Germany

Submitted by Soren Kern via The Gatestone Institute,

With general elections scheduled in France, Germany and the Netherlands this year amid an increase in support for anti-euro rhetoric, European bonds from Germany to Greece saw yields surge in January. In fact, as Bloomberg notes, euro-region bonds handed investors the worst start to a year on record.

Worst. January. Ever. for European bonds...

European stocks rise the first day in four, with Asian stocks, S&P futures and the Dollar all gaining following strong Apple earnings ahead of today's Fed decision and the U.K. parliament's first vote on the Article 50 bill.

In the aftermath of the stunning statement by Trump's top trade advisor, Peter Navarro, who indirectly warned that a currency, and therefore, trade war with Europe may be imminent after he told the FT what everyone else knows but is unwilling to admit, namely that Germany is using a “grossly undervalued” euro to which was like an “implicit Deutsche Mark” whose low valuation gave Germany "an advantage over its main partners", analysts are asking if this is the precursor to a third front in Trump's currency wars, which most recently included China and Mexico.

Submitted by Michael Shedlock via MishTalk.com,

The IMF has once again threatened to pull out of the Troika following a warning that Eurogroup Loan Measures Not Enough for Greek Debt.

Greek debt yields had already been rising and spiked on the news.

Let’s take a look at what’s happening, culminating with an explanation of seemingly preposterous positions from all involved.