Germany may have clobbered Brazil in the World Cup quarter finals last week and went on to become the first European team to win the event in Latin America, but things back home in Europe weren’t quite so rosy. (more…)
Comments Off on The Newest European Import To The U.S. Is The Chip And Pin Card
Discussions about credit and debit card security were heating up even before retailers experienced data breaches last winter. Needless to say, after the breaches and a wealth of media reports touting the fact that Europe, Canada, and most of the rest of the world already have more secure payment systems than the one used in the United States, interest in replacing the current system there has increased. (more…)
A year ago, nobody – including Mr Osborne – expected the 2014 Budget to be set against such a relatively benign economic background for the UK. In March 2013 the talk was of a triple dip recession, as the country had just recorded a contraction of 0.3% in the final quarter of 2012. Inflation, as measured by the February 2013 Consumer Prices Index (CPI), was running at 2.8% and had been above its 2% target since December 2009. In Europe the latest round of the Eurozone crisis was taking place, with Cyprus becoming the fifth EU member to seek a bailout. All in all, it was not a pleasant economic backdrop against which to present another austerity-as-she-goes Budget that promised a further £100bn+ government deficit for the coming year. (more…)
Comments Off on Is it the beginning of the end? Maybe….
Last Tuesday, Eurostat, which provides statistical information on the European Union (EU), announced that its flash estimate showed positive economic growth (up 0.3 percent) for the Euro area for the second quarter. Media outlets embraced the news with tremendous enthusiasm and some informed the world that Europe was, once again, on its feet.
Comments Off on You’ve seen them – Television Makeover Shows like What Not to Wear and The Biggest Loser
By the end of the installment or the series, lives have been changed, presumably for the better. It remains to be seen whether Europe’s current makeover — a migratory one — will change lives for the better.
Like athletes testing their limits, the FTSE 100 and the FTSE All-Share Indices both almost hit new highs last week. The FTSE 100 closed the week above the 6,500 level for the first time in a while. Strong corporate earnings and good news from Europe helped support last week’s strong performance.