The European single currency is a serious problem for Britain whether or not the country leaves the European Union, a former governor of the Bank of England said Sunday.
Mark Twain’s immortal words, “The reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated,” came to my mind the minute I heard the first sentences of Greek Consul General Georgios Iliopoulos.
Some 75 years in the making, the eurozone as it currently exists has generally succeeded in its aims of establishing shared institutions, political constraints and economic benefits: a single currency, open borders, free trade agreements—and until 2008—flourishing growth. But cracks that began showing throughout 2015 this year show no sign of closing.
There is an air of calm in Portugal. Like Greece and Spain, Portugal was bailed out by international creditors and underwent austerity measures that included tax hikes and salary cuts across the public sector. But the political effect of this has been starkly different.
Stratfor Editor-in-Chief David Judson and Founder and Chairman George Friedman discuss why the politics and economics of Europe, not China or the Middle East, will have the greatest effect on the global system in the coming years.
The European Commission projects that the Trans-Atlantic Trade and Investment Treaty (TTIP) agreement is signed, it will increase overall trade between U.S. and EU by 50%.
Inflation crept higher in the 18 countries that use the euro in October — but the rise to an annual 0.4 percent offered little relief to the European Central Bank as it tries to boost a weak economy.