Could Trump use forgotten Chinese debt to salvage the global economy?
As the United States confronts an impending government shutdown amid an unwelcome outbreak of bond vigilantism, an unexpected remedy to global financial implosion might just lie in a murky corner of long forgotten financial history. Dormant for decades, the Blind Spot understands the overlooked issue of defaulted Chinese imperial debt is quietly turning heads on […]
The problem with Ozempic, a personal story
If you’ve not heard of it, semaglutide (also known as Ozempic, Wegovy) is the wonder weight loss drug that is currently storming the world, and even Boris Johnson seems to think it has revolutionised the treatment of obesity, meaning the problem could be nipped in the bud very soon. As someone who struggles with weight […]
Poland’s PiS under fire for massaging inflation data (POLITICO)
By Ben Munster, Izabella Kaminska · Sep 28, 2023, A high-stakes electoral gamble over inflation by Poland’s central bank may be about to pay off, with preliminary September figures on Friday expected to show a large slowdown in consumer price rises, supporting the central bank’s contentious decision to aggressively cut rates earlier this month. But […]
Solar sector calls for €100M EU bailout as Chinese competition pushes it to the brink (POLITICO)
By Victor Jack · Sep 11, 2023 BRUSSELS — The EU should step in and spend €100 million on solar panels made by European companies faced with an imminent wave of bankruptcies thanks to intensifying Chinese competition and slowing demand in Europe. The industry’s main lobby in Brussels, SolarPower Europe, on Monday sent a letter […]
Fake Ozempic and Wegovy surge in Europe — but regulators have limited powers to act (POLITICO)
By Ashleigh Furlong, Helen Collis · Sep 8, 2023 It was only a matter of time. Soaring demand for a drug touted by online influencers to help lose weight, but whose supplies in Europe are restricted, has caused a surge in fake and potentially dangerous concoctions of the injection, putting lives at risk. In the […]
EU boosts imports of Russian LNG despite phaseout pledge (POLITICO)
By Victor Jack · Aug 30, 2023 Russian sales of liquefied natural gas to the EU hit record levels this year despite the bloc’s efforts to cut back on energy imports from Moscow, new data shows. EU countries bought 9.5 million tons of LNG from Russia from January to July, according to the Kpler market […]
In the Blind Spot (Jackson Hole meets Alpbach)
Dear Subscribers, Welcome to the end of August. It’s Jackson Hole weekend. But it’s also the European Forum at Alpbach in Austria, where I have finally arrived. My Alpine location is one of the reasons the newsletter is coming on a Sunday. My arrival at Munich was scuppered on Thursday night by electrical storms, which […]
Russian oil titan Lukoil eyes the end of its reign in Bulgaria (POLITICO)
By Victor Jack · Aug 21, 2023 BURGAS, Bulgaria — Russia’s largest private oil company Lukoil casts an immense economic and political shadow over Bulgaria — but the energy major’s privileged position in the Balkan country is in growing danger. That’s because a derogation from EU oil sanctions enjoyed by its Bulgarian branch runs out […]
In the Blind Spot (The cost of Alpine life, Argentina, Bond yields)
Dear Subscribers, My trusty lieutenant Dario Garcia Giner took a well deserved break last week with some exotic travels. That’s part of the reason there was no newsletter last week (the first absence since we started the weekly format). The other reason is that we had guests over and there was an unexpected foot injury. […]
Europe’s wind sector is in a ‘severe crisis’ (POLITICO)
By Victor Jack, Abby Wallace · Aug 18, 2023 BRUSSELS — The U.K. and EU are likely to miss their 2030 wind energy installation targets as the sector runs into increasing difficulties, putting Europe’s green transition at risk. Surging inflation, supply chain bottlenecks, hold-ups in getting permits, problems with government-backed subsidy schemes and mounting competition […]