In the first week of March share prices surged on the New York Stock Exchange followed by other major exchanges. Does this signify a revival of the global capitalist economy? The Financial Times was quick to note that "little of investors’ exuberance is reflected in core economic data… The US and the UK ended the year stagnant; the eurozone and Japan in renewed recession; the emerging world slowing down". (Stock Markets Defy Economic Woes, 6 March)
The IMF have released their bi-annual World Economic Outlook report which analyses the world economy, individual countries and predicts growth prospects for the future.
The decision of the rating agency, Standard and Poor’s, to downgrade the credit rating of Ireland from AA to AA- was met with hypocritical gnashing of teeth by Irish establishment figures. The National Treasury Management Agency rushed to criticise S&P, saying that their approach was "flawed". Minster of State, Dara Calleary declared that they used a "very negative analysis".
At the end of March the Fine Gael/Labour Government announced a €24 billion bailout for Ireland's four remaining banks. In so doing, the government indicated that their banking policy is a mere carbon copy of that previously pursued by Fianna Fail and the Green Party. Here, socialistparty.net, looks at the very real prospect for default which haunts the establishment.
