"How can I know what I think until I read what I write?" – Henry James
sábado, 28 de mayo de 2016
Cataluña, bono Bangladesh
viernes, 27 de mayo de 2016
Brexit: un golpe más duro para Europa que para RU
We have full-time Europeans when it comes to taking and part-time Europeans when it comes to giving … too many part time Europeans. That is a problem
Everybody will say: ‘We’re sorry, this is a historical disaster but now we have to move on.’ And then they will say ‘OK, David [Cameron], goodbye, because now we have to meet as 27 leaders,’” said one senior diplomat intimately involved in the planning. “That will be rather a decisive moment: will the 27 find the energy, the convergence of views to define a common agenda or whether it will be only the 19?”
French officials are wary of Brexit contagion spreading to other member states and the lift it would provide to anti-EU insurgents like the National Front’s Marine Le Pen. They are determined to send a tough and punitive message to show divorce will be costly for Britain. “Playing down or minimising the consequences would put Europe at risk,” said one senior French official. “The principle of consequences is very important — to protect Europe.
There is a degree of irony in this warning. It is true the rise of parties and politicians on the far left and right of the political spectrum complicates the task of reform. Yet their electoral success reflects the failures of the policy establishment, monetary policymakers included. If the populists take power, central banks — the ECB among them — will be first in the line of fire.
¿Cómo se gobierna un país así?
Dura reprimenda de Sostres a David, ex director de El Mundo
David, ¿no vas a disculparte?
miércoles, 25 de mayo de 2016
Diversas formas de política monetaria no disponibles para el BCE
But the ECB is not a “strategic” currency issuer, because it is not directly responsible for integrated fiscal policy as a connecting force, and has not been endowed (or endowed itself) with any implicit or explicit lender of last resort function as far as multiple Eurozone national treasury functions are concerned. Moreover, none of the 17 Eurozone countries has the sovereign power to invoke its own brand of contingent operational or institutional change empowering strategic control over combined national monetary and fiscal operations. They have all surrendered that power under the currency union. These countries are strategic issuers of the Euro neither collectively nor individually in the sense of our analytical framework. In fact, there is no strategic issuer of the Euro by this meaning. And that is a major problem for monetary policy flexibility. The required institutional trigger for the exercise of a contingent LLR function, a multi-national Eurozone fiscal authority, does not even exist. Many feel that this is a structural failure of the Eurozone design.
Sesgo izquierdista
No sé por qué somos tan impermeables a la verdad en España. Tenemos prejuicios que nos retuercen la mirada, hasta que la realidad se adapta al prejuicio.But in a country where hyperinflation is quickly making the cash in people’s pockets worthless, it has become the only way to survive.
Some – dubbed bachaqueros 2.0 by the government –even resell goods on the internet.
“It happens more frequently now,” sighs Juan Carlos Bacalhau, a marketing manager who lives in the Venezuelan capital.
“There’s a lady that I pay 1,500 bolivars a day to clean my house, but recently she told me she’d rather queue and buy and sell products than work for me.”
It wasn’t always this way. Diego Moya-Ocampos, senior political risk analyst at IHS, says the current crisis is the result of years of “economic mismanagement” by the ruling socialist party.
martes, 24 de mayo de 2016
inestabilidad política en España
Julius Baer Research | The potentially shortest Spanish legislature is bound to come to an end on 26 June 2016 when Spain will elect a new parliament for the second time within six months. Since the politicians have failed to form a new government after the last general election in December 2015, King Felipe VI has dissolved the parliament and called for new elections. As shown in chart 1 below, the situation after the new elections might not be better than before. Current polls suggest that the outcome will be very similar to the one in December 2015.According to the most recent polls, the ruling PP might see an unchanged result and the PSOE a noticeable decline (see also terms explained). Both new parties, Podemos-IU (recently merged) and Ciudadanos might get more seats in the parliament than after the previous general election in December 2015. However, as can be seen in chart 2 below, by and large only minor changes can be expected. Since no party will reach the absolute majority, coalitions will have to be formed. The same problem as in the recent months might therefore emerge but we remain confident that the politicians are aware of that they cannot fail again.Potential coalitions to think aboutOn the basis of the above-mentioned expectations there are only a limited number of possible combinations. Expecting the PP to stay in the relative lead, the party might first get the opportunity to build a coalition. The most likely partner according to the political programmes would be Ciudadanos. Political reforms already achieved my stay in place and taxes could be reduced while the Catalonian issue might remain a topic of conflict between the two parties.Should a coalition between PSOE and P-IU be considered, the differences in the Catalonian question would also remain an issue here as the PSOE strongly opposes more authority for the north-eastern region. From an investor’s perspective (be it equities or fixed income) the former combination would be strongly preferred. In both cases the coalitions might not reach the absolute majority and therefore remain dependent on smaller regional parties in the parliament as shown in chart 3. Last but not least a grand coalition between PP and PSOE could be an option although a collaboration of the traditional antagonists seems impossible at first glance. The only argument therefore can only be external political pressure in order to avoid another failure. Not a promising outlook.Our takeWe are currently underweight the Spanish equity market based on ongoing political uncertainty. We assume that this situation is here to stay for some more time.
Futuro del euro
I do not think the Eurozone is slowly dying. I also differ from many who think it will escape death by morphing into a full fiscal and political union any time soon. Instead I think the Eurozone will continue in something like its present form for some time (decades rather than years): a monetary union with fiscal and most political decisions at the national level.In terms of macroeconomics there is no obvious crisis that will lead to its demise. As I have notedrecently, I think it is more likely that we will see reasonable (or better) growth over the next couple of years. Yes unemployment will remain too high and this is a shockingly unnecessary state of affairs, but as the UK discovered in the 1980s it is not one that threatens the existing social and economic order.The Eurozone’s treatment of one of its own members, Greece, is intolerable: I have compared the Troika’s treatment of Greece to British actions during the Irish famine. But that does not mean it will not continue. I was surprised at Germany’s willingness to countenance Grexit and the desire of the Greek people to remain. As an economist might put it, the resulting situation may be incredibly suboptimal (even in a Pareto sense), but it looks like an equilibrium. In simpler language, virtually everyone could be better off by doing something different, but unfortunately the only people who might be better off by continuing the status quo are the politicians in control.The biggest threat facing the Eurozone right now is not economic but political. It is dealing with migration and the associated rise of the far, and often Eurosceptic, right. That challenge will ensure that no one will risk further union, even though it is indeed the prefered option of many in the governing elite. The threat to liberal democracy posed by not only these groups, but also the current governments in Hungary and Poland, is worrying indeed. But so is the possibility of Donald Trump as POTUS.What does the likely survival of the Eurozone in something like its present form imply for Brexit? My own view is not much, because our opt out from the Euro is safe. On other matters? I have spent much time on this blog and elsewhere criticising German macro policy, but that largely influences the Eurozone. On issues that do influence in the EU, German policy often puts the UK to shame, such as on the environment or migration. It was also the EU that legislated to cap bankers bonuses, a measure which George Osborne tried everything to reverse. On issues like this political cooperation across borders is vital because we live in a globalised world where capital is highly mobile.
Los inactivos. Sospechosa productividad
Total | |
---|---|
Ambos sexos | |
Valor absoluto | |
2008T4 | 20.055,3 |
2016T1 | 18.029,6 |
Total | |
---|---|
Ambos sexos | |
Valor absoluto | |
2008T4 | 23.262,1 |
2016T1 | 22.821,0 |
Total | |
---|---|
Ambos sexos | |
Valor absoluto | |
2008T4 | 3.206,8 |
2016T1 | 4.791,4 |
Total | |
---|---|
Ambos sexos | |
Valor absoluto | |
2008T4 | 15.284,5 |
2016T1 | 15.670,8 |
Lo cual me lleva a, una vez más, a sospechar de las cifras de PIB, recordando aquel gráfico tantas veces exhibido , que muestra lla descuelgue dl PIB del empleo desde 2008.2011: 20 millones de ocupados * 54,3 horas/s = 1086 millones de horas/semana.2016: 18 millones de ocupados * 43,5 horas/s = 815 millones de horas/semana.
lunes, 23 de mayo de 2016
El basurero nacional. La conexión Venezuela-Podemos-justicia
Podemos ha renunciado a su ministra de Justicia ante la posibilidad de que vaya a juicio por los delitos de prevaricación, cohecho y retardo malicioso. Yo entiendo el asunto. Para limpiar la gestión de los asuntos públicos es mejor que los regeneradores vengan corrompidos de casa. Así no tendrán que malearse en el ejercicio de su cargo.
Pudo ser candidato de Iglesias el juez Castro, cuyo momento épico es el procesamiento de la Infanta. Uno no es un gran fan de Cristina de Borbón por creer que tiene más inteligencia emocional que de la otra, pero le inspira una cierta empatía como cabrita expiatoria de todas las fobias españolas. Castro la sentó en el banquillo el día en que su hermano, el Rey, iba a dirigir su primer discurso de Navidad a los españoles.
Ahora ha terciado en el caso Manos Limpias con una carta al juez Pedraz, sólo para suscitar la sospecha de que la defensa de la Infanta trató de hacer con él lo que da por supuesto que hizo con Manos Limpias, tenderle una celada. Y escribe a Pedraz una carta doblemente redundante. Lo que cuenta sólo es una insinuación chismosa que ya le había contado por teléfono desde el móvil de otro juez ¡porque temía que le hubieran pinchado el suyo! Le falta por explicar sus fotos de copas con la abogada de Manos Limpias, si él sólo trata con los abogados en su despacho, pero es que Virginia sabe dónde ponen los mejores gin-tonics de Palma. Hay que leer su carta, tan ayuna de sintaxis como de razonamiento, con sobrecargas enfáticas en los adjetivos y aun en los adverbios (entrevistas clandestinas y altamente secretas) y compararla con la sobria y categórica respuesta de Roca. Habrá que escribir sobre el juez Castro el día en que su instrucción se quede en nada.
Los políticos están hechos de la misma pasta que los jueces, los periodistas y los profesores universitarios (piensen un momento en la cúpula de Podemos). Son del mismo material con que se hacen los sueños, como dijeron Shakespeare y Sam Spade.
domingo, 22 de mayo de 2016
Bochornosa campaña contra el Brexit
No hay círculo virtuoso
"Las estadísticas de competitividad no mejoran en absoluto, como nos dice el Banco de España, y, lo que es mucho peor, los indicadores de exportaciones de alta tecnología siguen siendo patéticamente bajos. Según el Banco Mundial, nuestras exportaciones de alta tecnología son, comparándonos con otros países del área euro, la mitad de las italianas, el 13% de las francesas, el 8% de las alemanas o el 21% de las inglesas. Solo estamos mejor, proporcionalmente, que los portugueses y griegos. Triste consuelo.
"Debemos tener claro que una economía nunca podrá ofrecer un nivel de vida alto a sus ciudadanos si no dispone de amplios sectores de alta tecnología. Si nos dedicamos a producir lo que puede producir cualquiera, podremos pagar los salarios que paga cualquiera. Y cualquiera, a nivel mundial, es cobrar 300 o 400 euros al mes. Si no mejoramos rápidamente esta situación, una vez que pase esta bonanza financiera, volveremos sin duda a caer. Lo peor de todo es que lejos de recortar distancias en los últimos 20 años con países como Alemania, el aumento que hemos conseguido es proporcionalmente similar. Para hacernos una idea del desastre, podemos mirar hacia Corea, que exportaba la cuarta parte que Alemania hace 20 años y ahora exporta -siempre hablamos de alta tecnología- el 67% de lo que lo hace el gigante alemán. O países minúsculos como Suiza o Bélgica, que exportan mucho más que España."
sábado, 21 de mayo de 2016
Macroeconomía y otras argucias del escepticismo
Ahora bien, no haría falta salir de esta identidad contable si las variables macroeconómicas definidas no fueran función unas de otras. Una identidad contable no dice nada funcional si no es que, "al final del día", todo cuadra.PIB = C (P+p) + I (P+p) - F + X - M , que es que el PIB es igual al Consumo Privado y Público, la Inversión Privada y pública, menos los impuestos F, más les exportaciones menos las importaciones.Esto genera el circuito de renta que esY = W (P+p)+ R - F, que es que la renta bruta Y, igual al PIB, se distribuye entre Salarios, W, Rentas de la Propiedad R, menos impuestos, F. A su vez, la renta se gasta en consumo o se ahorra, lo que hace que, igualando PIB a Y, resulta quePIB = Y = C + I -F= C + S - FLa renta se gasta en consumo o se ahorra. Por el otro lado, se gasta en consumo o se invierte. Ergo, contablemente, el Ahorro S es idénticamente igual a la Inversión I.
QE y HM
- In general, spending is a function of current income relative to desired saving.
- The reason QE hasn’t worked is because it doesn’t significantly impact either the saving or the income of the private sector. That is, because it’s an asset swap of a bond for cash it changes the composition of the private sector’s assets, but it’s like swapping a savings account for a checking account. Further, QE takes interest income out of the private sector which could lead QE to be marginally deflationary.
- Helicopter money is different in that the Central Bank would not swap out the currently held private sector bond. It would simply credit cash into the private sector which would likely get deposited into bank accounts at some point as an asset for the depositor. I’ve referred to this in the past as “Roche’s Bags-O-Dirt”. That is, the Fed could buy worthless bags of dirt in exchange for cash in what is essentially a form of QE where the Fed buys an asset that isn’t worth anything instead of buying a bond at market value.
- Going back to bullet point 1, I think it’s safe to assume that helicopter money would work because it increases the quantity of assets held by the private sector. People will spend more because they feel wealthier than they did before. This would be real “money printing” in the sense that most people think QE is “money printing” as opposed to what’s been done which is really just “asset swapping”.
Of course, the politics make all of this a bit tricky. I suspect John is right that this sort of policy would not be politically tenable. Especially in Europe. And it’s flat out illegal in the USA because the Central Bank would be seen as skirting Congress in what is essentially an act of government spending. So, the actual implementation of helicopter money is as unlikely as Janet Yellen actually getting into a helicopter and dropping money from the sky.
viernes, 20 de mayo de 2016
Grecia en el atolladero, nosotros también
B) PROPOSED DEBT RESTRUCTURING Other financing needs include clearance of arrears (€7 billion) and rebuilding cash buffers (€7.7 billion).
- The primary balance reaches 11⁄2 percent of GDP by 2018 and stays the same thereafter. This is in line with cross-country evidence of maintaining primary surpluses for prolonged periods.
- GDP grows above potential in the medium term as it rebounds from a low base. It settles at the long-run potential rate of 11⁄4 percent suggested by demographics, capital accumulation and TFP growth (which is assumed to rise to the euro-area average).
- The GDP deflator converges to the ECB target and the euro area average of 2 percent.
- Market interest rates vary endogenously with the level of debt ratio (about 1 bp change for each 1 ppt change in the debt ratio). The starting rate—reflecting a risk-free rate of 1-
11⁄2 percent and a risk premium of 43⁄4 -51⁄4 percent—is comparable to that faced by Greece in 2014 and Italy and Spain in 2011-12.
- Official interest rates gradually converge to 3.8 percent, consistent with long-run averages of yields on AAA rated securities.
- Given the high level of NPLs and weak quality of capital, additional bank capital needs are projected to emerge, which could be covered from the unused bank buffer in the ESM program (up to €20 billion).
- Privatization proceeds are projected at €5 billion during 2015-2030 (€2 billion until 2018).
-
Payment deferrals: Principal and interest payments on all European loans (GLF, EFSF, ESM)
should be deferred until at least 2040 as follows:
-
Extension of the grace period on repayments of EFSF loans by up to 17 years, ESM loans
by up to 6 years, and GLF loans by 20 years. This is expected to reduce amortization
payments by about 5 percent of GDP during 2020-2040 (from 13 to 8 percent of GDP).
-
In addition, the current deferral of interest payments on non-PSI EFSF loans should be
extended by a further 17 years, and interest payments on GLF, ESM and PSI-related EFSF
loans should also be deferred by 24 years. This is expected to reduce Greece’s interest
burden by 41⁄2 percent of GDP during 2016-2040 (from 6 to 11⁄2 percent of GDP).
-
To minimize the need for upfront fiscal transfers, the stock of deferred interest will be
remunerated at a new lower fixed interest rate for the duration of the loan (see below).
-
Extension of the grace period on repayments of EFSF loans by up to 17 years, ESM loans
by up to 6 years, and GLF loans by 20 years. This is expected to reduce amortization
payments by about 5 percent of GDP during 2020-2040 (from 13 to 8 percent of GDP).
-
Maturity extensions: The maturity of European loans should be extended as follows: (i) for
GLF loans by 40 years from 2040 to 2080; (ii) for EFSF loans by up to 24 years from 2056 to
2080; and (iii) for ESM loans by 20 years from 2060 to 2080. This will help to keep gross
financing needs below 20 percent by 2060.
-
Fixing the interest rate: For EFSF/ESM loans, the interest rate should be fixed at a maximum
level of 1.5 percent at least until 2045; for GLF loans, the spread over Euribor (50 bp) should
be eliminated. This can be achieved via a combination of exchanging ESM short-term bonds
with new long-term ones and engaging in interest-rate swaps. Given the size of the European
loans to Greece, these operations would have to be executed gradually during the program
period. To the extent that market-based solutions are not possible, other ways should be
found to transfer the interest rate risk from Greece to member states. The reduction in
interest rate is critical to allow for a debt reduction of 30 percent of GDP by 2040 and 70
percent by 2060, and for a reduction in GFN by 4 percent by 2040 and 14 percent by 2060.
Delivery: The details of the debt relief package would need to be agreed upfront. The delivery will need to be comprised of an upfront component and a conditional component based on policy implementation (at each end-year review). All relief contingent on broad policy implementation will need to be delivered by the end of the program period, in line with the Fund’s objective that the country should not be dependent on official assistance.
No veo otra salida que una negociación global por el bien de todos, deudores, acreedores, y futuras generaciones.