Start with a trillion or so in bad loans here, a trillion over there and next thing you know we have a complete meltdown in Europe.
Taking everyone with them.
Who's got the money to make them good.
At 33 dollar oil these guys are all broke. Soon a world wide currency will have to be implemented to "save the world'.
Yes it's all about oil and speculation in currencies and no one is safe right now.
Of course rope and pitchforks would make me feel better. Heh heh.
Taking everyone with them.
Who's got the money to make them good.
At 33 dollar oil these guys are all broke. Soon a world wide currency will have to be implemented to "save the world'.
Yes it's all about oil and speculation in currencies and no one is safe right now.
Of course rope and pitchforks would make me feel better. Heh heh.
Failure to save East Europe will lead to worldwide meltdown - Telegraph
If mishandled by the world policy establishment, this debacle is big enough to shatter the fragile banking systems of Western Europe and set off round two of our financial Götterdämmerung.
Austria's finance minister Josef Pröll made frantic efforts last week to put together a €150bn rescue for the ex-Soviet bloc. Well he might. His banks have lent €230bn to the region, equal to 70pc of Austria's GDP.
"A failure rate of 10pc would lead to the collapse of the Austrian financial sector," reported Der Standard in Vienna. Unfortunately, that is about to happen.
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) says bad debts will top 10pc and may reach 20pc. The Vienna press said Bank Austria and its Italian owner Unicredit face a "monetary Stalingrad" in the East.
Mr Pröll tried to drum up support for his rescue package from EU finance ministers in Brussels last week. The idea was scotched by Germany's Peer Steinbrück. Not our problem, he said. We'll see about that.
Stephen Jen, currency chief at Morgan Stanley, said Eastern Europe has borrowed $1.7 trillion abroad, much on short-term maturities. It must repay – or roll over – $400bn this year, equal to a third of the region's GDP. Good luck. The credit window has slammed shut.
Not even Russia can easily cover the $500bn dollar debts of its oligarchs while oil remains near $33 a barrel. The budget is based on Urals crude at $95. Russia has bled 36pc of its foreign reserves since August defending the rouble.
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