Economic Trends
Get the latest economic news and analysis to understand emerging economic trends and their impact on portfolios.
EU Seeks to Close Bank Capital Loophole
By Marlene Y. SatterThe European Union will try to close a loophole that allows lenders to avoid holding sufficient capital to offset the risk on their holdings of sovereign debt,k.
January 04, 2012
Fed to Shine Light on Interest Rate Plans (The Hill)In another move to increase transparency, the Federal Reserve will begin forecasting interest rate activity in its package of economic predictions, released four times per year.
December 15, 2011
France Derides Ratings Agencies, BritainBank of France Governor Christian Noyer struck out at ratings agencies, calling them 'incomprehensible and irrational,' and also slammed Britain as more deeply mired in financial woes than France.
December 14, 2011
China Pledges New Growth in Teeth of Economic SlowdownChina has kicked off a conference on setting policy with a pledge to guarantee continued growth, despite an "extremely grim" global economic outlook for the year to come. Economic stability was at the top of the list, with a number of declarations committed to that objective.
December 05, 2011
Kenneth Rogoff Asks: Is Modern Capitalism Sustainable?Despite its flaws, the best economic system for nowin the face of no other viable alternativesis 'todays dominant Anglo-American paradigm,' says Harvard University economics professor Kenneth Rogoff in a column that went viral.
November 22, 2011
Growth Revised Down to 2%. Should We Be Worried? (The Atlantic)GDP growth has been cut. Does that mean businesses will hire or fire workers?
November 16, 2011
European Debt Crisis ‘Systemic:’ BarrosoThe euro came within two cents of a five-week low after European Commission President Jose Barroso said the eurozone is confronting a truly systemic crisis. Word that the European Central Bank was buying up Spanish and Italian debt helped to reverse that fall, however.
November 10, 2011
Europe’s Creditanstalt Moment—Is It Really 1931 Again?: News AnalysisHistorians might one day wonder why it was that at exactly the time the European model was crumbling, the U.S. chose to weaken itself with similar policies.