June, 2017

• 14 June

  Democracy never faced a threat like Facebook

  

  The social media giants based in the US may soon face a new attack in Europe: There’s a perception among activists and officials that the basis of their business model — targeted advertising — can be a threat to democracy. In a speech, Commissioner Margrethe Vestager — who, as the top European Union antitrust official, has been the nemesis of ...

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• 14 June

  Central banks face new dilemmas as markets rally

  

  Markets have enjoyed a sustained rally on low volatility caused, in part, by uncertainty about the outlook for fiscal policy. Financial conditions have loosened substantially, which has presented a window of opportunity for central banks to tighten policy. The dilemma for central banks is how quickly monetary policy accommodation can be removed against the backdrop of political uncertainty and below ...

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• 14 June

  Draghi is right to hold out for wage growth

  

  Call it the mystery of missing wage growth. The euro zone recovery is gathering pace, but there are no signs this spurt of activity is giving workers the pay rise they have been waiting for. Wages rose by a mere 1.6 percent at the end of last year. This is well below the historical average of 2.1 percent. This puzzle ...

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• 14 June

  Europe stocks extend win streak; oil drops on data

  

  Bloomberg European equity investors were in a bullish mood as technology companies extended their winning streak, leading gains across almost all sectors. The dollar weakened a third day and Treasuries rose, neither with much conviction as traders tread water before the US interest rate decision. The Stoxx Europe 600 Index headed for the highest in more than a week as ...

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• 14 June

  Indian stock market bears up against monsoon rains, tax plan

  Bloomberg Seasonal rain and a simpler tax system are going to give another push to India’s stock market, the best this year among the 10 largest. So says Baroda Pioneer Asset Management Co., countering the bearish view that stocks in India have become too expensive too fast. Further gains, the money manager says, are underpinned by a growing economy and ...

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• 14 June

  Hong Kong stock rally seen immune to currency drop

  Bloomberg The Hong Kong dollar may be sliding into the weak end of its trading band, yet money managers see no reason for stock investors to turn bearish just yet. Unlike previous bouts of weakness in the pegged currency — when fears of a Chinese hard landing sent capital fleeing the city’s equities — this time around there’s plenty of ...

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• 14 June

  AIB gets demand for all stock on first day in UK’s biggest IPO

  

  Bloomberg The Irish government’s selldown in lender Allied Irish Banks (AIB) had enough demand for the entire 3.8 billion euros ($4.3 billion) worth of stock on offer on the first full day of the sale, an update on the deal showed. Shares in the bank are being offered at between 3.90 euros and 4.90 euros each in the initial public ...

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• 14 June

  RBI orders Indian banks to use courts over bad loans

  

  Bloomberg India’s banks have been ordered to use the country’s courts to resolve bad loans totaling about 2 trillion rupees ($31 billion) issued to 12 large debtors. The Reserve Bank of India told the banks to use insolvency laws to find a solution for the debtors, which account for a quarter of the country’s total bad loans, before moving on ...

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• 14 June

  RBNZ chief complains to bank CEO on economic commentary

  

  Bloomberg Reserve Bank of New Zealand (RNBZ) chief Graeme Wheeler complained to the head of one of the nation’s largest banks about an economic commentary written by its research department. In a letter to Bank of New Zealand (BNZ) Chief Executive Officer Anthony Healy dated May 11, Wheeler said the BNZ’s Markets Outlook note of May 8 “appeared to bring ...

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• 14 June

  Czech central bank stepped up efforts to cool mortgage market

  

  Bloomberg The Czech central bank stepped up efforts to cool the mortgage market, warning that rising house prices may spiral out of control and hurt lenders in a country with one of Europe’s lowest levels of housing loans. As record-low interest rates helped fuel a credit expansion in the ex-communist European Union member, policy makers in Prague are pushing for ...

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