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Updated, 11.09
THE COST OF BORROWING for the Italian government has reached a new record high this morning – reaching levels which are considered unsustainable by the majority of international traders.
The market yield of a 10-year bond – that is, the interest rate demanded by lenders giving loans to the Italian government for 10 years – this morning breached the 7 per cent mark, reaching 7.03 per cent by 10.10am.
By 10.25 the price had rocketed to 7.2 per cent, reaching 7.4 per cent shortly after 11am – despite the repeated intervention of the ECB, which has been buying Italian bonds, along with Spanish ones, trying to keep the prices down.
That threshold is seen as a key one, beyond which governments cannot realistically borrow cash from the open markets – forcing the Italian government to join the club of Greece, Ireland and Portugal who are reliant on ECB, EU and IMF emergency funding.
The new record costs come the morning after inspectors from the Troika arrived in Rome to oversee the implementation of the latest round of budget cutbacks – after which Silvio Berlusconi will resign as Prime Minister.
The rising prices of Italian borrowing may mean, however, that even the austerity measures may not be enough to ensure that Italy can retain its financial independence.
The size of a bailout for Italy – the world’s eighth-largest economy – could almost empty the European bailout fund, the EFSF, which only two weeks ago was expanded to an estimated capacity of around €1 trillion.
In an interview published in this morning’s La Stampa newspaper, the 75-year-old Berlusconi said that he would not in the next general election, which is likely to take place in February after the budget measures are enacted.
Italian general elections cannot take place within 60 days of the dissolution of parliament, meaning the government will prioritise the enactment of the latest austerity measures before Berlusconi resigns.
Berlusconi told La Stampa’s Mario Calabresi that while he was disappointed his political tenure was about to end, he was consoled by the fact that he would be Italy’s longest-serving prime minister of the post-war era.
When corrected by the journalist – who said he would only claim such a title had he served until the end of his five-year tenure, due to expire in early 2013 – he appeared deflated.
“This I didn’t know… shame, shame really. Okay, goodnight,” he said.
Shares in Berlusconi’s own Mediaset company have fallen dramatically this morning, wiping about €300m off the value of the company.
The price of Mediaset shares had fallen by 9.25 per cent by 10.15am Irish time – and had even been suspended from trading for over an hour.
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Why no one is protesting against being charged USC? This tax should be abolished a long time ago!
@Izzy: yes it should have, “This is temporary until recession is over” they said over 10 years ago. Once you have a tax, like heroin, the government can’t let it go. We don’t protest like the French, all we do is “ah sure look it, is only for now”. Meanwhile, Vaseline prices are also up, at least keep these down since we need it… St this point, we’re being pimped.
@Izzy: why aren’t you??
@Izzy: The UK introduced income tax to pay for the Boer War.
@Steve O’Hara-Smith: I thought it the Napoleonic Wars or the one before that ….
@Izzy: Indeed, Why is nobody protesting governments spending since 2019?!?! The spending budget is up 36% since 2019, and that was the biggest ever then!!!! The only thing we ever hear from the ERSI or those sort of groups around budget time is than we shouldn’t give tax breaks. What about their ever increasing departmental budgets?!?! Scandalous while we’re still paying austerity taxes and in the middle of a cost of living crisis while Income tax/vat takes are massive and they’re increasing their budgets by so much!!!!!!
@Izzy: It was never going to be abolished. It brings in too much money. FG got verbal incontinence in their promise anything to get elected back then by saying they would abolish it. The best thing they could have done for themselves anyway would be rename it or roll it into something else.
@John Moore: it brings in approx 5 billion. Last year income tax was 10.8 billion more than 2019, vat was 7.5 billion more than 2019. 2019s receipts were the highest ever back then. And they’re on track for even more this year….. Needless to say that it was even more than 2018s, 2017s, 2016s takes…… Etc. Govt spending is up 36% on 2019…… if govt managed their spending and didn’t constantly increase their departmental budgets why can’t it be gotten rid of?!?! Their spending in a scandal in itself!!! No accountability! Pity the journal won’t do a piece in their historical spending and revenue but are happy to publish scaremongering articles about how they need to be cautious regarding tax breaks near budget time!
@Izzy: USC is the fairest tax as everyone pays it. Scrap all other taxes, have one USC rate and allow for deductions instead.
Simplify!
@Izzy: what would you replace it with and the 5 Billion needed to pay doctors nursers teachers , careers and all manner of stuff people want central government to pay for. Unless of course you believe in a magic money tree or that someone else should pay. USC is the only tax charged on every income, it cant be avoided. Before USC we played PRSI and health levy
@Peter Byrne: but we got something for PRSI, it’s just called RSI now still nothing for it and the USC is a bankers bailout tax, should have been done away with years ago along with the tolls, all parties at some election have promised to scrap the USC but it’s handy for topping up pensions and giving themselves pay rises
Thats great news. After gouging the life out of working taxpayers they can now spent it giving illegal immigrants free money,accomodation,phones and food. Great, just effing great.
@Gerry Lamont: Nobody gives illegal immigrants anything.
@Ray: None of that goes to illegal immigrants. Asylum seekers are here legally.
@Steve O’Hara-Smith: asylum seekers from Albania and Georgia etc etc
@Steve O’Hara-Smith: through deficient laws , controls and enforcement
I wish we had the foresight to use these windfalls to set us up long term. Giving people an extra €5 a week is pointless and yet the majority would vote for that than investing in becoming energy independent or something that would be beneficial for years to come.
@ecrowley ecrowley: But they are to
an extent they put 4bn aside last year and will probably do that again this year or early next year as the fiscal year ends Dec, being 100% ” energy independent ” may never happen , but 70% would be acceptable, as we’ll never embrace nuclear.
Our spending needs to be curtailed but the second that’s attempted the word Austerity will be banded about.
@ecrowley ecrowley Who is this “we” you speak of?
@Paul O’Mahoney: my last Electric Ireland bill was 77.2% Renewable energy
@Paul O’Mahoney: Ya, the rainy day fund is a smart move especially if capital spending was to be used at a time where it’s cheaper to get things done. If we don’t strike sooner rather than later, I’d be afraid the money will just be frizzled away.
@Seanie: the government following consultation with “we” the public.
@ecrowley ecrowley: That’s exactly what the rainy day funds are
@MMCLO: I’m aware of what they are. I said the money would most likely be frizzled away down the line and NOT used on capital projects. Hence, why I’d use a significant portion of these windfalls now and get something meaningful done, despite the high costs of doing things currently.
@Meh Meh: Mine was allegedly 100%, but there are more things that are powered, and gas turbines are used along with imports.
@Paul O’Mahoney: we are the most reliant country in Europe on fossil fuels, near 100% of which is imported. just like everything else, in reality there is zero government impetus to be energy independent. would take at least 20 years. governments don’t do long term.
@ecrowley ecrowley: When did the government ever consult “we” the people over what to do with exchequer funds, also i would prefer to have money in my bank account so I could support my kids rather than the government having it to misspend on the likes of the childrens hospital or that bike shed.
@Niall English: We can do some of it ourselves. My house should be a net energy producer over the year with its 30 square meters of grid tied panels.
I do wish that plug in solar was allowed here. That gets renters involved because they can take it with them when they move.
@Niall English: Are you sure about that reliance figure, Germany has very little natural resources and was importing all it’s gas from Russia until the war. About 30% of our electricity is now wind generation and rising, Corrib, gas is probably 50% depleted by now.
What exactly should any Government do?
@Steve O’Hara-Smith: Why isn’t plug in Solar allowed?
@Seanie: I totally agree about money being misspent. And we’d overpay again most likely cos of some of äpes in charge. My point is I’d rather forgo the extra fiver a week but have something meaningful to show for it at the end of the day. Imagine not being reliant on the importation of gas or oil.
@Paul O’Mahoney: last year 83% of our energy production was via fossil fuels via oil imported from UK, US and Azerbaijan, and gas imported from UK and Norway.
@ecrowley ecrowley: I understand where you’re coming from but I don’t trust the government with our taxes and their ability to undertake infrastructure projects that come in on budget and on time, that’s why I would prefer that extra fiver in my pocket, the government has and still is squandering exchequer funds.
@Niall English: Have a look at the CSO figures for 2023 it’s very different to yours.
@Seanie: I can’t argue with you there. If we have learned anything it’s that they are very good at spending our money. I suppose I foolishly keep hoping they might get one good, long-term project done right. Wishful thinking says you.
@Paul O’Mahoney: 5% of renewable energy consumption as per latest report i could find. that was 2021 report. which i believe was the last census date iirc.
We’ll see none of it anyway, makes no difference
@qffaffaf affrafrfraf: some will see it and those that choose to work, won’t see it.
Won’t last long if they keep constructing 350k unsweetened sheds for bikes , be gone in a jiffy lol
@daz Carroll: imagine how much it would cost if it had been sweetened!
Build Houses, don’t send it to U Kraine.
@087 bed: The total amount we have sent to Ukraine since Russia invaded amounts to €70 each. I think we can afford that.
@087 bed: We should send you to Russia. You’re fierce enamoured with Putin, so you are.
How’s our ‘rainy day fund’ going? I hope we’re not going to be like the rags-to-riches-back-to-rags lotto millionaires we read about from time to time.
If the multinationals start to leave, what happens?
Build something we need please.
@Thesaltyurchin: Bike sheds?
@Seanie: Easy Sean!… it’s Bike ‘shed’ ;)
Always an excuse like timing when we have a surplus.
We are been spun lies and bull by FFG and those around them for decades now.
@Vinny Hughes: The timing issue is simply that CT receipts earlier in the year weren’t following expectations and it was corrected in August, they didn’t state what the issue was but comparing last August to this August gives a huge increase which in reality only a catch up .
Can’t see what’s spun about it.
That would build us 10,382 bike sheds!
Great news, SF wouldn’t be long turning that into a deficit
@Fintan Pox: you do know SF have never been in government ?
@Shane Kinsella (Kinsey): They have and are. In the North, they promised 100,000 homes. They delivered a little under 3000.
@honey badger: Well, considering the Assembly didn’t sit for quite some time on account of reasons NOT due to SF, I doubt any government would have produced any better results, to be fair.
Because we are in the biggest transfer of wealth ever with inflation and corporate gouging, the last hoover up of assets and liquidity before the new system is implemented.
Maybe start building something resembling a transportation system with it?
@GoodBrother: A train set?
Shinner dole scroungers hoping for a windfall lol
@Fintan Pox: Time now to cut the dole for anyone not working for a year or more
Tax and tax, spend and spend, elect and elect.
Let’s build a further 60 bike sheds then
Help carers and old age pensioners out a bit more they need it with the rising cost of everything not to mention heating give them a help.
It’s good that O donohoe is there as that fellow hasn’t a clue , why not have a state owned facility producing houses that are produced in house ready for construction A rated that can be assembled in a very short time at half the cost and built on government land . But that’s common sense so NO developers won’t make money out of that????
How about spending the money on a woefully inadequate health service!!!
@Mike Dunne: health service is not woefully inadequate and the tax payer already spends 25 billion a year
Another bike shed would be in order the last one turned out well looks lovely
Easy fix – just split it up and send it to Ukraine and Gaza. Best use of our money
If ever there was a time when a level head is needed in the department of finance its now. There are alot if indications of a slow down on the horizon and our dopes want to buy an election at any cost.
have your say