I believe that Credit Suisse put out a credible plan on how Spain and Italy’s funding costs could be drastically reduced in the near term through leveraging the European Stability Mechanism (ESM).  While it certainly seems like we are getting closer the point where we need to find a firm resolution, history has told us...Read More

The European crisis continues to dominated markets all over the world and Moody’s Investor Service dimmed its outlook on Germany further exasperating the situation.  Rising bond yields in Spain and Italy are a function of the European leaders not doing enough to promote confidence and resolve the crisis.  By the constant posturing and threatening, European...Read More

Euro leaders produced some tangible results over the night through extended discussions.  They agreed to set up a single banking supervisor to oversee the industry, and this will enable funding from the ESM, which takes pressure off the peripheral countries economies that are struggling to raise cash at reasonable prices.  Finance ministers are targeting a...Read More

In an extremely positive development Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti said a majority of EU leaders support euro-bonds.  This is what absolutely has to happen to recapitalize the banks, fund sovereign debt, and get past this crisis period.  Germany and the other AAA’s will see a much larger long term benefit by keeping the EU...Read More

This article shortly and succinctly outlines the problems that some of these European countries are having in establishing a competitive economy.  Ridiculous labor laws that stifle business are devastating particularly in such a globalized economic environment where lower labor costs can allow a competitor to “eat the lunch” of the higher cost business.  These types...Read More

At TTCM we have maintained that their are two ways to resolve the European crisis.  The first way is to abandon the Euro currency and allow struggling countries to depreciate their currencies as has been the model for a millenium, prior to the establishment of the Euro.  The second way is to adopt the same...Read More

This is very encouraging news to see Spain taking their budget cuts seriously.  While austerity isn’t going to be a magic potion to resolve the Euro’s problems, it does maintain the credibility of the efforts made in the last year for each country to get their houses in order.  The last couple of years Greece...Read More