Showing posts with label IMF. Show all posts
Showing posts with label IMF. Show all posts

Wednesday, 22 June 2011

THE END OF THE BEGINNING?

In the space of 24 hours the Greek government has escaped a vote of no-confidence

So far so good.

However, Allied Irish Bank has effectively defaulted and think tank Open Europe has called on the IMF and Europe not to give Greece a second bailout - instead manage its default and restructure to scale down the event's impact.

AIB's credit event is fairly minor for the bank, not unexpected and for a very small tranche of senior debt.

However, it calls into question what the scope of Greece's CDS spread will be? How many underwriters will be affected if Greece defaults and CDS are activated - indeed, will the CDS be able to cover the default?

It is now known that UK banks have been shifting their exposures away from the Eurozone and the Treasury is holding emergency talks about what to do if contagion spreads.

The problem now is what will happen? How bad is it going to get? Open Europe firmly believes that even a second bailout will just delay the inevitable and the markets appear to agree with Greek spreads heading even higher than before.

We are in new territory every day it seems and the actions of both banks and countries will be vital if the global economy is to avoid going down the pan.

In the words of Winston Churchill (I don't know if Goodwin's Law applies to Winnie):
"Now this is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning."
A tad hyperbole perhaps, but as we face this uncertainty then that view could be more pertinent than any of us realise.

Monday, 6 June 2011

IMF

So the IMF says keep going to George and the government.

That is good for George who dismissed economists who criticised the plans in the weekend papers as "left-wing academics".

But there are still danger signs on the horizon of sluggish growth and higher inflation. On the other hand, inflation is expected to drop back to 2% next year according to the IMF.

Now whether that is because no-one will be buying anything because we are all skint or, whisper it, the Bank of England is correct and the inflation wasn't trending remains to be seen.

What ever happens next, it seems that once again we have dodged the bullet.

Napoleon said he wanted lucky generals, I wonder if the same applies to chancellors?

ECONOMISTS

According to newspaper reports today, economists are divided over the coalition plans to cut the deficit. Some say that it is too fast, too soon, while others say that the UK is still in growth and that to change course now would be fatal.

There is something to be said about not changing course mid-stream, indeed in our latest issue Mark Roeder, author of The Big Mo makes this very point.

With the IMF making its judgement today, the Treasury will be hoping for a grand endorsement - both for political and economic reasons - but if I was the Chancellor I wouldn't be too worried.

As the old saying goes, when economists agree then the world really is in trouble.