Draghi’s optimism – The man reshaping the Central European Bank has been looking at the future of the euro with cautious optimism. These words, spoken by Mario Draghi during a press conference on January 10, were reported in the major foreign papers. While Arab News and Washington Post focused on the reforms of the Central European Bank enacted by the former Governor of the Bank of Italy (Arab News – How Draghi is reshaping Europe’s central bank; Washington Post – In his first year as ECB chief, Draghi has loaned to banks, cut rates and offered to buy bonds), the Spanish La Vanguardia and the Brazilian Valor Economico reported on signs of recovery in the euro zone (La Vanguardia – Draghi se muestra optimista y ve que los mercados se normalizan; Valor Economico – Draghi vê retomada gradual da zona do euro, mas cita riscos*)
Elections – International agencies and dailies did not forget the Italian election campaign underway and ran several articles mostly on Mario Monti’s foray into politics. There were articles in Le Monde (December 29 – M. Monti se lance dans la bataille électorale à la tête d’une coalition de centre droit); China Post (December 27 – Italians should ‘rise up’ & refresh politics: PM Monti); Arab News (December 25 – Monti’s agenda: ‘Change Italy and reform Europe’); Financial Times (December 28 – Monti to lead centrist group into election); Wall Street Journal (January 3 – Falling Italian Yields May Be Helping Monti, but Not the Euro); Washington Post (January 4 – Italy’s Monti off and running: Unveils symbol, plan to ensure ticket’s candidates are clean); and The Economist (January 5 – Italian politics: Keeping the radical left in check).
Generali and Fiat, growth abroad – The foreign press also covered the growth abroad of two large Italian groups. Reports on the 2.5 billion euro purchase of the Czech PPF by Generali were run on January 8 by the Financial Times (Italy’s Generali moves deeper into EM with PPF buy and Generali: strategy in motion ), Gulf News (Generali buys out Czech venture); New York Times (Generali to Buy Stake in Joint Venture for $3.3 Billion); Les Echos – Generali se renforce en Europe Centrale et en Russie). There were also pieces on Fiat, which is growing in the United States and Brazil and is preparing a new Jeep to be produced in Italy in La Tribune ( Chrysler en plein boom, GM à la traîne, sur un marché auto américain porteur), Valor Economico – Fiat alcança recorde anual de vendas no Brasil em 2012 ) and La Nacion (Habrá un nuevo jeep made in italy).
Made in Italy and emerging economies – Finally, the foreign press also reported on the development of the Made in Italy brand in the markets of emerging economies. Folha De S. Paulo explained the strategies of Zegna (January 6 – Emergentes renovam Ermenegildo Zegna), while Reuters and Wall Street Journal concentrated on Ferragamo (January 3 – Ferragamo raises stake in distribution venture; January 4 – Shoe Scion Salvatore Ferragamo Trots the Globe). Finally, on January 8, the Indian press ran articles on the agreement signed by Versace to sell on this Asian market (The Hindu Business Line – Magenta Fashions to offer Italian Versace products in India; Times of India – Versace 19.69 ties up with Majgenta for India foray).
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