As Germany’s Schauble says Grexit may be the best way forward, is the deal designed to fail? July 16, 2015 Desmond Lachman, resident fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, says Yes Wolfgang Schauble is certainly right to suggest that Grexit would be in Greece’s own interest. The economic programme that the Troika imposed on it last weekend is very little different in substance from those policies that have failed so spectacularly in the past. Specifically, [...]
Greek crisis: George Osborne wins guarantee that UK cash used in Greek loan will be paid back July 16, 2015 Chancellor George Osborne has managed to secure a guarantee on £700m of British funds that will be loaned to Greece while it continues to negotiate its bailout. Earlier this week Eurozone officials decided that tapping into a €7bn pan-EU fund called the European Financial Stability Mechanism (EFSM) would be the most viable option. However, [...]
Greece deal triggers European markets rise to six week high but sterling strengthens against euro July 16, 2015 The FTSE 100 closed 0.63 per cent up at 6,796.45 points on the first day of trading following Greece's securing of a much-needed bailout loan. Read more: Europe offers bailout to Greece as ECB raises bank support European shares climbed to a six-week high, with the pan-European FTSEurofirst 300 index up 1.36 per cent to 1,608.12. [...]
Eurogroup of finance ministers confirms it will grant a three-year bailout loan to Greece as European Central Bank hikes bank liquidity assistance July 16, 2015 The Eurogroup of finance ministers today confirmed it will grant Greece a three-year bailout loan – just as European Central Bank (ECB) chief Mario Draghi confirmed it will increase the amount of liquidty assistance available to banks by €900m in one week. At a press conference today, Draghi said the approval of bridge financing, plus [...]
German finance minister Wolfgang Shaeuble on Grexit: Perhaps temporary exit from the Eurozone would be better for Greece July 16, 2015 Never one to mince his words, German finance minister Wolfgang Schaeuble has suggested that, despite the Greek parliament's overwhelming support for its creditors' reform proposals, a "temporary Grexit" might be a better option. Read more: IMF slams Greece deal This morning Schaeuble told Deutschlandfunkradio that "perhaps [Grexit] would be the better way for Greece". Given [...]
Greece votes for more austerity to stay in euro July 15, 2015 The Greek parliament early this morning voted in favour of the deal that Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras accepted, after gruelling talks in Brussels earlier this week, in order to start progress on a third bailout. The final tally of 229 to 64 in favour of the deal was decisive, yet many of the “No” [...]
Greek debt crisis: George Osborne backtracks on Athens loan pledge as EU readies aid July 15, 2015 The Treasury is preparing to co-operate with Europe over a short-term loan to Greece – but only if the cash is guaranteed – in an embarrassing about-face for chancellor George Osborne who on Tuesday promised not to offer bailout funds to aid Athens. A Treasury source said the European Commission was now proposing ways [...]
In photos: Riots erupt in Greece as Alexis Tsipras urges MPs to back bailout July 15, 2015 Anarchist protestors and Greek riot police clashed violently outside the Athens parliament while MPs gathered inside to vote on reforms demanded by its creditors in its bailout package. Read more: Referendum spurs Greek job hunters to search abroad… and the UK is a favourite Stones and molotov cocktails were thrown at Greek police and a [...]
International Monetary Fund slams Greece deal, encouraging lenders to write down debt July 15, 2015 The International Monetary Fund (IMF), one of Greece's three key lenders, has heavily criticised a deal it reached with its creditors at a summit over the weekend, saying the country's debts have become "highly unsustainable". On Monday the Fund had said it "stands ready to work with the Greek authorities and the European partners" on [...]
Britain will not foot the bill for Greek loan, says George Osborne: We’re “not in the euro” July 14, 2015 Chancellor George Osborne laid down the gauntlet to his Eurozone peers yesterday and said that the UK would refuse to put £1bn towards a short-term loan to Greece. If Brussels insists the UK foots part of the bill, it would threaten relations between British and EU leaders as Osborne gears up to renegotiate the country’s [...]