Archive for the ‘European Union’ Category

The European Union Got Stronger: Global Week Ahead – Zacks.com

This Global Week Ahead started with a foregone conclusion: Emmanuel Macron is the new French president. Imagine the sighs of relief. They must be heard across the European Union, and certainly within the formal office corridors of that institution.

However, it was a sell the news trading event.

Education! That key social variable showed itself as important again. It proved to be the strongest predictor of a vote for Macron. The higher the number of people with a university degree in an area, the stronger the percentage vote for Macron.

This pattern echoes the findings ofother Financial Times analysis. They looked into the predictors of the Leave vote in 2016 Brexit referendum,the 2016 U.S. presidential election and recentDutch elections. In each electoral instance, the less educated made up more of the right wing, anti-establishment voters.

Here is the rest of what happening to the globe this week.

Last week, the House voted to repeal Obamacareand replace it with the American Health Care Act. In the week ahead and beyond, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) will assess the cost and coverage. This a reversal of the order usually undertaken. Also, independent effort in the Senate has begun towards a health care bill. The Senate version will be substantially different than the House bill. Then, the reconciliation fun begins. In short, dont expect this to be done for months and months.

There is a Bank of England (BoE) monetary policy meeting this week. Expect modest changes to the Bank of Englands key macro projections.While U.K. inflation is likely to reach or even exceed +3.0%, still, dont expect the BoE to hike. According to observers, the BoE will retain a bias to hike. But, the committee is not hurried to deliver, given the Brexit tremors.

This week coughs up a key data in Canadas loud housing debate about a bubble. Canada housing starts may be poised for some moderation after they hit the highest level in about five years in March and almost the highest in a decade. The Bank of Nova Scotia write about efforts to cool Ontarios and more specifically southern Ontarios including Torontos housing markets. Policy housing demand restraints may have been timed at the peak pace of demand -- and just as Canadas housing supply is rising to meet the challenges.

Over in Asia, Chinas CPI inflation rate probably is likely to track at +1.0% y/y in April. Their Inflation rate looks very soft on the consumer side. On top of that, mainland Chinese producer price inflation is likely to fall toward zero -- and possibly lower over the second half of 2017. That is a weak level of inflation.

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Key Global Macro

Ho hum. Back to macro data after an exciting French election last week!

German factory orders, industrial production and trade for March will lead up to Q1 German GDP growth. The latter is out on Friday. French trade, industrial production and Q1 nonfarm payrolls also come out.

In top of that, we will tap into U.K. industrial output and trade figures, Italian retail sales and industrial output.

The Eurozone sum of its member countries on industrial output will also be made available.

Eight U.S. Fed voting members will be speaking 10 times, all over the country and in India this week.

On Monday, Canadas housing starts came in at 214K, below the 220K number expected. Note: There is a housing bubble going on in some urban areas up there.

The Feds Bullard speaks in Florida and Mester speaks in Chicago.

On Tuesday, German industrial production should be growing +2.5% y/y.

The U.S. NFIB Small Business Optimism index comes out. It has been spiking up.

The forecast is for 103.5 from 104.7 in a prior reading.

The bi-week core CPI in Mexico should be +5.71% from 5.35% y/y. Thats a concern.

The Feds Kashkari speaks in Minneapolis, Rosengren in NY, and Kaplan in Dallas.

On Wednesday, same store retail sales in Mexico are holding up at 3.2% y/y.

Industrial Production in France could be down -0.5% y/y, whereas in Italy, it is up +1.9% y/y. Lets hope the new French President can change sentiment there.

Mario Draghi speaks to the Dutch Parliament, and in Frankfurt.

Industrial production in the U.K. is strong, at +2.8% y/y.

The unemployment rate in Greece is now 23.5%. Its a big problem.

On Thursday, interestingly, the Feds Dudley speaks in Mumbai, India

The BoE Monetary Policy Committee meets and issues a rate decision. 0.25% is the base rate, and it is not forecast to change.

U.S. initial claims for the week come out.

On Friday, the core German inflation rate, the HICP (harmonized index of consumer price inflation) comes out. The prior reading was +2.0% y/y. In Spain, it is +2.6% y/y. The tack above the 2 percent target in Spain is worth noting.

University of Michigan sentiment comes out. The prior was 97.

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French Election Highlights a Deep Divide on the European Union – teleSUR English


teleSUR English
French Election Highlights a Deep Divide on the European Union
teleSUR English
Whatever the outcome, Le Pen has shown that nationalist, anti-EU, and anti-globalisation sentiment now widespread across Europe has more traction in France than many had realised. A record number of French voters opted for anti-establishment, ...
Marine Le Pen is Madame Frexit; her victory would shake the European Union to its coreFirstpost
France Chooses a Leader, and Takes a Step Into the UnknownNew York Times
The French presidential election spells trouble for the EU -- whoever winsCNN
Wall Street Journal (subscription) -Washington Post
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The Necessary Empire – New York Times


New York Times
The Necessary Empire
New York Times
The former Byzantine and Ottoman part of Europe the part closest to the Middle East is still the poorest, least stable and most in need of support and guidance from the European Union. Whether Europe remains a secure and prosperous continent, ...

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The Necessary Empire - New York Times

EU Leader Says (in English) That English Is Waning – New York Times


New York Times
EU Leader Says (in English) That English Is Waning
New York Times
All that doesn't stop many French speakers from resenting English's primacy, though, nor from hoping that the language might recede a bit after Britain leaves the European Union, the process known as Brexit. That is the sentiment that Mr. Juncker mined ...
Speech by Michel Barnier at the 7th State of the Union Conference, European University Institute, FlorenceEU News
Influence of English is fading, says EU chief JunckerReuters
UK Prime Minister Theresa May Hits Out at EU officials on BrexitWall Street Journal (subscription)
The Sun -Telegraph.co.uk -CNBC
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European Union set for ‘explosive’ political crisis if Britain doesn’t cough up billions for a divorce bill, chief … – The Sun

Michel Barniersaid yesterday programmes and schemes could have to be scrapped

THE EU is set for an explosive political crisis if Britain holds firm and refuses to pay a divorce bill, the blocs chief Brexit negotiator said yesterday.

Michel Barnier also has repeated claims that our exit from the bloc will not be quick or painless in a sign thatBrussels are DETERMINED to make us suffer.

And hewarned that there would be political and legal implications if Britain refuses to cough up the cash and that it was incontestable that we would have to pay.

Sky News

EPA

At a press conference in Brussels yesterday he told an audience that it was an illusion to think that things could be wrapped up quickly and that there would be explosive consequences if we didnt pay up.

The news came before Theresa May delivered a damning speech on the steps of Downing Street accusing Brussels chief of meddling in our election.

Mr Barnier was speaking as the EU Commission set out its detailed negotiating guidelines for the upcoming Brexit talks.

He described the bill as incontestable.

Imagine what would happen if this were not to take place, he said.

We have to be rigorous in our approach to clearing these accounts. Otherwise the situation might be explosive if we have to stop programmes. Can you imagine the political problems which might arise?

Brussels are seriously concerned about the cash they will lose when Britain leaves the bloc and there are rumours they will ask us to pay up to 100 billion euros to settle our bills.

But The Sun can reveal Mrs May is drawing up a nuclear option of immediately ending Britains 18bn annual Budget payments if Brexit talks breakdown.

AP:Associated Press

EPA

Mr Barnieralso fired a warning shot at MrsMay: Some have created the illusion that Brexit will have no material impact on our lives or that negotiations can be completed quickly and painlessly. This is not the case.

He said that EU leaders should remain cool-headed in the process, but accused the UK of causing months of uncertainty that needed to be eradicated.

And he stated that there WOULD be consequences for us as a result of leaving and that there was a legal process that had to be agreed to cover all the technical points of our exit.

David Davis yesterdayREFUSED to pay up to100 BILLION for a Brexit divorce bill.

The Brexit Secretary said this morning that the UK did not recognise the figure which is claims is just to settle the UKs part in promised money.

Mr Barnier insisted yesterdaythat the UK had material commitments and future projects it had agreed to fund already. Those commitments will have to be honoured, he said.

And after an audience with the Queen yesterday afternoon, Mrs May launched a scathing attack on EU chiefs.

In a moment of high drama, she slammed the former Luxembourg premier and other euro elite for deliberately timed threats and smears on her Tory government to try to influence the elections outcome.

AP:Associated Press

EPA

Getty Images

Yesterday's comments were the latest in an escalating tensions between Britain and the EU.

Last week Mrs May hit back at Angela Merkel's description of our Brexit plans as an "illuion" as tensions continued to escalate.

The Prime Minister said the 27 nations were "lining up to oppose us" which would bring instability to the country.

Over the weekend EU sources leaked details of a dinner between EU chief Jean Claude Juncker and Mrs May in Downing Street where he said that Brexit "cannot be a success".

Mrs May insisted the UK does not owe the EU any money because there is nothing to that effect in the treaties - but Mr Juncker said she was "in another galaxy".

EPA

Mr Juncker said the UK would not get a trade deal then but Mrs May has repeatedly insisted leaving the EU with no deal would be better than taking a bad deal anyway.

The President of the European Commission reportedly then told Mrs May as he exited: "I leave Downing Street ten times as sceptical as I was before."

EPA

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European Union set for 'explosive' political crisis if Britain doesn't cough up billions for a divorce bill, chief ... - The Sun