A bigger EU, bigger problems for Germany 16 Dec 2002 In the long run, a home market of getting on for 500 million people must be good news for Europe's largest economy. But enlargement comes at just the wrong moment for a Germany teetering on the brink of deflation and fiscally overburdened.
City regulator packs it in 13 Dec 2002 Baulked of the Bank of England governorship, and under fire for the FSA's dropped catches, Howard Davies is heading for academia. So ends a stellar career. Another management consultant has been beaten by actually having to manage something.
SEC nominee is a poacher 11 Dec 2002 But can he turn gamekeeper? That's the question investors are asking as William Donaldson is chosen to head the US financial watchdog. If he can use his Wall Street credentials in Joe Kennedylike fashion, Donaldson may restore credibility to the SEC.
Bush picks new Treasury, economics chiefs 9 Dec 2002 The arrival of John Snow at the Treasury and Stephen Friedman as adviser is sure to accelerate a plan to revive economic growth. It's almost inevitable that this plan's ingredients will include a shift towards a weaker dollar, exportled growth and imported inflation.
Paul O’Neill resigns from US Treasury 6 Dec 2002 About time, too. His term was marked by gaffes and the administration's inconsistent economic policies. But now that Bush has no SEC or Treasury chief, he has nobody to blame for the economy's performance.
The Euro issue should be buried for good so Britain can stick to its first post-war economic policy that works. 4 Dec 2002
How much might a war on Iraq cost? 27 Nov 2002 There has been much debate about the possible political consequences of a war on Iraq, but little about the economic costs. That does not mean it s not worth trying. Here is a gruesome sumoftheparts of what war in Iraq might cost the US.
UK’s public finances slip further into the red 25 Nov 2002 Chancellor Gordon Brown's fiscal rules allow less growth to mean more borrowing unlike the Eurozone s discredited stability pact. But Britain's economy isn't doing particularly badly. Brown's policy isn't being stresstested yet.
Regulators’ proposals for reform of Wall Street practices do not even come close to addressing the problem. 8 Nov 2002
SEC needs poacher turned gamekeeper 7 Nov 2002 Pitt's successor needs a better feel for the markets. The SEC's first head, Joe Kennedy, was a successful speculator in the roaring `20s. The next chair should have a reputation for integrity and a profound understanding of the tricks that companies and investment banks play.