Archives Jan. 1, 2017

Challenging again forecasts, France continues to profit from historically cheap financing conditions. The 10-year rate published by Agence France-Trésor on December 5th, 0.53%, was at its lowest level for more than a year. This situation should last for most of next year, in contradiction with the figures published in the 2018 Finance bill. Three elements are supporting this trend. The most important is coming from the last decisions of the European Central Bank. Its quantitative easing policy is prorogated until next September through the purchase of bonds. Even if their amounts are reduced to 30 billion per month ...

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Irish Vice-Premier Minister Frances Fitzgerald resignation has permitted to avoid, at the last moment, a political crisis in her country. That would have increased the confusion which currently prevails in the negotiations regarding Brexit. They will be the major issue which will be discussed during the next European summit which will take place December 14^th and 15^th. The case is not well under way due to its complexity and to the political uncertainties in several countries. In the United Kingdom, Prime Minister Theresa May is weakened by her poor results during the last elections, by the dissensions inside ...

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You can learn a lot about a country in eying its flag. As in Russia, where it is the emblem of the revolution, Chinese flag is red. But in this country, from always, it is mainly the emblem of wealth. Young women frequently chose that color for their wedding dress. On this background, there are five stars, four as a half-circle and the fifth, larger, atop of them. They are yellow, the emperor color. Unlike the American and European flags, where they mean the belonging to a Federation or to a Union, what is important is their number. In China ...

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