The blog’s many friends in the petchem industry in S Europe have become more frequent visitors to London in recent months. Often, they are in the process of buying flats or houses. As one long-standing friend commented, “would you want to leave your money in Spain today?” They are not alone. A detailed analysis by […]
Chemicals and the Economy
Leaving the Eurozone would be very difficult
Last December, the blog raised the question of how a country like Greece could actually leave the Eurozone. Many people believe this is inevitable. But how would the practical issues be solved? Now Wolfgang Münchau has taken up the challenge in the Financial Times. His research suggests there are only two possible exit routes: • […]
Greek default just ‘end of the beginning’ in debt crisis
Yesterday saw the world’s largest ever sovereign debt default, when Greece finally carried through a €206bn ($272bn) restructuring. Yet only the eurozone leaders believe this will solve Greece’s problems and those of the other PIIGS (Portugal, Ireland, Italy and Spain). Greece is still left with a debt too large to be repaid. Its economy is […]
Mahathir says Europe “must face up to new reality”
Mahathir Mohamad is one of the Grand Old Men of the Asian political establishment. He was Malaysian premier from 1981 – 2003, and led its rapid modernisation and economic growth. Over the period, which included the Asian financial crisis, the former colony’s economy grew four-fold in real terms, and it is now the 37th largest […]
EU leaders turn to Anger
Human beings go through a number of stages when confronted by a major change such as today’s Crisis. As first described by Elisabeth Kübler Ross, the process starts with: • Denial that any change is taking place • Then Anger at the implications of the change • Bargaining to reduce its magnitude • Depression as […]
Leaving the Eurozone creates practical problem
There is much discussion of countries such as Greece being likely to leave the Eurozone. Some even believe it is inevitable. But on a practical basis, how would it happen? This is a question that has been bothering the blog for some months. But with another crisis summit meeting about to start, it is no […]
Brent’s premium to WTI hits Europe’s energy users
Europe is at the eye of the storm when it comes to energy pricing. This is the last thing required by its struggling economy. As the chart shows, Brent in euros (green line, RHS) is now back at the same level as June 2008, whereas WTI is 35% cheaper (black line, LHS). Such a divergence […]
Eurozone moves closer to crisis
New analysis by Bloomberg supports the blog’s view last month that the arrest of former IMF head Dominique Strauss-Kahn (DSK) probably marked a critical turning-point in the Eurozone debt crisis Not only was DSK no longer able to persuade German chancellor Merkel that the problems needed just “a little more time, a little more money”. […]
An unmanaged Greek default gets closer
The Dominique Strauss-Kahn affair may come to be seen as a critical turning point, when the story of the Greek default is written. The then IMF head was en route to meet German Chancellor Merkel, when arrested in New York last month. He had been at the forefront of the campaign to pretend that Greece […]
The tide of European debt default keeps advancing
A thousand years ago, the Viking King Canute had himself carried into the sea by his courtiers. He was the most powerful king of his time. But by showing that he could not turn back the incoming waves, he hoped they would understand that he was not all-powerful. This is a lesson still to be […]
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