Even if no major financial crisis has occurred during the ending year, it will remain everywhere as a bad vintage. The major financial markets have made this analysis and have heavily fallen during the fourth quarter. For several months, the exceptionally long duration of the economic cycle which followed the 2007-2008 crisis had surprised. Many experts had announced its end and predicted a new serious financial crisis with their eyes oriented toward China and consequences on the whole planet. That did not happen but there is unanimity to note that the world has become more fragile and that every country ...

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The impressive score of Jair Bolsonaro in the first round of Brazilian presidential election has aroused attention on the country from all around the world. The populist authoritarianism with its racist and homophobic whiffs and the liberalism which inspires the economic program of the candidate show that this one is full of contradictions. Commentators have noticed some similarities with Donald Trump election. They even have made a comparison with the divisions and the crisis which is affecting Europe. Yet, that analysis is superficial. Brazil political and economic situation is quite different. If we set aside some short periods of time ...

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As expected by financial markets, the Federal Reserve Bank in Washington rose its interest rates this week by 0.25% to 2.25% and nothing in the comments of its chairman makes us thinking that the institution has renounced to rise it again before the end of the year. Some days before, Mario Draghi who chairs the European Central Bank was delighted about the inflation in the Eurozone which was “sound” and convinced that its target to come back to 2% will be reached. Financial markets have deduced that the end of the accommodative policy was confirmed and that they ...

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