ITALY TO SEEK MORE FLEXIBILITY OVER NEW EU RULES ON NPL’S – COALITION SOURCES

By Silvia Marchetti ROME (MaceNews) – Italy wants greater flexibility over new tighter European-wide credit rules that could further worsen liquidity, according to ruling coalition sources.  The new framework, that came into force on January 1, introduces stricter parameters for the ‘default’ classification on non-performing loans and so-called ‘calendar provisioning’ for write-offs, combining a 90-day […]

EURO-AREA ECONOMIC SENTIMENT PICKS UP IN DECEMBER

—Germany Sees Sentiment Stagnate By Marco Babic ZURICH (MaceNews) – Economic sentiment in the Euro-area was a positive note, rising in December from the previous month driven by “markedly higher” industrial and consumer confidence, the European Commission said in its latest Business and Consumer Survey report. Economic sentiment picked up 2.7 points in December to […]

ITALY TO SELL MORE USD-DENOMINATED BONDS IN 2021; NEW ‘GREEN’ SECURITIES – SOURCES

By Silvia Marchetti ROME (Mace News) – Italy’s government aims to issue more U.S. dollar-denominated bonds this year alongside new green bonds and retail securities aimed at supporting pandemic measures, according to ruling coalition sources.  The goal is to keep diversifying the investor base through new issuances in foreign currencies both in the Global and […]

UK AGREES TO EUROPEAN UNION BREXIT DEAL

–Few Details But UK Claims Tariff/Quota-free Access for Goods Exports to EU By Laurie Laird LONDON (MaceNews) – With just a week left to run on the current transitional arrangement, the UK has agreed a trade deal with the European Union that will officially end Britain’s membership of the European Union. The UK left the […]

GERMANY’S ECONOMIC SENTIMENT IMPROVES DECEMBER DESPITE LOCKDOWN

By Marco Babic ZURICH (MaceNews) – Improved current economic conditions and expectations pushed overall economic sentiment in Germany higher in December, even with increased lockdown measures due to COVID-19. The Ifo Business Climate Friday rose to 92.1 in December from a revised 90.9 (90.7) the previous month, and was well above the median forecast of […]

BANK OF ENGLAND LEAVES POLICY UNCHANGED, BUT EXTENDS LENDING SCHEME

—MPC Hints at Symmetric Stance on Inflation Target, Willing to ‘Tolerate’ Inflation Overshoot By Laurie Laird LONDON (MaceNews) – The Bank of England left its main policy tools on hold after its latest rate-setting meeting on Wednesday, but extended the time frame of its supplemental lending scheme and hinted at a more symmetrical approach to […]

US LABELS SWITZERLAND, VIETNAM CURRENCY MANIPULATORS; NOT CHINA

–Tracking China Interventions ‘Closely’ By Denny Gulino WASHINGTON (MaceNews) – The U.S. Treasury Department Wednesday signaled that Switzerland and to a much lesser extent Vietnam are manipulating their currencies, in part at least, for a competitive advantage in trade while China, having briefly been so designated up until January, was not included. Switzerland renewed its […]

GERMANY SEES REBOUND IN ECONOMIC SENTIMENT IN DECEMBER ON COVID-19 – ZEW

By Marco Babic ZURICH (MaceNews) – Economic sentiment in Germany bounced back in December from a decline the previous month, as pending approvals for a COVID-19 vaccine pushed expectations higher, the Mannheim based ZEW institute reported Tuesday. The Index of Economic Sentiment for Germany rose 16.0 points to 55.0 in December, well above the median […]