This is the reality the old continent needs to face: There is only one way to prosperity, hard work and higher productivity
UK and the eurozone have been lagging the US big time. Time for a wake-up call? Source: FT. Michel A.Arouet
Economic malaise deepens in Germany
German private sector falls deeper into contraction, flash PMI shows. German Composite PMI Index dropped to 48.5 in August, a 5mth low, down from prior 49.1 and below the expected 49.2. Manufacturing PMI fell to 42.1 from 43.2, below the consensus estimate of 43.5. On the services side, the PMI also hit a 5mth low of 51.4, compared w/prev reading of 52.5 and analysts forecast of 52.3. The report adds to evidence that Germany's recovery has fizzled out. GDP unexpectedly contracted by 0.1% in Q2, and analysts polled by Bloomberg predict barely any expansion at all over the whole of 2024. Source: Bloomberg, HolgerZ
While Europe is deindustrializing, US industrial renaissance is in full swing
17% annual return anyone? Source: Michel A.Arouet, BofA
GERMAN MP: UKRAINE MUST PAY FOR DAMAGE TO NORD STREAM PIPELINES
Some major changes on Germany-Ukraine relationships took place over the recent days... Last week, Germany said it has frozen its military aid to Ukraine, claiming that a domestic budgetary crisis means it can no longer afford to supply Kyiv with new weapons. Olaf Scholz, the German chancellor, told his defence minister this month that there would be no money available for further military aid, according to a new report in the Frankfurter Allgemeine newspaper. Today, Alice Weidel has called for Ukraine to compensate Germany for the damage caused to its economy as a result of the attack: “The economic damage to our country caused by the demolition of Nord Stream presumably ordered by Zelensky - and not Putin as we were led to believe - should be "billed" to Ukraine.” Berlin-Kyiv relations were strained after the German Prosecutor General's Office issued an arrest warrant for a Ukrainian suspected of involvement in the pipeline sabotage. Source: Mario Nawfal on X
Before the euro, Greece, Italy, Spain were adjusting for their lower productivity via currency devaluations each year.
Within the European currency union the only avenue left is adjusting via real wages pushing many people into poverty. Source: FT, Michel A.Arouet
Italy has doubled the flat tax on foreign income for wealthy new residents who have been flocking here to take advantage of it.
The €100,000 a year payment — which exempts people moving to the country from taxes on overseas earnings, gifts, and inheritance for 15yrs — will rise to €200,000. The previous €100,000 tax incentive was popular w/wealthy individuals but controversial among Italians, particularly in Milan, the business capital. The recent influx of the super-rich has been blamed for significantly increasing real estate prices and living costs. The increaed flat tax for the billionaires is still set at a level that would remain interesting to wealthy foreigners, FinMin Giorgetti said. Source: Bloomberg, HolgerZ
Why the ECB should keep interest rates at the lowest level possible explained in one chart
The Euro zone is an equilibrium where high debt countries like Italy, France and Spain run big deficits. The ECB enables this by capping yields when these spike like they did in 2022. This policy is an implicit subsidy of high debt countries by low debt ones... Source: Robin Brooks
German inflation unexpectedly accelerated in July to 2.3% YoY from 2.2% in June as food price inflation keeps rising, core inflation, and services inflation remain sticky at 2.9% and 3.9%.
Source: HolgerZ, Bloomberg
