betekenis van het woord FASTEST

Italiaanse slechte leningen op recordhoogte

With all eyes gloating over Ireland's recent ability to issue debt in the capital markets once again (and now with 10Y trading only 40bps above US Treasuries), Europe's game of distraction continues. However, while spreads (and yields) tumble in all the PIIGS, with Italian yields at almost 7-year lows, it is perhaps surprising to some that Italian bad loan rates are at their highest on record. Having risen at a stunning 23% year-over-year - its FASTEST in 2 years, Italian gross non-performing loans (EUR149.6 billion) as a proportion of total lending rose to 7.8% in November (up from 6.1% a year earlier). As the Italian Banking Association admits in a statement today, deposits are declining (-1.9% YoY) and bonds sold to clients (-9.4% YoY) as Italy's bank clients with bad loans have more than doubled since 2008.

Spaanse Schuld/BBP-ratio naar nieuw record

The last 2 years have seen the clearest indication of the health of Spain deteriorate at its FASTEST rate on record. In spite of constant reassurances from Rajoy et al. that recovery is here, as we noted here, it's not just unemployment that is dogging Spain; and now - having risen at a stunning 25.8 percentage points in the last 2 years, as Reuters reports, Spain's debt-to-GDP has hit 93.4% - the highest level in more than a century. Of course, we should not worry... Spain has reassured investors that sees the debt-to-GDP ratio peaking at 101% in 2015 and 2016, then it's plain-sailing to nirvana.. (and do not contradict them!)

Europa: grafiek jeugdwerkloosheid gaat op de parabolische toer

Ireland has seen its youth unemployment rate drop for 10 of the last 11 months and has dropped to a 'mere' 26.6% - the lowest since July 2010 - in what is truly the only possible silver lining in today's absolutely dreadful data release. All four of the other PIIGS nations now have broken the dismal Maginot Line of 40% youth unemployment with Italy finally joining the club (Italy 40.5%, Portugal 42.5%, Spain 58.2%, and Greece 62.5%). What is even more concerning is that not only are these rates extremely high but they are accelerating with all four of these dark nations seeing their rates rising faster than in recent months (this was the 2nd FASTEST rise in Greek youth unemployment ever). Overall, Europe's youth unemployment rate continues to march higher (to 24.4%) having not fallen for 24 months, but it is Spain that is the 'winner' with 41 consecutive months without a drop in youth unemployment. With welfare benefits running dry, and Sweden and Switzerland already running hot, we fear this summer may bring the much-feared unrest so many have been concerned about.

Pensioenapartheid: miljoenen moeten tot hun 70ste doorwerken voor waardeloos pensioen

Gold-plated pensions in the private sector are being shut down 'at the FASTEST rate on record', a report by the National Association of Pensions Funds warns today.

In 2005, 43 per cent of 'final salary' schemes allowed new recruits to a company to join. Today the figure has collapsed to just 13 per cent following the biggest-ever drop last year.

Panama wil euro als wettig betaalmiddel

Panama, one of the FASTEST growing economies in Latin America, wants to adopt the euro as legal tender to run alongside the country’s US dollar economy.

President Ricardo Martinelli made the request to German Chancellor Angela Merkel during a visit to Europe.