Business
Europe’s Economy To Recover, Soon
Europe’s economy showed signs of resilience in December as activity in Germany stabilised, suggesting a return to growth later this year might be in the cards, The Tide Source.
The Market purchasing managers’ index for the 17-member eurozone hit a nine-month high in December — although the reading of 47.2 reflected an 11th month of contraction and the improvement over November was unlikely to have prevented the recession deepening in the fourth quarter.
“The PMI surveys provide some hope that the eurozone is showing signs of lifting out of its deep double-dip recession,” said Chris Williamson, chief economist at Markit. “The surveys at least bring some substance to the belief that the worst is over and that a return to growth is in sight for the region in 2013.”
The eurozone fell back into recession for the second time in four years in the third quarter of 2012 as a sharp fall in activity in debt-ridden southern Europe weighed on output across the region.
Government budget cuts and tax increases have contributed to the slowdown, making households more cautious about spending and businesses less confident about investing. Unemployment has risen to almost 12% across the eurozone.
Recent economic reports and business surveys suggest the recession continued through the fourth quarter, and some policy makers — including the European Central Bank — have warned that growth may prove elusive again in 2013. German Chancellor Angela Merkel said this week that the eurozone crisis was far from over and warned of tougher conditions to come.
But Europe’s biggest economy may have weathered the worst of the storm, with December’s German PMI data showing the country’s services sector grew for the first time in five months and posted its strongest reading since April.
“A return to growth among Germany’s service providers helped lift the private sector into expansion territory during December, despite another reduction in manufacturing output over the month,” said Markit senior economist Tim Moore.
By contrast, the activity in France’s service industries declined for a fifth consecutive month. The overall PMI reading showed the decline in manufacturing and services extending for a 10th month, although the rate of decline was the slowest since August.
December was also a bad month for the U.K.’s dominant service sector.
The word’s sixth-biggest economy emerged from recession in the third quarter, thanks to the boost generated by the London Olympics. But austerity measures have squeezed millions of households and many Britons are no better off than they were over a decade ago.
“The first fall in service sector activity for two years raises the likelihood that the U.K. economy is sliding back into recession,” Markit’s Williamson said.
“Payment of tuition fees for undergraduate/postgraduate studies shall be subject to a maximum limit of $25,000.00 per semester,” the Manual states.
The expansion of international card limits also reflects growing confidence among lenders that foreign exchange liquidity has improved enough to support retail dollar transactions.
Speaking recently at the BusinessDay 14th Annual CEO Forum in Lagos, CBN Olayemi Cardoso, governor of the CBN said buying and selling activities now increasingly determine outcomes in the foreign exchange market, unlike in the past when market participants relied heavily on routine Central Bank interventions.
According to Cardoso, Nigeria’s net foreign exchange reserves have risen from just over $3 billion at the start of the reform programme to more than $40 billion, while gross reserves have climbed to about $52 billion, providing stronger confidence for investors and enabling the Central Bank to reserve interventions for periods of market stress rather than day-to-day liquidity management.
The restoration and expansion of international naira card spending limits are increasingly being seen as one of the clearest signs that the benefits of the CBN’s foreign exchange reforms are beginning to reach households, students and businesses making legitimate cross-border payments.
The Secretary-General and Chief Executive Officer, WEC, Dr Angela Wilkinson, disclosed this in a statement, last Thursday.
“Nigeria’s participation comes at a pivotal time as the country seeks to expand energy access, strengthen energy security, accelerate gas development and mobilise the capital required for industrialisation and sustainable economic growth.
“WEC Nigeria will convene leaders from across the energy ecosystem, apply the WEC’s globally recognised Energy Trilemma framework to Nigeria’s unique context, and promote evidence-based dialogue, practical collaboration and informed policymaking.
“It will also ensure that Nigerian and broader African perspectives contribute meaningfully to global energy conversations,” she said.
Wilkinson expressed confidence that Nigeria would play a significant leadership role at the World Energy Congress scheduled for Riyadh in April 2027 and beyond.
The statement also quoted the Chairman of WEC Nigeria, Isa, as describing the country’s participation as an opportunity to deepen national and African leadership within the global energy community through practical solutions tailored to regional development priorities.
He said the platform would promote collaboration across sectors and attract sustainable investments into Nigeria’s energy sector.
The Chief Executive Officer of WEC Nigeria, Wunti, was quoted in the statement as saying that the council would connect leadership, evidence and investment to build a secure, affordable and sustainable energy system.
“This system will be capable of driving economic growth and shared prosperity.”
According to him, the platform will also connect Nigerian institutions and businesses with international knowledge, technology, partnerships and investment opportunities through the World Energy Council’s global network.
Recall that WEC, founded in 1923, is the world’s oldest independent and impartial community of energy leaders and practitioners, advancing informed, collaborative and practical action across the global energy system.