Category Archives: Europe

Coronavirus and Banking: Evaluating Policy Options for Avoiding a Financial Crisis

A scorecard for various approaches to combatting the looming European banking crisis.

Central Bank Machinations with No Exit: ECB Leaks New Thingy, It’s Doing Yield Spread Control

Not your grandmother’s “yield curve control.” Only one thing that could force this ECB absurdity to end: a big bout of inflation.

Perhaps It’s Time to Start Worrying About Italy Again

The causes for concern surrounding Italy are growing, even as the ECB keeps a tight lid on its bond yields, pushing its debt servicing costs lower as its debt explodes higher.

The Double Irony of the New UK-EU Trade Relationship

The Trade and Cooperation Agreement signed between the European Union and the United Kingdom goes against six decades of UK efforts to avoid being economically disadvantaged in Europe.

Brexit: Wheels Coming Off

Brexit pains are becoming more and more evident.

Will the Senate Confirm Coup Plotter Victoria Nuland?

Showing his true uber-hawkish colors, Biden wants to put Victoria Nuland in a position where she can do even more damage.

Wall Street Mega-Landlord Blackstone Prepares to Reap the Spoils of Another Crisis

Blackstone was a big winner of the last crisis. Now, it hopes to repeat the feat, albeit using a somewhat different playbook.

Quick Notes on the Brexit Deal

Brexit: an undertaking of great advantage, but nobody to know what it is.

UK’s Covid and Brexit Siege

Fog on the Covid and Brexit fronts.

Brexit Event Horizon and Covid Mutation Deliver Lumps of Coal to UK for Christmas

“It’s always darkest before things go completely black.” That looks like a fit for Brexit.

Brexit: End of the Line

Even with the EU giving as much Brexit time as it can, December 31 is coming.

Brexit: Too Late for Fudge?

The options for extending the Brexit runway don’t look promising.

City of London Frets About Life After 2020

The City’s vast financial services sector benefited hugely from the creation of the euro. Now, a large part of that business is at risk.

Brexit Chaos Was Entirely Predictable Because the World Works on Routine, and Brexit Breaks All the Routine Systems on Which Trade Has Relied

Brexit disruption has started even with a skimpy deal still theoretically possible.