As the eurozone sovereign debt crisis continues, focus is shifting to Italy as the next potential victim. But for worries closer to home, consider this: $37 billion in U.S. government benefits designed to help people through the downturn will expire by the end of 2011, leaving a hole twice that size in the economy.
Portugal's economic health is at risk of collapse after Moody's cut its rating of the country's debt to junk status. Also at risk of collapse: The case against former IMF head Dominique Strauss-Kahn after The New York Post reported that his accuser was working two jobs -- as a maid and a prostitute.
Is the American recovery fast or slow? Depends on who you ask. The Wall Street Journal sees corporate America merrily rolling along while Main Street suffers. The New York Times warns that Wall Street is about to feel the pinch too. But nobody is all that optimistic about Greece today.
Greece is in debt, in trouble, and its people are rebelling against austerity measures. But it's not without resources: What could the government in Athens get if it leased the Parthenon? Or naming rights to the Acropolis? Sacrilege, perhaps -- but when you really need the money...
Even before the International Energy Agency and the White House announced they were releasing billions of gallons or oil from fuel reserves, gas prices were falling. In the past two weeks, a gallon is down more than 11 cents. Also falling -- hopes for the euro, and the outlook for U.S. Treasury bonds.
It's a good day to be a drugmaker after two pro-business Supreme Court rulings favored the industry. And it's an even better day for those who are counting on the EU bailing out Greece. But the folks at Google may want to search for "defense lawyers" -- they may be seeing subpoenas shortly.
Politicians in both Greece and the U.S. are struggling to find the common ground necessary to keep their governments from defaulting on their debts; QE2 hasn't ended yet, and already the Fed is considering QE3; and the SEC finally starts to regulate Wall Street's hedge funds.
The news across the financial world is good for unions, which will find organizing a bit easier; adequate for Greece, which will find getting bailed out a bit easier, and bitter for JPMorgan which had to accept a $153.6 million SEC fine for misleading investors about a mortgage securities transaction.
The Supreme Court kept up its corporatist streak Monday, handing down two key decisions that were certain to please the Chamber of Commerce. The first helped Wal-Mart quash a massive class action sex discrimination suit; the second stopped states from suing power companies over greenhouse gas emissions.
World markets got a boost this week from Japan's pledge to help overly indebted EU nations. What's behind Japan's move? Sure, the spirit of global cooperation is part of it. But much more significant is Tokyo's need to keep pace with Beijing in the influence game.
The big winners of 2010 scored returns far above those of U.S. markets by piggybacking on China's ferocious growth. But rebounding American equities look mighty impressive next to the year's real losers: the victims of the eurozone debt crisis.
Despite widespread anxiety about the Greek debt crisis last summer, global markets recovered with minimum damage. Now, investors facing another crisis in Ireland may be tempted to draw a comforting lesson from the Greek experience. But it may not be that simple.
Investors should stay focused on the dynamics within European politics that shaped the rescue. Other indebted economies -- like Spain, Portugal and Italy -- could find themselves in a similar situation, after all. And politics will again guide market moves.
The euro has posted its biggest quarterly gain in eight years, but billionaire investment guru Warren Buffett is worried about Europe's common currency. Despite the E.U.'s trillion-dollar bailout fund, he's not sure the Continent will be able to avert a sovereign debt meltdown.
While American pols deal in brinksmanship over taxes and the economy, China's leaders are smoothly gaining influence on the world stage. Witness the goodwill generated by Premier Wen Jiabao on his recent whirlwind tour of Europe.