Sunday, August 5, 2012

Darkening skies over Europe

By Jon Markman, MarketWatch 

 http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=3814089687891528629#editor/target=post;postID=1133294423174584018

Seattle, Wash. (MarketWatch) — You can’t spell Spain without “pain,” and you can’t spell euro zone without nearly breaking down in tears as you contemplate the latest unraveling of the continent. 

On some level, it is hard to make room in your mind for how badly the financial condition of Spain has unwound in the past two months, but you need to do that because it is as serious as Greece, but with bigger consequences. 

Don’t get tired of all the bad news. You still need to pay attention even though policy makers are trying to cobble together another in a series of rickety, short-term fixes this week with twine and chewing gum. There is a controlled explosion rippling across the continent, and just because it is summer, does not mean it’s not real. 

Despite the efforts made toward the 100-billion-euro bailout of its banking system last month, Spain has not yet evaded a banking crisis at all. And it has not evaded its sovereign debt crisis. And its fiscal situation is worsening because the Spanish people are freaking out about the fourth in a series of harsh austerity measures. The regional government system in Spain is also getting worse, with Valencia needing a bailout now and Catalan soon to follow. 


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