UK chancellor says Britain is already being affected by the problems in Europe, as German exports tumble 5.8% in AugustThe Agenda: Bank of England interest rate decision, more IMF news... 1.15pm BST So, is George Osborne right to say that Britain is already being affected by the eurozone?Well, there certainly are signs that the strong UK recovery seen earlier this year has faded a little. 12.42pm BST In a BBC int Britain's Chancellor of Ex Osborne calls on ECB to help eurozone economy. Says its weakness already affecting British economy 12.37pm BST Here are some more newsflashes from George Osbornes warning about the eurozone; the chancellor appears to be chivvying the European Central Bank to do more: 12.32pm BST UK chancellor George Osborne has warned that the weakening eurozone economy is already hurting the UK.This is a critical moment for the British economy. The eurozone risks slipping back into crisis. Britain cannot be immune from that. Its already having an impact on our manufacturing and our exports, We need to send clear message out around the world that we have a stable economy, that our economic plan is working, and that we are not going to deviate from that economic plan so that people around the world know that, while Britain is not immune from what is going on the world, we can take steps to protect ourselves.Chancellor warns UK is past peak of growth in this phase of recovery, in interview with me, blames eurozone http://t.co/Pt3hkhnvu3After gross domestic product contracted in the second quarter and likely stagnated in the third quarter, the economic engine is finding it difficult to get going. 12.16pm BST We have to wait a fortnight to find out how many Bank of England policymakers (if any) wanted to raise interest rates at this weeks meeting.IHS Global Insights Howard Archer reckons the MPC was split 7-2, for the third month running: We doubt that any more MPC members joined Martin Weale and Ian McCafferty in voting for an interest rate hike at the October meeting. There has been little indication that any of the other seven MPC members are leaning towards an immediate tightening of policy. 12.04pm BST The @bankofengland decision itself actually happened yday as three MPC members (Carney, Shafik & Cunliffe) came out to DC last night for IMF 12.01pm BST Least surprising news of day: @BankofEngland leaves rates and QE unchanged 12.00pm BST The Bank of England has voted to leave UK interest rates unchanged at 0.5%.That means borrowing costs have been at their current record low since March 2009. 11.47am BST Sad news from Greece Loukanikos, the valiant dog who faced down Greek riot police during the height of the eurozone crisis, has died.Corr.: checked with the family that took care of Athens riot dog #Loukanikos. The dog died last May, not recently. CC @asteris | #GreeceAccording to Avgi journalist Petros Katsakos, the dogs health was adversely affected by tear gas and from being kicked from police, forcing him to retire from active protest about two years ago.He was on the couch sleeping, when suddenly his heart stopped beating, Loukanikos carer told Avgi.Loukanikos, #Greece's famous riot dog, breathes his last http://t.co/DiWKuz0hOw http://t.co/tnCwEU8eEtI'm touched to see foreign corros remember Loukanikos. #Greece's stray dogs loved by most everyone (except the sick thugs who poison them).#Athen's much loved riot dog #Loukanikos (Sausage) has reportedly died. RIP little friend #Greece won't forget you. pic.twitter.com/VvbiPfVWHFShot I took of riot dog Loukanikos resting in front of parliament at sunset in October 2011. RIP old boy. #Greece pic.twitter.com/irh1rZ1FqN'Sausage' was Greece's Riot Dog who faced down cops at many Athens anti-austerity protests http://t.co/dThGlcrFhQ pic.twitter.com/y3rZvgnUS0 11.11am BST One of the European Central Banks favoured measures of inflation expectations just hit a new all-time low:$$ Eurozone 5y5y swaps hit new low at 1.88% pic.twitter.com/ZP8I7HZ70D (via @SantManukyan ) 10.38am BST Elstat has also reported that prices continued to fall in Greece last month, and at a faster pace.The Greek consumer prices index fell to -0.8% in September, showing that deflation accelerated after Augusts -0.3%. 10.16am BST And heres a chart showing how Greeces labour market has changed over the last year: 10.15am BST Just in: Greeces unemployment rate has fallen, but still remains extremely high.The jobless rate dipped to 26.4% in July, down from 26.7% in June. 9.45am BST Heads-up. Activist investor Carl Icahn has promised to release an interesting open letter to Apple today.Tmrw well be sending an open letter to @tim_cook. Believe it will be interesting.Just over 1yr ago we tweeted our large position in $AAPL & belief the company extremely undervalued. Since then, stock is up 50.6% 9.38am BST Holger Sandte, euro economist at Nordea Markets, is less pessimistic than ING about the German economy. Sandte reckons Germany can avoid slipping into recession, if exports and private consumption rebound in September after the August slowdown.#GDP decline in #Germany in Q3 far from done deal: foreign trade and consumption could save the quarter. Plus some industrial rebound in Sep 9.34am BST The slide in German exports shows how geopolitics is hurting Europes economy, says Kit Juckes, foreign exchange expert at Société Générale:Soft German export data really hammer home the impact of the Ukraine crisis on the heart of Europes economy. Were going to see more of this, and mounting pressure on the ECB to act. Nothing good for the euro here, needless to say. 9.16am BST Heres a couple more charts, putting the 5.8% tumble in German exports (details start here) into context:#Germany's exports -5.8% in Aug after +4.8% July. Still running +2% in Q3 v Q2 but PMI signals more weakness to come pic.twitter.com/nlTBjznEx2 8.56am BST The roller-coaster ride in the stock markets continues. Europes stock markets are all rallying in early trading, after last nights Federal Reserve minutes were more dovish than expected. 8.53am BST If only there were a German word for those taking pleasure in #Germany's sudden economic downturn... 8.34am BST German government debt is strengthening again this morning, driving down the yield (or interest rate) on 10-year bunds to just 0.88%.Thats a remarkable low yield -- in comparison, UK 10-year gilts are yielding 2.21%.My Japanification chart becomes more scary by the day. 10yr Bund yld drops to 0.88% following Japan experience of 90s pic.twitter.com/zgHW0ZYAvr 8.22am BST In the UK, the clampdown on payday lenders continues.The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has announced that such firms must put the products on display on price comparison websites. Its worried that, without transparency, all lenders will simply charge the highest repayment rate permissible. 8.17am BST It appears that the slump in German exports was partly due to weak demand from outside Europe.This chart shows how exports to third countries, was 4.7% lower in August than a year ago: (alas, theres not a month-on-month number)so who has a problem, Germany or... ? pic.twitter.com/5a29v2Fo40 8.02am BST Jamie McGeever of Reuters sums up why August was a cruel month for Germany: August was a pretty dire month for German economy: industrial orders -5.7%, industrial output -4.0%, exports -5.8%. All worst in 5+ years 8.00am BST INGs Carsten Brzeski says Germany will need a small miracle to avoid sliding into recession.Augusts slide in exports, along with unexpectedly poor industrial production and factory orders, suggest an extremely sharp stand-still in AugustNo more summer miracle but rather a summer horror story in Germany. August trade data just added to the devastating evidence that the entire German economy took a pause in August.Looking ahead, this weeks German data show that in spite of the soccer miracle in the summer, there definitely wont be any economic miracle. On the contrary, the economy seems to need a small miracle in September to avoid a recession in the third quarter.No more Sommermaerchen but rather a German summer horror story. Exports dive by 5.8% MoM, strongest decline since Jan 2009. 7.46am BST A rather stunning 5.8 pct drop in #German exports in August. Sharpest fall since Jan 2009 (though summer vacation effects played a role) 7.41am BST Starting the day w/ poor German data: #Germany exports fell by -5.8%MoM, biggest monthly drop since Jan2010. pic.twitter.com/mE8CsfjQxr 7.39am BST Germany has suffered another dose of bad economic news; exports have fallen at their fastest rate since the early months of the financial crisis.German exports tumbled by 5.8% month-on-month in August, data released by the Federal Statistics Office shows. Thats the biggest fall since January 2009."Sharpest fall since January 2009" seems to be the new style. German exports tank 5.8% in August. Bad things come in 3s.German exports plunged 5.8% in August, biggest drop since January 2009 7.36am BST Good morning, and welcome to our rolling coverage of the financial markets, the world economy, business and finance.A relief rally is sweeping the markets today, after the US central bank revealed it is not as close to hiking interest rates as investors had expected.After a long period of underperformance as markets priced in a greater possibility of a rate hike, the Fed minutes seem to have temporarily poured cold water on this notion and given some relief to struggling equities. The main points from the minutes were that the Fed downgraded its growth outlook slightly in the short and medium term due to a stronger projected USD and a slower rate of home price appreciation. Continue reading...
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