Germans already work much less than others, but German unions and some left politicians are seriously requesting move to four days workweek without pay cut
Source: FT, Michel A.Arouet
European companies feeling less positive about investing in China.
Source: Bloomberg
German business model was based on:
1. Cheap energy from Russia; 2 Cheap subcontractors in Eastern Europe; 3. Steadily growing exports to China. All three are gone by now Source: Michel A.Arouet, Bloomberg
US vs. Europe: equity returns were very much similar before 2009...
Source: FT
US vs. Europe in one chart
Source: Michel A.Arouet
Europeans ‘less hard-working’ than Americans, says Norway oil fund boss Tangen finds US investments more attractive due to weaker regulations and more risk-taking >>>
Europe is less hard-working, less ambitious, more regulated and more risk-averse than the US, according to the boss of Norway’s giant oil fund, with the gap between the two continents only getting wider. Nicolai Tangen, chief executive of the $1.6tn fund, told the Financial Times it was “worrisome” that American companies were outpacing their European rivals on innovation and technology, leading to vast outperformance of US shares in the past decade. His views are significant as the oil fund is one of the largest single investors in the world, owning on average 1.5 per cent of every listed company globally and 2.5 per cent of every European equity. Its US holdings have increased in the past decade while its European ones have declined. US shares account for almost half of all its equities compared with 32 per cent in 2013. The leading European country — the UK — represented 15 per cent of its equity portfolio a decade ago but just 6 per cent last year. Source: FT
The US is pushing through another big military aid package for Ukraine.
Meanwhile, Germany has massive INDIRECT EXPORTS to Russia - see charts below. What are US taxpayers supposed to think when they see this? Source: Robin Brooks
German economy has returned to growth.
German Composite PMI Index moved back to >50 growth threshold in Apr for 1st time in 10mths, driven by a buoyant services sector. At 50.5, up from 47.7 in March, it signaled a modest expansion rate in private-sector business activity. Service PMI recorded its strongest growth since Jun2023 (index at 53.3). The manufacturing PMI meanwhile remained in sub-50 contraction territory at 42.2. Source: HolgerZ, Bloomberg
