The steps back to normalcy in Greece have had a short-term impact on southern Europe. With yields falling today on Portuguese, Spanish and Italian government bonds, questions remain as to whether this is just the calm before the storm and what will ultimately happen to the euro.Greek banks reopened today for the first time in three weeks. This occurred after a €7 billion financial bridge was approved last week by EU finance ministers that will allow Greece to avoid defaulting on a bond payment and clean up arrears with the International Monetary Fund. Additionally, austerity measures are in place, which have increased the value-added tax (VAT) on many items that will impact agriculture. The VAT rose from 13 percent to 23 percent on meat, ve...
Weighing in on strategic realignment
WPI’s team was retained by the governing board of a U.S. industry organization to review a decision, reached by vote, to invest significant assets into the development and management of an export trading company. WPI’s team conducted a formal review of this decision and concluded that the current level of market saturation would limit the benefits of the investment. Based on WPI’s analysis and recommended actions, the board subsequently reversed its decision and undertook a strategic planning effort to identify more impactful investments. On behalf of numerous clients, WPI has not only assisted in identifying strategic paths but also advised their implementation.
On Saturday, 10 October, at a campaign rally in Clarksville, Tennessee, President Trump said that the U.S. and Mexico would come to terms on a new trade deal, and he said Canada does not need to be part of the deal. Trump called the coming agreement with Mexico “great” but gave no d...