Eurozone
Eurozone Crisis 2015
Formally established in 1993, the eurozone, often referred to as the “European Union,” is a political and economic union established after the ratification of the Maastricht Treaty by members of the European Community. It has since expanded to include some Central and Eastern European nations. The establishment of the eurozone provided for the creation of a central European bank and the adoption of a common currency: the euro. The idea behind the eurozone is to create a single geographical market where goods, services, and money can be exchanged freely.
What the Greece Crisis Means for the Eurozone
The Greece crisis is akin to a friend who can't manage their spending and is always in need of cash. The debt-ridden country known for its beaches, olives, and antiquities just doesn't seem to get it. After a bailout program that saw about $265 billion flow into the dried up coffers in Greece back in 2010, the country is really nowhere near surfacing out of its financial crisis.
The country was predicted to rebound out of its recession in 2012. This never happened. Greece only recently emerged from its recession, but this is expected to be short-lived; the country will likely falter back into a recession this year.
To make matters worse, the country cannot repay its loans. Greece is demanding to revamp the requirements o ... Read More
Europe the Best Short-Term Investment Opportunity Outside the U.S.?
Regular readers of mine will know that I used to be bullish on China; I thought the Chinese economy offered a good contrarian investment opportunity. Now, I’m turning my sights to the eurozone for the top potential investment opportunity outside the U.S.
Here’s why...
Chinese Economy in 2015 Losing Steam
You don't have to be behind the Great Wall of China to realize there are deeper issues brewing in the country of 1.3 billion people. Since assuming the role of the second-largest economy in the world, China’s economy has been caught in a downdraft, with weaker gross domestic product (GDP) growth and broad stalling across the board. There must be something about ... Read MoreThree ETFs to Profit from Europe’s Economic Recovery
Eurozone Still Messy, but Economic Recovery Has Begun
Europe is open for business. Well, kind of. The region—namely the 19-country eurozone—has recently been in the news with the Greece fiasco and its potential exit.
Greece now has a four-month reprieve in the form of an extension to its current bailout loans and terms, but the distressed country still has to convince eurozone finance ministers that its revised bailout plan for austerity measures makes sense.
For the time being, we are seeing some progress in the eurozone that points to growth. I had been worried about the negative impact from the Russian mess, but so far, it appears to be a non-issue. In the end, Germany, the s ... Read MoreGreece and Eurozone to Fall Into Economic Turmoil? How to Profit
There is yet another Greek tragedy playing out across the Atlantic, where legendary poets, mathematicians, scientists, and thinkers once roamed. Fast-forward several thousand years and the country once known for its proud history is cracking at its foundation, burdened by tens of billions in debt and fiscal chaos. (There is a way investors can profit from Greece’s potential demise, but more on that later…)
Syriza Party to Negatively Change Economic Outlook in Eurozone?
Making the situation even more uncertain for this poor cousin in the 19-country eurozone is the recent transformation in power with the left-wing Syriza party, under Prime Minister ... Read MorePut Options and Futures: Two Strategies to Profit as Oil Drops Below $50 a Barrel
The energy sector was dismal in 2014 and it is looking like we could see more of the same for this year. If you are long on oil, you may want to read this, as oil prices could move lower and there are two strategies you can consider to profit from their drop: put options and futures.
Currently, we have the excessive supply overriding the declining demand as the global economy struggles along. China just announced its gross domestic product (GDP) growth would fall to seven percent this year; however, I think the real figure is likely already below seven percent, as there’s some fudging of the numbers. The eurozone could dwindle into another rec ... Read More
