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The Swiss central bank's effort to keep Swiss Franc at 1.20 to the dollar and Japan's Abe government's push for the yen at 90 to the dollar
12/25/2012
A determined effort by the Swiss National Bank to preserve export competitiveness as eurozone economies contract in 2013, by printing francs and buying up euros and foreign assets. The effort is designed to counteract declining wages and prices in Switzerland. The newly elected Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe supports aggressive action by Japan's central bank to keep the yen between 85 yen and 90 yen to the U.S. dollar.
Linked Articles
Wall Street Journal 12/25/2012
Button-Down Central Bank Bets It AllWall Street Journal 01/09/2013
The EU debate between France's Hollande and Germany's Merkel before and during the EU's Oct. 2012 meeting
10/17/2012
The issue was direct aid to Spanish banks and the early setup of an EU banking supervisor so that Spain could get early debt relief as its economy struggles with high unemployment of over 25%. Chancellor Merkel turned down direct aid to Spanish banks, and partly relented on banking supervision by agreeing to have the legislation completed by Jan 2013 and the actual setup of the supervision authority during the course of 2013, probably after elections in Germany in Sept. 2013.
Linked Articles
German Refusal on Bank Aid Mars European Summit
New York Times 10/19/2012
Hollande fires warning shot at Merkel over austerity on eve of EU summit | World news | guardian.co.ukThe Guardian 10/17/2012
Fiat's investment in Chrysler helps offset its losses in the European market
07/30/2012
The investment by Fiat's Sergio Marchionne in turning around Chrysler in the U.S. market now helps Fiat tackle a slowdown in European sales. Thi is in contrast to the situation facing Peugeot in France. Still Chrysler's lack of sales in emerging markets remains a weakness for Fiat-Chrysler, say analysts.
Linked Articles
Chrysler Reports $436 Million Profit for Second Quarter
New York Times 07/30/2012
In Turnabout, Chrysler Profit Offsets Fiat LossWall Street Journal 07/31/2012
The Mass at Reims Cathedral in France then and now 50 years later for a lasting reconciliation between France and Germany
07/06/2012
German chancellor Adenauer and French president De Gaulle met at Reims Cathedral in May 1962 The service commemorating the 50th anniversary of that historic meeting and service was held recently. It was an occasion to bring together two leaders with diverging opinions on the eurozone financial crisis, Merkel and Hollande. Their mentors Jacques Delors of France and Helmut Kohl of Germany played an important role in setting up the EU and its institutions.
Linked Articles
Fifty Years Later, a New Chance for Reconciliation
Wall Street Journal 07/06/2012
Germany and France Celebrate Their BondNew York Times 07/08/2012
Four Rules for Tackling the Economic Crisis and how actions by Britain and France differ from Spain
06/01/2012
Linked Articles
France Raises Taxes in Tough Budget
Wall Street Journal 09/28/2012
Bank-Bailout LessonsWall Street Journal 06/01/2012
A consensus in Germany and France for improving France's competitiveness
05/01/2012
A consensus between Germany and France for slightly higher inflation in Germany, increase in German worker's wages, and wage restraint by unions in France in return for avoiding layoffs. This is a way to restore competitiveness of France after the balance was upset when German workers exercized wage restraint during the last decade, leading to France becoming less competitive with higher wages relative to Germany. Hourly wages in France estimated at 34 euros are 14% higher than in Germany.
Linked Articles
Europe Moving Toward Small Steps to Promote Growth
New York Times 05/10/2012
France Moves to Make Labor More FlexibleWall Street Journal 05/01/2012
The challenges facing Peugeot Citroen with its focus on low-cost small fuel efficient cars and the high labor costs in France
04/16/2012
Linked Articles
Big Car Plant Closure Shows Europe Woes
Wall Street Journal 07/12/2012
Renault Takes Low-Cost LeadWall Street Journal 04/16/2012
The Gallois Report and reviving France's competitiveness
04/12/2012
Linked Articles
Departing EADS Chief Urges Europe to Recommit to Industry
New York Times 04/12/2012
France Looks to Halt Industrial DeclineWall Street Journal 11/06/2012
Wide divergence in P/E ratios of France and Germany compared to the U.S. in March 2012
04/06/2012
The 10 year P/E ratios of France and Germany at 12 compared to the U.S.'s at 22 show a wide divergence in the P/E ratios. Analysts say this shows the U.S. equity market is overextended. One estimate shows a price valuation divergence of 10%, more than what is justified by "safety" and other concerns.
Linked Articles
Wall Street Journal 04/07/2012
Job Growth Loses SteamWall Street Journal 04/06/2012
Policy response in Spain and France to increasing temporary workers and high youth unemployment- 2012-2013
02/10/2012
Linked Articles
France Pins Hopes on Youth Jobs Plan
Wall Street Journal 12/25/2012
Spain Approves Changes to Labor PolicyNew York Times 02/10/2012
Competitiveness and job creation- the U.S. and France
12/10/2011
Contrasting experiences, problems and new approaches.
Linked Articles
Wall Street Journal 05/29/2013
The Next First (and Only) 100 DaysNew York Times 12/10/2011
Deutsche Post as a model for transformation of the U.S. Postal Service
09/04/2011
Linked Articles
Deutsche Post Reinvents Services in a Digital World
New York Times 10/30/2011
In E-Mail Age, Postal Service Struggles to Avoid a DefaultNew York Times 09/04/2011
Pernambuco and other states in Brazil's northeastern region- lack of investment in public health, education and transportation services infrastructure
05/21/2011
During the boom years much of the investment, about three fourths of the growth rate of over 4%, came from infrastructure investments that supported exports of soyabeans, iron ore and other commodities to China. Under the Worker's party socialist governments that get much of their support from the northeast, this disguised the low investments in public infrastructure services for drinking water, health sanitation, public schools and transportation services. This is a problem in developing countries of Latin America, South Asia, and Africa, with some regions lagging behind in essential infrastructure services, even with high growth rates.
Linked Articles
The Brazilian Doctors Who Sounded the Alarm on Zika and Microcephaly
Wall Street Journal 01/30/2016
Brazil's north-east: Catching up in a hurryEconomist 05/21/2011
German chancellor Merkel and the EU plan for aid to Spain's banks in Oct. 2012
10/18/2012
Merkel turns down an effort pushed by France and Spain at the Oct. 2012 EU leaders meeting for direct aid to Spanish banks. Instead money has to go from the European Stability Mechanism fund to Spain after a request by Spain for aid. The aid request by Spain would be met under program of conditionality set by the IMF, EU and ECB. Spain is delaying a request for aid as borrowing rates on Spanish bonds declined to about 5% by late October 2012. The Rajoy government in Spain faces regional spending problems and separatis sentiment in addition to high unemployment and a worsening situation with its banks. Merkel faces elections for chancellor in Germany in Sept. 2013 and says more time is needed to setup the eurozone banking supervisory authority- to be set up in the course of 2013 with the legal setup completed by Jan 2013 as a concession to France. This would push banking supervision and financial architecture till after the election.
Linked Articles
German Refusal on Bank Aid Mars European Summit
New York Times 10/19/2012
Europe Seeks a Spain StrategyWall Street Journal 10/18/2012
President Hollande's declining popularity in France after only 6 months in office
09/28/2012
A $26 billion tax rebate for business and a budget that pushes quickly for reducing the deficit to 3% of GDP in 2013 lead to growing unpopularity across the spectrum of opinion from the left, centre and right for France's new president Hollande.
Linked Articles
France’s Hollande struggles to regain popularity - The Washington Post
Washington Post 11/15/2012
France's New Budget Focuses on Cutting DeficitNew York Times 09/28/2012
The slow response of Spain compared to the more aggressive aproach of France
07/18/2012
The contrast between Spain's lack of strong and quick action for its banking problems and France's aggressive approach to its debt problem. Spain's problems come from the housing bubble and bad loans in parts of the banking sector especially the cajas savings banks. The lack of strong and early action by bank supervisors at the central bank and the government to cleanup the banks created conditions requiring a bailout. The problems in France which did not experience a housing bubble were the result of slow growth, rising debt and deficits. France took an aggressive approach to tackle these problems, with shared sacrifices, and setting a goal of bringing the deficit down to 3% in 2013 with its 2013 budget.
Linked Articles
France's New Budget Focuses on Cutting Deficit
New York Times 09/28/2012
Spanish Official: Slow Reaction to CrisisWall Street Journal 07/18/2012
Mario Monti of Italy and the plans for a sounder monetary union in Europe
06/22/2012
The discussions in Rome between Mario Monti of Italy and the leaders of Germany, France, Spain, at the end of June 2012. Monti as respected mediator between the different sides and positions and the importance of productive discussions to the future of the Euro and the economies of Europe.
Linked Articles
Why Monti, despite Merkel, could prove the euro’s best hope - The Washington Post
Washington Post 06/24/2012
Amid crisis, leaders of Germany, France, Italy and Spain meet in Rome - The Washington PostWashington Post 06/22/2012
Hollande, Ayrault, and "the strong signal to Germany"
05/15/2012
French president Hollande's appointment of Ayrault, a professor of German studies as premier, is seen as "a strong signal to Germany." So is the appointment of a former minister of European Affairs, Muscovici, as finance minster. This sets the tone and groundwork for a closer fiscal and political union in Europe, to provide the foundation for the euro as a common currency in the eurozone. Germany and France now have two leaders whose mentors were strong proponents of European Union, former German chancellor Kohl and former European Commission president Jacques Delours.
Linked Articles
Logic Pushing Europe Toward Greater Integration
New York Times 06/07/2012
Ayrault Named French PremierWall Street Journal 05/15/2012
The growth compact for Europe: union-government cooperation to build competitiveness in France
04/17/2012
Unions and major parties in France are in agreement on wage restraint and accepting lower wages to preserve jobs, similiar to the effort in Germany during its period of high unemployment.
Linked Articles
France Moves to Make Labor More Flexible
Wall Street Journal 05/01/2012
French Presidential Election Stokes Investor ConcernNew York Times 04/17/2012
The Way Out for the U.S,. Europe, India and Pakistan- Boskin and Shaikh push for expanding trade and a free trade agreement
04/16/2012
A way out of conflict, wasted resources, and misshaped priorities, through a strong push for expanded trade and a free trade agreement between India and Pakistan. After several generations of conflict a way out. An opportunity to do in South Asia what happened between France and Germany under Adenauer, Monnet and De Gaulle. The Shaikh-Boskin proposal calls for expanded trade between India and Pakistan, and a free trade agreement between the two neighbors similiar to NAFTA in North America, and the European Common Market in Europe. This would generate a surge in growth in South Asia similiar to what happened in China in the last two decades and create new opportunities for hundreds of millions of people in South Asia.
Linked Articles
Pakistan's Untold Economic Story
Wall Street Journal 04/24/2012
A Passage to India-Pakistan PeaceWall Street Journal 04/16/2012
Toyota's strategy with the International Multipurpose Vehicle (IMV) and Renault's with the Logan and Dacia models
04/07/2012
Toyota goes after the lower price points in emerging markets with the IMV series. Renault goes for a lower price point for buyers in its home markets in France and the rest of Europe with its Dacia and Logan models. Both are expected to cross the 1 million mark sales point in 2012. Renault achieves a 6% operating margin on the low price point vehicles priced at around $10,000, breaking the myth that lower price points cannot generate profits.
Linked Articles
Toyota Pushes Emerging-Markets Production
Wall Street Journal 04/07/2012
Renault Takes Low-Cost LeadWall Street Journal 04/16/2012
The likelihood of greater public contribution towards Greece's debt and changes to the IMF program after May 2012 elections in Greece and France
02/13/2012
France's Socialist presidential candidate Hollande considers the EU-IMF programs a failure of governance in Europe. He predicts larger public contributions to Greece's debt after the elections in Greece and France.
Linked Articles
Watch Athens, Not Paris, This Weekend
Wall Street Journal 05/04/2012
French Candidate Hollande Assails European Policy on GreeceNew York Times 02/13/2012
Spending by regional governments and the deficit in Spain
01/18/2012
Under Spain's decentralized system of government regions prove education, healthcare and other services. The 2011 deficit target in Spain was exceeded largely because of spending by local governments. The new government of Mariano Rajoy has announced moves to control regional spending.
Linked Articles
Madrid to Curb Spending by Powerful Regions
Wall Street Journal 01/18/2012
Spanish Regional Governments to Get AidNew York Times 01/19/2012
The new government of Mario Monti, former EU commissioner, in Italy
11/13/2011
A government of technocrats formed from respected figures in academia, business and the civil service in Italy. It replaces the government of Silvio Berlusconi which had lost credibility inside Italy and with leaders of the European Union.
Linked Articles
Mario Monti, Italyâs New Leader, Faces Uphill Fight
New York Times 11/13/2011
Italyâs Monti Forms New GovernmentNew York Times 11/16/2011
Brazil's uneven economic development with growth focussed on export based mining and agriculture
05/21/2011
As the commodities boom fades Brazil's growth slows to 1% in 2012 after the rapid growth in the years under president Lula. Stiglitz and Sen pointed to this kind of uneven development with the neglect of education, healthcare and other public services. This is true also of economic development in China focussed on export industries, with the added cost of environmental degradation. Street protests in June 2013 in many Brazilian cities from Porto Alegre and Curitiba to Rio and Sao Paulo showed popular discontnet with the situation under president Rouseff.
Linked Articles
Brazil's north-east: Catching up in a hurry
Economist 05/21/2011
Anger Spills Onto Brazil's StreetsWall Street Journal 06/18/2013
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