Italy’s new government and the Eurozone
On Saturday 22nd October following another set of early elections in Italy, a government consisting of four right-wing political parties was sworn into office. The leader is Giorgia Meloni, leader of the far-right Fratelli d’Italia, a party that emerged from the neo-fascist movements of the 70s and 80s. Meloni is Italy’s first female Prime Minister […]
Who is next to join the European Union?
The European Union hasn’t finished expanding, there are actually several countries who are in the process of joining right now! Any country who joins is legally obliged via EU treaty to replace their own domestic currency with the Euro. Following recent news that both Ukraine and Moldova were granted ‘EU candidate status’ we’ll take a […]
Which are the world’s major reserve currencies?
A reserve currency is one that is held in large numbers by a foreign country’s central bank or monetary authority. Reserve currencies are held for a number of reasons including: To minimise exchange rate risks To sure up the domestic currency To make complex international payments between countries To help, support and facilitate global trade […]
EU Commission formally declares Croatia is ready for the Euro
The Commission of the European Union declared over the weekend that Croatia has formally met all the convergence criteria required to adopt the Euro. This means that the country in the eyes of the Commission the country has: 1) Low inflation rates, 2) No excessive government deficit3) Existing currency pegged to the Euro for two […]
Which country will join the Euro next?
The Euro has come a long way since the first 11 countries joined the club on the 1st January 2001. The last new country to join was Lithuania who gave up the Litas at the start of 2015. All EU member states except Denmark are required to adopt the Euro as part of their membership […]
West isolates Russia
The week has continued to be dominated by the horrific scenes of the invasion of Ukraine and the international fallout engulfing Russia. Sanctions have continued to be piled on the Russian state & high-profile individuals by governments from around the world. At the same time major companies are pulling out of Russia, divesting from Russian […]
Brexit and the Pound/Euro two years on
By the time the breakfast TV shows went live on the morning of 24th June 2016, it looked like all the worst Brexit predictions were coming true. The Pound seemed to be in free-fall, it lost 8% of its value against the Euro in that one day. At the height of the Brexit negotiations, the […]
What does the new German government mean for the Euro?
(New Chancellor Olaf Scholz) Last Wednesday marked the end of an era in Germany. Not only did Angela Merkel end her tenure as Chancellor but also for the first time in 16 years, the conservatives (CDU) are no longer in government. The new government is a mix of both continuity and change. Olaf Scholz, the […]