Germany has no plans to get involved in Syria intervention August 30, 2013 The German government has said it has no plans at present to join any military intervention in Syria. Government spokesman Steffen Seibert said today, “we haven't considered any German military participation and still aren't doing so”. Speaking to German newspaper Neue Osnabruecker Zeitung earlier, foreign minister Guido Westerwelle said Germany had not yet been asked [...]
The Eurozone is seeing a no-inflation recovery August 30, 2013 Berenberg's Christian Schulz says that the Eurozone is now witnessing a "no-inflation recovery" on the back of strong confidence numbers released this morning. The Eurozone unemployment rate stayed at 12.1% in July. The stable headline rate conceals a second successive monthly fall in the number of unemployed. Whether that fall can last into the autumn [...]
South African gold miner strikes to begin on Tuesday August 30, 2013 Workers in South Africa’s gold mines are planning to begin a strike over pay on 3 September, the Chamber of Mines has said. Last week, the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) – which represents 64 per cent of all underground workers in the country – gave gold producers a seven-day ultimatum to meet its demand [...]
Hollande: France could launch military strike on Syria next week August 30, 2013 French president Francois Hollande has said the French position on Syria remains unchanged despite refusal by British MPs to initiate military action, and that the country could launch a strike as early as Wednesday. In an interview with Le Monde published this morning, Hollande said: The chemical massacre of Damascus cannot and must not go [...]
Eurozone confidence thumps forecasts despite stagnant unemployment August 30, 2013 Eurozone consumer confidence has come in very strong in August, with the main indicator at a healthier -16 from -17.4 (-16.5 expected). That's despite a flat unemployment rate posted for the same month. Economic sentiment too looked decidedly better, rising from 92.5 to 95.2 (93.0 expected). Business climate is up to -0.2 from -0.53 (-0.35 [...]
Eurozone unemployment unchanged in July August 30, 2013 The unemployment rate in the Eurozone held steady in July, according to official figures. This morning, Eurostat reported that unemployment was flat on the month before at 12.1 per cent. Across the 28 EU member states, the unemployment rate was 11.0 per cent, also stable compared with June. In both zones, rates have risen compared [...]
Cyprus president “certain” country can return to markets before end of bailout programme August 30, 2013 Cypriot president Nikos Anastasiades has said Cyprus will return to the financial markets before the end of its bailout programme in 2016. Speaking to German newspaper Handelsblatt, Anastasiades said he hopes to see the first signs of a turnaround in the second half of 2014, and was “certain” Cyprus could return to the markets before [...]
Mortgage approvals up as Help to Bubble scheme takes effect August 30, 2013 UK mortgage approvals have come in above analyst estimates, at 60,624 in July. Economists had predicted a jump to 59,000 from 57,667 the month before. The government's Help to Buy scheme, only one part of which is now active, has prompted higher demand in the housing sector. But for all that mortgage help, nothing has [...]
Italian unemployment falls unexpectedly August 30, 2013 Italian unemployment fell unexpectedly in July, according to official figures. Istat reported this morning that unemployment fell to 12.0 per cent in July from 12.1 per cent the month before. Analysts had expected to see an increase to 12.2 per cent. Year-on-year, however, unemployment was up from 11.8 per cent. In absolute values, unemployment fell [...]
Before the open – 30/08 August 30, 2013 It's the last trading day of the month – and it looks the FTSE will close down this August. The index closed at 6621.10 on 31 July, and saw its monthly peak the next day at 6682.00. Opening at 6483.05, it seems very unlikely that anything dramatic will happening on what looks to be a [...]