EU says Turkish economy successful during global crisis
September 30, 2011--The European Union will declare that Turkey's economic policies have proven successful during the crisis in her annual report, to be released on Oct. 12. The economic part of the progress report, seen by Today's Zaman, will praise the performance of the Turkish economy while the EU, the world's largest economy, is still struggling to contain the Greek crisis in a bid to save her ailing economies.
“Overall, the economy expanded rapidly in 2010 and in the first quarter of 2011, mainly driven by strong domestic demand,” said the draft. Despite the strong showings of the Turkish economy, the draft says Turkey's gross domestic product (GDP) per inhabitant stands at 48 percent of the EU average in 2010.
read more
Source: Todays Zaman
ESMA publishes updated list of measures adopted by competent authorities on short selling
September 29, 2011--ESMA today published an update regarding the measures taken by EU competent authoritites regarding short selling.
This update includes measures taken by France, Greece, Italy and Spain.
view list
Source: ESMA
EU launches legal action against states over energy markets
September 29, 2011-- The EU said Thursday it has launched legal action against 18 of its 27 member states over a failure to implement bloc law domestically in a bid to open up gas and electricity markets.
Infringement proceedings against the 18 were launched for a failure to sufficiently liberalise gas distribution markets and ensure open access to pipelines in order to lower prices for businesses and consumers.
The same first step towards court action was taken against 17 of these countries for restrictions in access to electricity grids.
read more
Source: EUbusiness
Europe presses ahead with controversial financial tax
September 29, 2011--Europe went ahead with landmark proposals to tax the financial sector on Wednesday, ignoring US opposition in a move also sure to provoke a row with London which fears capital flight from the City.
On the drawing-board for more than a year, the idea was given fresh impetus last month when given the nod by Europe's power couple, French President Nicolas Sarkozy and German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
The plan will go before all 27 European Union heads of state and government at an October 17-18 summit, and also be put to a summit of G20 leaders in Cannes on November 3-4.
read more
Source: EUbusiness
Chorus of boos greets European Commission's draft 'Tobin tax'
September 29, 2011--The European Commission's recent proposal for a 'financial transaction tax' – or 'Tobin' tax, after Nobel Laureate economist James Tobin – has been greeted by a chorus of boos from industry experts, who have questioned the plan's focus, feasibility, consequences, scope and motives.
On Thursday, the Commission published a draft proposal to make the financial sector "pay its fair share", reduce "competitive distortions" and discourage "risky trading activities".
read more
Source: IP&E
Esma: ETFs 'deserve more scrutiny'
September 29, 2011--Complex exchange-traded funds "deserve more scrutiny" about their potential ability to destabilise financial stability, the head of Europe's securities watchdog has warned.
Transparency measures "should be improved" to aid investors in both ETFs and structured Ucits products, Steven Maijoor, chairman of the European Securities and Markets Authority, told a conference in Vienna on Thursday.
read more
Source: Global Financial Strategy
Did the Euro Crisis Affect Non-financial Firm Stock Prices through a Financial or Trade Channel? -IMF Working paper
September 29, 2011--Summary: This paper analyzes through what channels the euro crisis has affected firm valuations globally. It examines stock price responses over the past year for 3045 non-financial firms in 16 countries to three key crisis events.
Using pre-crisis benchmarks, it separates effects arising from changes in external financing and trade conditions and examines how bank and trade linkages propagated effects across borders. It finds that policy measures announced impacted financially-constrained firms more, particularly in creditor countries with greater bank exposure to peripheral euro countries. Trade linkages with peripheral countries also played a role, with euro exchange rate movements causing differential effects.
London Stock Exchange Group Confirms Exclusive Discussions With LCH.Clearnet
September 28, 2011--London Stock Exchange Group is pleased to confirm that it has entered into exclusive discussions with LCH.Clearnet regarding a potential transaction.
Work is focused and on-going, with a view to moving towards an agreement, though at this stage there can be no certainty that any transaction will result.
Source: London Stock Exchange
European Commission - Financial Transaction Tax: Making The Financial Sector Pay Its Fair Share
September 28, 2011--Today the Commission has presented a proposal for a financial transaction tax in the 27 Member States of the European Union.
The tax would be levied on all transactions on financial instruments between financial institutions when at least one party to the transaction is located in the EU. The exchange of shares and bonds would be taxed at a rate of 0.1% and derivative contracts, at a rate of 0.01%. This could approximately raise €57 billion every year. The Commission has proposed that the tax should come into effect from 1st January 2014.
The Commission has decided to propose a new tax on financial transactions for two reasons.
First, to ensure that the financial sector makes a fair contribution at a time of fiscal consolidation in the Member States. The financial sector played a role in the origins of the economic crisis. Governments and European citizens at large have borne the cost of massive taxpayer-funded bailouts to support the financial sector. Furthermore, the sector is currently under-taxed by comparison to other sectors. The proposal would generate significant additional tax revenue from the financial sector to contribute to public finances.
Second, a coordinated framework at EU level would help to strengthen the EU single market. Today, 10 Member States have a form of a financial transaction tax in place. The proposal would introduce new minimum tax rates and harmonise different existing taxes on financial transactions in the EU.. This will help to reduce competitive distortions in the single market, discourage risky trading activities and complement regulatory measures aimed at avoiding future crises. The financial transaction tax at EU level would strengthen the EU's position to promote common rules for the introduction of such a tax at global level, notably through the G20.
read more
Source: European Commission
EU financial transaction tax: what's covered, what's not
September 28, 2011-- A controversial European Union bid to impose a tax on financial transactions is intended to make the finance sector pay something back after massive public sector bailouts in recent years.
Draft European Commission legislation endeavours to prevent companies from relocating outside the single market, as critics claim, or consumers from picking up the tab further down the line, as campaigners fear.
"For instance, for a purchase of shares to the value of 10,000 euros, the bank could charge 10 euros, which is not excessive," the commission says.
view more
Source: EUbusiness
If you are looking for a particuliar article and can not find it, please feel free to contact us for assistace.