[Ache]

European Stocks Fall Most in Two Months as Portugal, Spain Sink

European stocks plunged the most in two months on concern Portugal, Spain and Greece will have difficulty curbing their budget deficits and as U.S. jobless claims unexpectedly increased.

Portugal’s PSI-20 Index and Spain’s IBEX 35 Index plummeted the most in 15 months as Spain’s borrowing costs rose at a bond sale. Banco Santander SA, the largest Spanish bank, and Banco Comercial Portugues SA slumped more than 7 percent. Royal Dutch Shell Plc, which vies with BP Plc as Europe’s biggest oil company, slid 2.1 percent after earnings disappointed investors.

The Dow Jones Stoxx 600 Index retreated 2.7 percent to 242.7, the biggest drop since Nov. 26. The gauge has retreated 6.8 percent from this year’s high on Jan. 19 as the U.S. called for limits on risk-taking by banks and China moved to restrict lending and stop its economy from overheating.

“There are fears that the debts of Greece, Portugal and Spain are too high,” said Manfred Hofer, head of equity analysis at LGT Capital Management in Pfaeffikon, Switzerland, which oversees about $73 billion. “It’s a cocktail of a lot of things. China wants to slow down growth and the financial crisis with Greece, Portugal and Spain are focal points that show that it’s not an ideal world.”

.........

U.S. Jobless Claims

Stocks extended losses after U.S. initial jobless claims unexpectedly increased, spurring concern the economic recovery will not gain momentum. Applications rose to 480,000 last week, the most in seven weeks, Labor Department figures showed.

[Fishman]

The PIIGS (Portugal, Italy, Ireland, Greece, Spain) are killing Europe right now. Sort of like our California, Illinois, and New York.

[timmac]

You folks over there are soon to be like this country, very soon..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KQx4cAUWE18

[timmac]

Jim Rogers doesn't have anything positive to say about the UK...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XbLfje8_jgI

[PrestonSturges]

You folks over there are soon to be like this country, very soon..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KQx4cAUWE18

libertarian paradise

[dorlomin]

Jim Rogers doesn't have anything positive to say about the UK...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XbLfje8_jgI

So the regulated, state driven German economy is a much better one that the post Thatcher, liberalized UK economy.


Dang has anyone told the US republicans this?

[Ludi]

So the regulated, state driven German economy is a much better one that the post Thatcher, liberalized UK economy.


Dang has anyone told the US republicans this?

Better Dead than Red!

[Tyler_JC]

Jim Rogers doesn't have anything positive to say about the UK...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XbLfje8_jgI

So the regulated, state driven German economy is a much better one that the post Thatcher, liberalized UK economy.

Dang has anyone told the US republicans this?

There are cultural factors too.

Germans save money, Brits spend money.

A liberalized Germany would still save money. A statist Britain would still spend money.



Moreover, Germany has a comparative advantage in high end manufacturing, the UK does not.

[EnergyUnlimited]

Better Dead than Red!

It doesn't work this way.

First it turn Red, then it turn Dead.
Have seen it in practice.

As an alternative one can envisage that *it* may directly turn Dead without initially turning Red.
Perhaps *it* will suffer less/shorter this way.

One way or another most of "achievements" delivered by Industrial Revolution and following up-to-date period of time will end up unwounded.