Real estate, the next leg?

The chart above comes from the IMF stability review, January update. It shows the price evolution of US real estate. The red line is from the commercial sector; and has started to fall seriously as from 2009. Until now, it has not attracted as much attention as the subprime and other housing real estate. But it must hurt, and will ...

• Written by Geert Noels
• On  February 09, 2010
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Aging and financing problems - update

The chart above shows the exit age in different countries. I have highlighted the Club Med countries, Ireland, France and Belgium. The latter two have the longest and the fourth longest expected period in retirement. In terms of pension reserves, they are unfortunately not well prepared to tackle this problem.Today, the Minister of ...

• Written by Geert Noels
• On  February 09, 2010
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Should we really help Greece?

It is a cruel question, but a very valid one. For a start, Greece has cooked the books , and has misled euroland co-members when entering the euro. The country has not taken appropriate measures to clean up its mess, and lets things run out of hand. So why should German taxpayers help a country that has ...

• Written by Geert Noels
• On  February 10, 2010
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Financial Quiz

• Written by Geert Noels
• On  February 11, 2010
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Belgian real estate bubble?

The Economists' databank on house prices gives a rather surprising picture. It shows that Belgium in different valuation measures has climbed the most. The Price to Median Income ratio has deviated much more than in the Netherlands, the UK or the USA.It is rather counterituitive to me. I do not have the impression that Belgian real ...

• Written by Geert Noels
• On  February 11, 2010
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Economische pleonasmen en tautologieën

"Alles Kan Beter" is eenvoudige en geniale televisie, die ik met plezier terugzie. Mark Uytterhoeven en grappige televisiemaker zijn synoniemen.Bubbleblower Greenspan, een verdeelde Europese Unie, verlammende verstaatsing zijn tautologieën, we zoeken nog wat economische pleonasmen om de lijst te vervolledigen...

• Written by Geert Noels
• On  February 12, 2010
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De Vrije Markt over Wallonisering - update

...niemand houdt van de term, maar iedereen lijkt het eens met het fenomeen.

• Written by Geert Noels
• On  February 12, 2010
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Take your own destiny in hand

Apart from being a brilliant marketeer, Guillaume Van der stighelen is an inspiring thought leader. In a recent op-ed article , he pleads for more entrepreneurship as the only real solution for the crisis. Whatever you have been promised, a solution to this recession cannot come from the government and ...

• Written by Geert Noels
• On  February 13, 2010
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Medic + Nordic = euro

Splits de euro op in een harde en een zachte munt, voor de kernlanden en de Club Med-landen. De namen zijn wat ongelukkig, maar het idee is niet onzinnig. Het werd in de weekendeditie van NRC-Handelsblad besproken. Het idee komt van prof.dr Alfred Kleinknecht van de TU Delft. Sommigen, zoals Age Bakker, ...

• Written by Geert Noels
• On  February 13, 2010
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Broadband in Belgium

• Written by Geert Noels
• On  February 13, 2010
• Tags :