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Mar
29

Euro and US Dollar Exchange Rate

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The Euro has come a long way since it entered into circulation on January 1st, 2002. It is now the official currency of 16 of the 27 member states of the European Union (EU) – with the notable exception of United Kingdom, and is consequently used daily by some 327 million Europeans.

Most experts in the Financial world thinks that the US Dollar will continue to depreciate against the Euro over time, with the Euro taking over US Dollar as the world’s undisputed reserve currency eventually. However, during the financial crisis that started in late 2008, many banks and companies became bankrupt and investors started to find solace in putting their money into stable foreign exchange, Gold and commodities. This became a boon to US dollar (and the Japanese Yen) and there was a sharp appreciation in the US Dollar against most of the world’s major currency – including the Euro.

China, Russia and India (major global investors in the US Dollar) have long indicated that they want to see changes in the international monetary system in the wake of the financial crisis. They are however, careful to not push their desire for change too far in case the dollar slumps. This will lead to the value of their HUGH dollar-denominated investments plummet, something that will not bode too well with their tax payers.

The main difference between the Euro and the US Dollar is time. US dollar has been around in circulation much longer, therefore it is deemed as more reliable. Fundamentally, the Euro is almost as stable as the US dollar now with the backing of the European Union, a coalition of European nations. The perception to the ability of Euro to withstand any financial/global/economic crisis will gradually improve over time. This is especially true as more countries and sovereign wealth funds (SWF) starts to buy into Euro as reserve.

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Jan
04

Greece’s Economic Position

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During the past decade, the Greek government borrowed excessively and went on a ridiculous spending spree. Therefore, when the financial downturn hit, Greece was in no way prepared. The outcome of their actions is not very pleasant, considering they are now buried in 300 billion Euros of debt. This does not only affect them, but has a huge impact on many other countries, included United States.

Every country that uses the Euro and trades within the Euro zone will be affected by Greece. Fifteen other countries that use the Euro are immediately hit with Greece’s financial crisis because they offered to lend 30 billion Euros in the next year to help ease Greece out of their debt. As a result, taxes will rise for those countries. If the debt is left untamed, it could spread to other economies that do not have a great history of balancing their debt. These countries are referred to as “PIIGS,” which consist of Portugal, Italy, Ireland, Greece, and Spain. The possibility of Greece’s downfall along with the rest of the “PIIGS” has struck fear in the open market. Interest rates on government debt have increased making it more expensive to borrow on the open market. This crisis also affects individuals who invested or own shares through pension funds because many major banks invested in the Greek Debt.

The crisis has already taken affect on United States businesses. The debt has caused increased in public protesting. In the early stage of the crisis, the Greek government placed a $250,000 order for body shields that are manufactured by Paulson Manufacturing Corp, a United States business that makes protective gear for riot police and others. Now the Greek government placed a hold on these orders and is waiting to see if anything is resolved. This is only a glimpse of what Greece’s debt can cause to United States. Many American businesses are worried because the Euro just recently touched a one-year low against the dollar. This has a great impact on all businesses because United States exports are now more expensive in Europe. If this continues it can weaken all overseas sales or even make a big impact on revenues for American companies.

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