These are stories Report on Business is following Thursday, June 14, 2012.
Follow Michael Babad and the Globe's top business stories on Twitter.
Crisis deepens
What a mess.
Here's what the euro zone looks like today as it heads to its do-or-die moment with the weekend elections in Greece:
- Yields on Spain's 10-year bonds spiked to what is deemed the unsustainable level of 7 per cent, the point that forced other countries into a bailout.
- Italy's borrowing costs also surged at a widely watched auction.
- The Swiss National Bank, which has been trying to come to grips with a soaring currency as money flows out of troubled countries into Switzerland, warned of the possibility of capital controls if it has to go that route. "The SNB will not tolerate this," warned its chief Thomas Jordan. "If necessary it stands ready to take further measures at any time."
- Everyone is fighting with everyone else as finger-pointing becomes the norm. Spain's foreign minister, for example, warned in a radio interview that Germany must not throw "one country to the wolves."
- In Berlin, German Chancellor Angela Merkel noted that the debt crisis will overshadow next week's G20 summit in Mexico, but she warned against potential solutions that appear easy. Ms. Merkel is opposed to several measures proposed by others, such as euro bonds or a method to share the risk of ailing banks.
- Tensions continue to run high in Greece, where this weekend's elections could determine whether Athens remains in the monetary union. There are suggestions that the pro-austerity forces are ahead, which is what investors want to see.
The anxiety in the euro zone has reached a new level after the downgrade of Spanish debt late yesterday Moody's Investor Service in the wake of the agreement to bail out its banks, which will put more pressure on the government's own finances. That, in turn, has sparked speculation that another bailout will be needed.
"The rout in Spanish bonds continues relentlessly, as Madrid's borrowing costs move ever higher and ever closer to the dangerous 7-per-cent level," said market analyst Chris Beauchamp of IG Index in London.
"The Spanish bank rescue was a flop by Monday afternoon, and now it's turning from tragedy to something akin to farce. Moody's stuck the boot in late last night, downgrading Spain's sovereign debt rating to just one notch above junk level, and expectations are building that Madrid will need yet more cash in the near future."
- Spain's debt hits record as euro crisis worsens
- Italy yield hits 6-month high
- Moody's slashes Spanish debt rating
- Europe plunges deeper into crisis
- Credit Agricole mulls letting Greek unit fail
- How Europe's power broker wound up at centre of continent's financial woes
Nokia slashes
Nokia Corp. is cutting deep, with plans to slash 10,000 jobs by the end of next year and shut down several facilities, including one in Burnaby, B.C.
The embattled phone manufacturer said today it will shut down research and development operations in Burnaby and Ulm, Germany, and a manufacturing plant in Salo, Finland.
"We are increasing our focus on the products and services that our consumers value most while continuing to invest in the innovation that has always defined Nokia," said chief executive officer Stephen Elop. "We intend to pursue an even more focused effort on Lumia, continued innovation around our feature phones, while placing increased emphasis on our location-based services. However, we must re-shape our operating model and ensure that we create a structure that can support our competitive ambitions."
Nokia also unveiled a round of executive changes, and said it expects a further charge of about €1-billion in connection with the restructuring, adding to others already announced.
CMHC sees moderation
Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp. projects moderation this year in both the market for both new and resale homes.
In a new forecast today, the agency said it expects housing starts of about 203,000 this year, and almost 196,000 in 2013.
Sales of existing homes are projected to be about 472,300 in 2012 and 474,900 next year.
As for prices, CMHC projected a national average of $372,700 for this year and $383,600 for 2013, increases of 2 per cent and 3 per cent that it said are consistent with "balanced markets conditions" expected to continue.
"Housing has gained some momentum recently," said deputy chief economist Mathieu Laberge.
"Housing starts in the early part of the year were robust due to the multiples segment, which varies significantly from month to month. Although economic conditions are expected to remain supportive of housing demand, housing starts activity is expected to moderate as 2012 progresses. Similarly, balanced market conditions in the existing home market will result in modest house price gains through to the end of the year."
- New and existing home markets to moderate by end of 2012: CMHC
- OECD: Signs of condo 'market imbalances'
U.S. consumer prices dip
Consumer prices in the United States fell on a monthly basis in May for the first time in two years, and the outlook is one that would ring no alarm bells for the Federal Reserve.
Prices slipped 0.3 per cent in May, bringing the annual pace of inflation down to 1.7 per cent, largely as prices fell at the gas pump.
So-called core prices, however, which strip out volatile items, held steady at 2.3 per cent.
"Energy, and specifically gasoline, was the main factor driving prices lower, and with oil and pump prices falling further subsequently will likely keep inflationary pressures muted over the next couple of months as well," said economist Andrew Grantham at CIBC World Markets.
Business Ticker