. Something similar might be going now on, but in another dimension, as the government still defends the good health of Spain's financial system. Back then, the stabilisation mechanism in place determined [...]
European fiscal union? Eurobonds? Good luck convincing Germany
Luis Arroyo, in Madrid | It’s the talk of the town. The euro zone desperately needs to become a fiscal union and, voilà , everything will be sorted. But I wonder: how do we get there? Have a look at the chart below, which reflects fiscal pressure levels in core Europe economies and in some of the [...]
Portuguese prime minister Passos Coelho is running out of time
By Fernando Barciela | News that Portugal’s major cities grounded to a halt Thursday pointed at an initial victory for labour unions, which began today a 24-hour strike against austerity measures agreed by the government in return for an international bailout. Demonstrations and rallies were also planned in 38 cities and towns across the country, including Lisbon. Six [...]
Portugal behaves
By Carlos DÃaz Güell, in Madrid | Portugal has gained the confidence of the Troika (staffers from the IMF, the European Commission and the European Central Bank), as one could infer after reading the note published at the end of their visit last week to Lisbon for the third quarterly review of the adjustment programme. The group [...]
Mário Soares: Portugal and Spain must tell Mrs Merkel enough is enough
The Latin Bloc may be awakening, after all. The least it could be said about the Spanish government’s decision of bending the public deficit target bar Brussels and Berlin intend to impose, from a harsh 4.4pc to a softer 5.8pc, is that president Mariano Rajoy has enlivened with his move the not-just-austerity talk and the [...]
Who cares Greece might be spinning out of control?
By Juan Pedro MarÃn Arrese, in Madrid | Europe seems to witness with sheer indifference the Greek slide into utter ruin. Not so long ago Ms Merkel used to stress her unshakeable resolve not to let down any euro country. But the German finance Minister is currently pushing the Hellenic government towards the exit door. [...]
IAG –TAP: a purchase is in the air
Portugal has taken its commitment to Europe very seriously, the rescue programme representing €78bn. So after the selling of the state-owned companies EdP and REN to the Chinese companies Three Gorges and State Grid, it is the turn of the Portuguese flag carrier TAP. All the signs are that, if no unexpected events meddle the [...]
Portugal sells EDP’s stake to China to reduce debt
The government of Portugal has sold to the Chinese company Three Gorges Corporation a package of shares representing 21.35% of the social capital that the state held in the Portuguese electrical company Energias de Portugal (EDP), in exchange of a payment of €2.693 billion, according to information provided by the government investment company Parpública to [...]
The EC proposes to reduce to 3.5% the EFSF’s rate for Ireland and Portugal
The EC proposes to reduce to 3.5% the rate applied by the EFSF to Ireland and Portugal, now at 6.5% and 5.5% respectively, and Madrid’s financial City welcomes the idea. For Banco Santander, “The European Commission yesterday proposed reducing to 3.5% the interest rate charged by the EFSF to Ireland (currently over 6.5%) and Portugal [...]
