World News Insights
1-3 Minute Gist

All Topics Article

Spanish Woes Cast Rescue in New Light

Wall Street Journal Original article ›

Keywords:

LyrArc Article Gist
Spain's prime minister Mariano Rajoy repeats his request that the $125 billion from the European Financial Stability Facility (EFSF), the eurozone rescue fund, be sent directly to recapitalize Spanish banks, instead of being sent to the Spanish government. Capital markets did not respond positively to the aid announcement and Spain's 10 year bonds yields were close to 7%, one point higher than before the aid announcement. Rajoy told the other leaders at the G-20 summit in Los Cabos, Mexico, that it is necessary "to break the link between risk in the banking sector and the sovereign risk," according to a Spanish official. The European Commission and some EU governments support this, but Germany remains opposed to such a move. Spain paid higher rates on 3.04 billion euros in short term debt financed on June 19, 2012. Spain plans to sell 2 billion euros of two, three and five year bonds on June 21. Part of the problem for investors is the lack of clear accounting and transparency of the total debt of regional governments in Spain, and bad loans at banks, which it is feared could be much larger than the $125 billion in rescue funds from the EFSF. This is a result of the housing and asset bubble in Spain of the last two decades since joining the EU. The $125 billion would take Spanish debt to GDP ratios to 90%, which is lower than Italy's but comes at a time of unemployment at over 25% and a declining GDP, increasing investor uncertainty.

Rescue of Spain's banks with a $125 billion committment from the European Financial Stability Facility (EFSF)

02/25/2010

EU finance ministers persuaded Spain to borrow from the EFSF and place the money in a special fund intended to recapitalize its banks. The IMF will provide some oversight over the banks but no conditions or oversight will be imposed on Spain only on its banking system as a compromise. Problems in the banking system arise from a housing bubble in Spain and failing cajas savings banks. Spain has already committed to adhering to fiscal deficit targets on a longer term basis with the EU. This makes it a rescue of the banks more than a bailout of the kind deisgned for Greece, Ireland and Portugal.

Grouped Articles

Bond Buys a Risky Business

Wall Street Journal 08/08/2011

A Warning Light to Alert the I.M.F.

New York Times 09/21/2011

The Pain in Spain Falls Mainly on the Cajas

BusinessWeek 02/25/2010

Spain's cajas: Unholy mess

Economist 05/29/2010

Spain's Bankia Returns to Profit

Wall Street Journal 02/04/2014

Spain requests bailout help - The Washington Post

Washington Post 06/10/2012

Short term actions to save the euro taken at the Brussels negotiations on June 28, 2012

01/11/2012

Short term steps Germany agreed to when pushed hard by Italy, Spain and France, include the critical actions to let the European rescue funds to directly buy Italian and Spanish bonds on private markets to drive down bond yields, and provide direct aid to Italian and Spanish banks. The two steps were vital to restore market confidence and necessary if the European project was to be saved. The marathon negotiation stetched for 14 hours with brinksmanship, and were described by prime minister Monti of Italy as "hard and tense" but worth it.

Grouped Articles

Italy's Monti Hopes Summit Win Plays at Home

Wall Street Journal 06/29/2012

Global Markets Soar on European Breakthrough

New York Times 06/29/2012

Return of Long-Term Bond Buyers Seen as Crucial to Europe

New York Times 06/29/2012

German Election Overturns Political Order

Wall Street Journal 09/23/2013

Italy Leader, Monti, Tells Germany Austerity Isn't Enough

New York Times 01/11/2012

Euro Strengthens as Fears Fade

Wall Street Journal 01/12/2013

Spain's banking officials, lack of prudent oversight over the banks and bad loans from the real estate bubble

02/22/2011

Jaime Caruana, Rodrigo Rato and Vinals are senior Spanish banking officials who worked for the central bank and at the IMF. Caruana is head of the Bank of International Settlements in Bases (BIS), and Vinal heads a department at the IMF. Rato resigned from Bankia bank after its takeover by the government. Experts say they failed to exercize proper oversight of Spain's banking system and in their positions at the IMF failed to draw early attention to the problems.

Grouped Articles

Investors in Bankia to Sue Bank of Spain Over Losses

New York Times 05/09/2013

The Spanish Reform Model

Wall Street Journal 09/28/2011

Spain's Bankia Returns to Profit

Wall Street Journal 02/04/2014

Rodrigo Rato Resigns as Executive Chairman of Bankia

New York Times 05/07/2012

Spanish Officials Hailed Banks as the Crisis Built

New York Times 06/26/2012

Spanish Woes Cast Rescue in New Light

Wall Street Journal 06/20/2012

Bankia management

07/01/2011

Grouped Articles

Investors in Bankia to Sue Bank of Spain Over Losses

New York Times 05/09/2013

Spain's Bankia Returns to Profit

Wall Street Journal 02/04/2014

Rodrigo Rato Resigns as Executive Chairman of Bankia

New York Times 05/07/2012

Spain Readies New Push to Shore Up Banks

Wall Street Journal 05/08/2012

Spain Tries to Calm Fears About Ailing Lender

New York Times 05/17/2012

Europe’s Worst Fear: Spain and Greece Spiral Down Together

New York Times 05/20/2012

Spain's banks

07/09/2010

Grouped Articles

Spanish Banks More Vulnerable Than Italy's

Wall Street Journal 07/13/2011

Spain's banks: Two cheers, three tiers

Economist 10/02/2010

Spain's Bankia Returns to Profit

Wall Street Journal 02/04/2014

Loan Growth Suffers at Spanish Banks

Wall Street Journal 11/13/2015

Spain to Approve Cajas Regulatory Overhaul

Wall Street Journal 07/09/2010

Crisis Awaits World’s Banks as Trillions Come Due

New York Times 07/11/2010

The European Banking Agenda in 2012-2014- deposit insurance and powers of banking supervision transferred to a European supervisory authority

03/03/2010

On the agenda during discussions in June between the EC, ECB and the German government, is deposit insurance for eurozone banks, and a supervisory financial authority for eurozone banks (Single Resolution Mechanism) within the EC with powers transferred from sovereign states to the the supervisory banking authority. These issues take priority because of fears of bank runs on banks in Greece, Spain and other countries. France is pushing for a new Eurozone Architecture that will form the basis of the euro currency.

Grouped Articles

ECB Hits the Road for Star Supervisors

Wall Street Journal 06/26/2013

European Union Offers Berlin Compromise on Bank Proposal

New York Times 07/12/2013

Europe's Original Sin

Wall Street Journal 03/03/2010

The Man Who’ll Do Triage on Europe’s Banks

New York Times 10/20/2013

ECB Nominates French Regulator for Euro-Zone Post

Wall Street Journal 11/23/2013

ECB Nominates New Banking Regulator

New York Times 11/20/2013

Spain's troubled banks- Caja de Ahorros del Mediterraneo

03/11/2011

Grouped Articles

Spain Faces Short Buyers List For Troubled Caja

Wall Street Journal 09/07/2011

The Spanish Reform Model

Wall Street Journal 09/28/2011

Criticism of Spain’s Central Bank Grows

New York Times 10/20/2011

Spain Weighing a Fast, Costly Cleanup of Banks

Wall Street Journal 12/07/2011

The Real Threat Facing Spanish Lenders

BusinessWeek 11/23/2011

Spain’s banks: Horns of a dilemma

Economist 01/07/2012

The impact of the housing bubble related banking crisis on small and medium sized business in Spain

02/25/2010

About 60% of the economy and 80% of the jobs in Spain are with small and medium sized business. The consolidation of banks is leading to loss of local contact. The need to build capital reserves to cover bad loan losses means banks are calling in loans to these businesses. This is happening in smaller towns and cities across Spain, and will worsen the already high 25% unemplyment rate. The credit squeeze is hurting the recovery.

Grouped Articles

Europe’s credit crunch: Mend the money machine

Economist 05/16/2013

The Pain in Spain Falls Mainly on the Cajas

BusinessWeek 02/25/2010

For Some in Europe, High Lending Rates Hamper Recovery

New York Times 05/12/2014

E.C.B. Plots Strategy for Staving Off Deflation

New York Times 05/26/2014

Spanish Loan Data Suggests Modest Recovery

Wall Street Journal 10/25/2014

In Spain, Banks Find Dry Lending Landscape

Wall Street Journal 12/04/2014

The debt of regional governments in Spain.

07/22/2010

With $200 billion in debt, local governments from Catalonia to Valencia, are facing more spending cuts in 2010. The local governments are looking at raising $57 billion in debt markets in 2010, the highest of any local governments in Europe except Germany.

Grouped Articles

Rajoy Appeals to Catalonia to Stick With Spain

Wall Street Journal 09/23/2013

Spanish Towns Struggle Under Crushing Debts

Wall Street Journal 10/04/2010

Spain: Budget Woes Hit Regional Governments

BusinessWeek 07/22/2010

European Union Plans System for National Debt Crises

New York Times 10/29/2010

The euro crisis: Spreading from Ireland to Iberia

Economist 11/27/2010

Spain to Open Books in Bid to Calm Investors

Wall Street Journal 12/18/2010

Why government fiscal discipline alone will not establish a sound financial framework for the Euro currency- the example of Spain

03/03/2010

Spain kept its deficits below the 3% mandated under EU treaties, till recently. Asset bubbles sustained because of bad lending by a country's banks and easy acess to credit from outside the country, are two problems not addressed by tighter budget controls in the revised rules being set after the Dec. 9 EU Summit. Spain's debt problem is to recapitalize these failing banks and debt of regional governments. Spain relied too much on a construction boom for growth, with productivity stalled. Ireland improved competitiveness and attracted foreign investment. This too unraveled in the face of an asset bubble from speculative lending by its banks.

Grouped Articles

Euro Zone Death Trip

New York Times 09/25/2011

Europe's Original Sin

Wall Street Journal 03/03/2010

German Optimism Depends On Spanish Deficits

Wall Street Journal 09/25/2013

Euro Zone Deficit Hits Target for First Time Since 2008

New York Times 04/23/2014

Spain's Example Shows Limits of EU Targets

Wall Street Journal 12/09/2011

The Euro Zone's Double Failure

Wall Street Journal 12/15/2011


Support LyrArc

We took a different way to help millions around the world build educated informed mindsets that affects and shapes their lives. For a future that is open, global and digital, with everyone having access to high quality information. We believe in the renewal of America, renewal of Europe, the renewal of India, the rest of Asia, Latin America and Africa. The renewal of our supply chains, health, education, infrastructure, as we rebuild our countries after the pandemic. Literacy and knowledge we believe cannot thrive and grow in a world of web bots, web crawlers, or AI. This requires human curiosity, human learning, and human imagination. We take as inspiration the saying- “One has to be free, and as broad as sky. One has to have a mind that is crystal clear, only then can truth shine in it.” Every contribution whether big or small is precious- in this crisis and ahead.

Support Lyrarc from as small as $1


Copyright © 2006 - 2026 Intelilinks LLC
Terms and Conditions | Copyright Policy | Privacy Policy | Contact Us