Continued EU Weakness Gives Rise to Two Inflationary Trends

German economy ‘losing steam’ as business confidence plunges again … Survey of optimism among companies adds to gloom enveloping Europe’s biggest economy … Germany’s businesses are rapidly losing confidence in the prospect of a recovery in the eurozone, in a further blow to the single currency’s biggest economy. Companies’ assessment of the business climate is now at a 13-month low, having deteriorated for four successive months, according to a survey of 7,000 firms conducted by the Munich-based IFO think tank. – UK Telegraph
Dominant Social Theme: Something must be done to save Europe and the euro.
Free-Market Analysis: What does the future hold? More and more money stimulation it would seem. China – the BRICS – and the US are printing endless gouts of money, and now it appears as if the European Union is headed in the same direction.
In fact, the EU cannot simply print, as the Germans stand in the way. But according to this article and others, the German economic situation is declining, so perhaps there will be less pushback to plans to stimulate.
Certainly, without German economic vitality, the eurozone is even worse off than it’s been in the past. Here’s more:
The study is the latest blow to Angela Merkel’s hopes of Germany leading the eurozone out of its current economic malaise. Separate data for investor confidence and inflation have also shown activity slowing down. The economy contracted in the second quarter of the year, and another quarter of decline would tip it into recession.

This post was published at The Daily Bell on August 26, 2014.