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Friday, February 14

14th Feb - W/E: Best of the Week



Here are the ”best” from my posts of the ending week. Last week’s edition here.


EUROPE
ECB Spells Out New Supervisory Powers in Draft PaperWSJ
The ECB will become the ultimate authority for issuing and revoking bank licenses in countries that sign up to the European Union's banking union project, and assume the power to set higher capital requirements than those applied at national level

EU Banks’ Debt Addiction Threatens ECB-Led OverhaulBB
When Europe’s leaders set out in June 2012 to break the “vicious circle” between banks and sovereigns, they left rules for treating government bonds untouched, an oversight that may subvert their drive to prevent a recurrence of the debt crisis.

Outright Monetary InfractionsProject Syndicate
Hans-Werner Sinn: The German Constitutional Court has delivered its long-awaited decision on the ECB’s “outright monetary transactions” program. The Court has now declared that it fully endorses the plaintiffs’ arguments, and that the ECB's scheme to purchase potentially unlimited volumes of eurozone governments' bonds does indeed violate EU law.

Germany’s constitutional court has strengthened the euroscepticsFT
Wolfgang Münchau: The OMT is a phantom programme. It was never triggered. Then again, it may have already served its purpose: fooling investors into believing there is a backstop when there is not…So what would happen if the ECB wanted to trigger the scheme? Following this ruling, I am not sure the Bundesbank could participate.

Give the ECB the Power to Save Europe's EconomyView / BB
OMT focuses on financial stability; avoiding deflation is no less important. Bigger, bolder forms of quantitative easing may soon be necessary to ward off this danger. One way or another, this tool must be made available.

Meet The Men With The Plan Behind Italy's Bloodless CoupZH

Bank of England Inflation Report: Five Key TakeawaysWSJ

Monthly Bulletin, February 2014ECB

German, French growth creeps above forecasts in last months of 2013Reuters
Euro area GDP up by 0.3% in Q4 2013Eurostat

UNITED STATES
Consumer credit and deleveraging Sober Look
A very different picture emerges - one of significant consumer deleveraging that is only now beginning to stabilize.

Janet Yellen Doesn’t Mince Words and More on Her TestimonyWSJ

OTHER
Which Hedge Fund Strategies Will Work In 2014: Deutsche Bank's TakeZH

Why monetary policy should ignore bubblesQuartz

Reinhart & Rogoff: Recovery From Financial Crises: Evidence From 100 EpisodesThe Big Picture

FINNISH
Hetemäen ryhmä lykkäisi sopeutusta ensi vaalikaudelleYLE
Yle Uutisten tietojen mukaan valtiosihteeri Martti Hetemäen johtama ekonomistiryhmä sopeuttaisi taloutta ensi vuonna miljardin euron verran. Hallituksen pitäisi kuitenkin tehdä päätökset säästötoimista seuraavalle hallituskaudelle.

Pääministerin ilmoitus eduskunnalle hallituksen politiikasta vuonna 2014VN
Valtioneuvoston selonteko EU-politiikasta 2013Eduskunta

Eurokriisi on euron vika Juhani Huopainen / US