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Europe
Portugal downgrade hits European bank shares
2011-07-06
Fears that the eurozone crisis was entering a new stage intensified on Wednesday after Portugal's credit rating was slashed to junk, with European bank shares falling sharply and some government bonds coming under renewed pressure.

Portuguese bank shares tumbled in early trading, while the yield -- or interest rate -- demanded by traders to hold the country's debt jumped sharply. UK banks also lost ground, pulling the FTSE 100 down. UK government bonds, known as gilts, benefited, however, as investors looked for a safe haven.

The euro lost value against the dollar, dropping more than one cent to $1.4335.

Traders were alarmed by Moody's warning that Portugal -- like Greece -- will need a second bailout, as it became the first credit ratings agency to cut the country's debt to junk status.
Strange but the solution in Portugal and Greece is the same as in the U.S.: stop issuing debt. Okay, okay, you have to roll-over existing debt, and past profligacy requires a higher interest rate today as a penalty. You have to pay that. But stop issuing new debt and the pressure on rolling over current debt goes down.

I barely passed Econ 101 in college, but this seems like a no-brainer to me: if you're in debt up to your eyeballs and your creditors really don't want to buy anymore of your paper, stop issuing new debt. Sure it sucks as you then have to bring your government under control. Sure, you have to control expenditures and start saying 'no' to all the various interest groups.

But either you're a greedy, spineless, amoral pol or you're a statesman. Which would you rather be known as in the history books?
Posted by:tipper

#4  See also WAFF > IFF THEY DEFAULT, GREEKS WON'T BE THE FIRST IN EUROPE TO DO SO, as many Euro, World States have done so in the last century.

ARTIC:

> SPAIN = has defaulted 13X
> GERMANY = 3X
> ENgland = 3X

* SAME > GREECE MUST SELL OFF ITS ASSETS EAST-GERMANY-STYLE. However, Greece will pay a price as per seeing its sovereignty MASSIVELY LIMITED.
Posted by: JosephMendiola   2011-07-06 23:30  

#3  But either you're a greedy, spineless, amoral pol or you're a statesman. Which would you rather be known as in the history books?

Winners write the history books.
Posted by: g(r)omgoru   2011-07-06 16:45  

#2   I think Greece is too far gone merely to stop issuing new debt. Their financial status is such that they must default on the debts they already have and start over. Or should I say, Greece must default on even more of its debt than it already has defaulted on.
As far as the other PIGS, never fear - the EU mandarins have a cunning plan up their sleeves -- LYING. The EU commissioner in charge of financial regulation said the EU could explore the possibility of suspending the rating of countries that are currently receiving bailout funds from the EU and IMF, namely Greece, Ireland and Portugal. Suspending the rating means the central banks can accept worthless defaulted paper as collateral for new loans, papering over what can only be called a default. The EU authorities can also revoke the licenses of rating agencies like S&P, etc. Anything but deal with the truth.
Posted by: Anguper Hupomosing9418   2011-07-06 15:20  

#1  But either you're a greedy, spineless, amoral pol or you're a statesman. Which would you rather be known as in the history books?

That's easy. Which pays better in the here and now? Short term personal wealth will ALWAYS win with the type of politician of which you're speaking.
Posted by: AlanC   2011-07-06 11:48  

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