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You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2012/mar/21/eurozone-crisis-live-bernanke-on-europe
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| Eurozone crisis live: Bernanke and Geithner to talk about Europe | Eurozone crisis live: Bernanke and Geithner to talk about Europe |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| 10.13am: Athens said this morning it would sell stakes in two major listed companies in May, as part of its much-delayed privatisation plan. The Greek government currently holds large stakes in monopoly betting company OPAP and refiner Hellenic Petroleum, Greece's third and fourth biggest listed firms by market value. Selling them off is part of the plan to help cut the country's debt pile. | |
| The chief executive officer of Greece's privatisation agency, Costas Mitropoulos, told Reuters the sale of a 29% stake in OPAP, would be launched before national elections set to take place by early May, and concluded this year. The Greek government currently holds 34% of OPAP. | |
| If elections go well, if there is a government and a clear direction ... then the perceived country risk for investors will fall to levels that will allow investment. This means they will commit cash to the country. | |
| Investors are very interested in our assets. They have some concerns over the situation in the country, its dynamics. We must show them our country's dynamics are turning from negative to positive. | |
| 9.44am: George Osborne will be very unhappy with the public finance data just out. According to Reuters... | |
| A drop in income tax receipts failed to offset higher public spending, though Osborne remains on track to undershoot borrowing targets for the tax year. | |
| Forecasts for the public sector net borrowing was £8bn but it came in at £15.2bn, a record high for February. | |
| Sterling dropped on the news from $1.5898 to $1.5855. | |
| Minutes from the March MPC meeting were also released. They show Bank of England officials were worried about oil prices and future wage inflation when they left rates on hold at the last meeting. | |
| On QE, David Miles and Adam Posen voted for £25bn of additional asset purchases but were overruled 7-2, and the target level was kept unchanged at £325bn. | |
| 9.31am: UK public finances just out. Public sector borrowing was almost twice as high as expected in February. Public sector net debt as a percentage of GDP was 63.1%. | 9.31am: UK public finances just out. Public sector borrowing was almost twice as high as expected in February. Public sector net debt as a percentage of GDP was 63.1%. |
| 9.20am:Still with Greece, Athens approved the new €130bn bail-out this morning. | 9.20am:Still with Greece, Athens approved the new €130bn bail-out this morning. |
| 213 MPs voted in favor, while 79 deputies voted against it and 8 MPs abstained. The Communist party, left-wing SYRIZA, as well as Democratic Left, far-right, and several independent MPs voted against it. | 213 MPs voted in favor, while 79 deputies voted against it and 8 MPs abstained. The Communist party, left-wing SYRIZA, as well as Democratic Left, far-right, and several independent MPs voted against it. |
| Eurozone countries finalized the deal last month, agreeing that Greece would receive €130bn in new loans as well as the remainder unpaid from the first rescue deal, about €42bn. | Eurozone countries finalized the deal last month, agreeing that Greece would receive €130bn in new loans as well as the remainder unpaid from the first rescue deal, about €42bn. |
| Greece must continue with unpopular austerity measures to ensure the funds are disbursed in regular installments, and will be under tight supervision from its creditors. | Greece must continue with unpopular austerity measures to ensure the funds are disbursed in regular installments, and will be under tight supervision from its creditors. |
| Last night, protestors gathered in Syntagma square to to push home the message that "resistance exists". | Last night, protestors gathered in Syntagma square to to push home the message that "resistance exists". |
| 9.13am:We were promised it yesterday but today we finally got the name of the new Greek finance minister. | 9.13am:We were promised it yesterday but today we finally got the name of the new Greek finance minister. |
| Philippos Sachinidis, the vice minister for finance, will step into the role after Evangelos Venizelos stepped down on Monday to take over as head of the socialist Pasok party. Sachinidis is 49. He monitored the budget and was among senior ministry officials who have applied a tough economic overhaul for the past two years in return for EU and IMF loans. | Philippos Sachinidis, the vice minister for finance, will step into the role after Evangelos Venizelos stepped down on Monday to take over as head of the socialist Pasok party. Sachinidis is 49. He monitored the budget and was among senior ministry officials who have applied a tough economic overhaul for the past two years in return for EU and IMF loans. |
| In other news, Iceland's central bank has raised interest rates from 4.75% to 5%. | In other news, Iceland's central bank has raised interest rates from 4.75% to 5%. |
| 9.00am: As we mentioned earlier, Fed chairman Ben Bernanke released the text of his prepared statement to the house committee on government oversight and reform, where he is due to talk about the lessons learned from the eurozone crisis later today. | 9.00am: As we mentioned earlier, Fed chairman Ben Bernanke released the text of his prepared statement to the house committee on government oversight and reform, where he is due to talk about the lessons learned from the eurozone crisis later today. |
| A couple of key quotes... | A couple of key quotes... |
| In the past few months, financial stresses in Europe have lessened, in part, [due to] a number of actions taken by European policymakers. | In the past few months, financial stresses in Europe have lessened, in part, [due to] a number of actions taken by European policymakers. |
| He applauded the ECB for the two rounds of the LTRO (its version of QE), which he said, | He applauded the ECB for the two rounds of the LTRO (its version of QE), which he said, |
| Have allowed European banks to lock in funding for up to three years, thereby alleviating concerns about their near-term prospects. With the benefit of this support, European banks in turn have increased their holdings of sovereign debt, contributing to lower borrowing costs for some countries. | Have allowed European banks to lock in funding for up to three years, thereby alleviating concerns about their near-term prospects. With the benefit of this support, European banks in turn have increased their holdings of sovereign debt, contributing to lower borrowing costs for some countries. |
| He's happy with the new fiscal compact. | He's happy with the new fiscal compact. |
| This treaty represents a positive step toward resolving the fundamental tension inherent in having a monetary union without a fiscal union, and thus should help bolster the viability of the euro-area economy in the longer term. | This treaty represents a positive step toward resolving the fundamental tension inherent in having a monetary union without a fiscal union, and thus should help bolster the viability of the euro-area economy in the longer term. |
| But, he says, more needs to be done. | But, he says, more needs to be done. |
| Full resolution of the crisis will require a further strengthening of the European banking system; a significant expansion of financial backstops, or "firewalls," to guard against contagion in sovereign debt markets; and, critically, continued efforts to increase economic growth and competitiveness and to reduce external imbalances in the troubled countries. | Full resolution of the crisis will require a further strengthening of the European banking system; a significant expansion of financial backstops, or "firewalls," to guard against contagion in sovereign debt markets; and, critically, continued efforts to increase economic growth and competitiveness and to reduce external imbalances in the troubled countries. |
| He then talks about the risks posed to the US by the Eurozone crisis. | He then talks about the risks posed to the US by the Eurozone crisis. |
| Although US banks have limited exposure to peripheral European countries, their exposures to European banks and to the larger, "core" countries of Europe are more material. Moreover, European holdings represented 35% of the assets of prime US money market funds in February, and these funds remain structurally vulnerable. | Although US banks have limited exposure to peripheral European countries, their exposures to European banks and to the larger, "core" countries of Europe are more material. Moreover, European holdings represented 35% of the assets of prime US money market funds in February, and these funds remain structurally vulnerable. |
| We'll be following the hearing later, where US treasury secretary Tim Geithner will also be talking. | We'll be following the hearing later, where US treasury secretary Tim Geithner will also be talking. |
| 8.29am: The Budget live blog is now up and running. Follow rolling coverage from Andrew Sparrow and Graeme Wearden here. | 8.29am: The Budget live blog is now up and running. Follow rolling coverage from Andrew Sparrow and Graeme Wearden here. |
| As Andrew points out, there's already plenty to talk about ahead of Osborne's statement to parliament at 12.30pm. | As Andrew points out, there's already plenty to talk about ahead of Osborne's statement to parliament at 12.30pm. |
| John Bercow's campaign to stop George Osborne revealing the contents of his budget in advance, before parliament has been told, doesn't seem to be going too well. In fact, he's failing dismally. According to one source, the Treasury have already put out 11 budet-related stories and the broad outline of the tax changes being announced are already in the public domain. The personal tax allowance will rise to above £9,000 in April 2013 - to £9,205, according to ITN's Tom Bradby - and the 50p top rate of tax will be cut to 45p. These measures will be funded by taxes that hit the rich, including stamp duty going up from 5% to 7% on properties worth more than £2m, a crackdown on aggressive tax avoidance and some kind of limit on the amount of tax relief the very wealth can claim. You can read all the Guardian's budget coverage here, where there are full details of what has already come out. The cabinet were meeting at 8am to be briefed on the budget. But ministers could be forgiven for staying in bed because there is so much out there already. | John Bercow's campaign to stop George Osborne revealing the contents of his budget in advance, before parliament has been told, doesn't seem to be going too well. In fact, he's failing dismally. According to one source, the Treasury have already put out 11 budet-related stories and the broad outline of the tax changes being announced are already in the public domain. The personal tax allowance will rise to above £9,000 in April 2013 - to £9,205, according to ITN's Tom Bradby - and the 50p top rate of tax will be cut to 45p. These measures will be funded by taxes that hit the rich, including stamp duty going up from 5% to 7% on properties worth more than £2m, a crackdown on aggressive tax avoidance and some kind of limit on the amount of tax relief the very wealth can claim. You can read all the Guardian's budget coverage here, where there are full details of what has already come out. The cabinet were meeting at 8am to be briefed on the budget. But ministers could be forgiven for staying in bed because there is so much out there already. |
| 8.23am: Greek deputy finance minister Filippos Sachinidis to be appointed finance minister. More on that shortly. | 8.23am: Greek deputy finance minister Filippos Sachinidis to be appointed finance minister. More on that shortly. |
| 8.13am: Today's agenda includes minutes from the Bank of England's last interest rate meeting. Portugal is issuing treasury bills and there are figures on existing home sales out of the US. | 8.13am: Today's agenda includes minutes from the Bank of England's last interest rate meeting. Portugal is issuing treasury bills and there are figures on existing home sales out of the US. |
| • Bank of England publishes minutes from the monetary policy committee's March meeting: 9.30am GMT • UK public sector finances and public sector net borrowing: 9.30am GMT • Portugal issues up to €2bn of treasury bills: 10.30am GMT • UK Chancellor George Osborne delivers budget statement to the Commons: 12.30pm GMT • Ben Bernanke and Tim Geithner testify before a house committee hearing, "Europe's Sovereign debt Crisis: Causes, Consequences for the US and Lessons Learned": 1.30 GMT • US existing home sales for February: 2pm GMT | • Bank of England publishes minutes from the monetary policy committee's March meeting: 9.30am GMT • UK public sector finances and public sector net borrowing: 9.30am GMT • Portugal issues up to €2bn of treasury bills: 10.30am GMT • UK Chancellor George Osborne delivers budget statement to the Commons: 12.30pm GMT • Ben Bernanke and Tim Geithner testify before a house committee hearing, "Europe's Sovereign debt Crisis: Causes, Consequences for the US and Lessons Learned": 1.30 GMT • US existing home sales for February: 2pm GMT |
| Elsewhere in the debt markets, we're hoping for pricing of of the €4bn 5-year EFSF bond announced yesterday. Germany is auctioning €5bn of 2-year Schatz (government bonds), and €2bn of inflation-linked bonds; and there's another day of auctions for Italy's four-year inflation-linked bond. | Elsewhere in the debt markets, we're hoping for pricing of of the €4bn 5-year EFSF bond announced yesterday. Germany is auctioning €5bn of 2-year Schatz (government bonds), and €2bn of inflation-linked bonds; and there's another day of auctions for Italy's four-year inflation-linked bond. |
| 7.50am: Good morning, and welcome to our rolling coverage of the eurozone debt crisis. | 7.50am: Good morning, and welcome to our rolling coverage of the eurozone debt crisis. |
| All eyes will be on the UK today, with chancellor George Osborne due to present the budget at 12.30pm. My colleagues Graeme Wearden and Andrew Sparrow will be providing rolling coverage of all budget-related news on a separate live blog from 8am. I'll post a link when that is up and running. | All eyes will be on the UK today, with chancellor George Osborne due to present the budget at 12.30pm. My colleagues Graeme Wearden and Andrew Sparrow will be providing rolling coverage of all budget-related news on a separate live blog from 8am. I'll post a link when that is up and running. |
| Later today, Fed chairman Ben Bernanke and US treasury secretary Tim Geithner are talking all about the lessons they've learned from the eurozone crisis in a House committee. We've already got a prepared statement from Bernanke, which I'll post more of shortly. | Later today, Fed chairman Ben Bernanke and US treasury secretary Tim Geithner are talking all about the lessons they've learned from the eurozone crisis in a House committee. We've already got a prepared statement from Bernanke, which I'll post more of shortly. |
| And in Greece, they're due to announce the new finance minister. | And in Greece, they're due to announce the new finance minister. |