Written on Nov 13, 2012
Investors are staying on the sidelines awaiting the results of European finance chiefs meeting in Brussels today as well as budget talks in Washington this week. If Congress doesn’t act by the end of the year, USD607 billion in automatic spending cuts and tax increases are programmed to take effect starting in Jan, with a potentially devastating impact on the world’s largest economy. While the ministers in Brussels will probably not approve USD40 billion of financial aid to Greece, despite Athens passing a new austerity budget, they will agree to prevent the nation from defaulting on EUR5 billion of bills that mature on Nov 16, maybe, by lengthening the maturities or reducing interest rates. Whatsoever it means Europe will just give Athens more time, again.
Politics: The PAD (Yellow shirts) has cancelled its political activities for the weekend of Nov 24-25 to allow its supporters to participate the anti-government rally planned by the Pitak Siam group, a regrouping of the anti-Thaksin yellow shirts, the multi-coloured shirts, and supporters of the Democrat Party. The leader, Gen Boonlert, has vowed to mobilise at least 1 million people for this time rally. He aims too high… Still, I just hope no violence happens, as if so, it will inevitably affect the stock market.
Investors are staying on the sidelines awaiting the results of European finance chiefs meeting in Brussels today as well as budget talks in Washington this week. If Congress doesn’t act by the end of the year, USD607 billion in automatic spending cuts and tax increases are programmed to take effect starting in Jan, with a potentially devastating impact on the world’s largest economy. While the ministers in Brussels will probably not approve USD40 billion of financial aid to Greece, despite Athens passing a new austerity budget, they will agree to prevent the nation from defaulting on EUR5 billion of bills that mature on Nov 16, maybe, by lengthening the maturities or reducing interest rates. Whatsoever it means Europe will just give Athens more time, again.
Politics: The PAD (Yellow shirts) has cancelled its political activities for the weekend of Nov 24-25 to allow its supporters to participate the anti-government rally planned by the Pitak Siam group, a regrouping of the anti-Thaksin yellow shirts, the multi-coloured shirts, and supporters of the Democrat Party. The leader, Gen Boonlert, has vowed to mobilise at least 1 million people for this time rally. He aims too high… Still, I just hope no violence happens, as if so, it will inevitably affect the stock market.