Unprecedented signs of recovery – There is a concentration of positive news for Italy, a mixutre of external and internal factors that show unprecedented signs of recovery. The CEO of UniCredit, Andrea Nicastro, was optimistic in an interview with Bloomberg (February 9 – UniCredit’s Nicastro Sees Unprecedented Signs of Italy Recovery), and not only because of the return of profits in his own bank, whose turnover has been helped by domestic recovery (Washington Post, February 11 UniCredit bank returns to Q4 profit as Italian market heals; Expansion, February 11 – UniCredit deja atrás los números rojos y gana 2.008 millones en 2014). It is also because the positive prospects of the Italian economic were clearly stated by the Bank of Italy, which decided to increase its forecast for a rise in the GDP for 2015 and 2016, a move that made the rounds of the international papers (February 7 Financial Times – Bank of Italy raises its growth forecast*; New York Times – Central Bank Raises Italy Growth Forecasts*; Reuters – Bank of Italy raises Italy 2015, 2016 growth forecasts; O Globo – Banco Central da Itália eleva previsão de crescimento da economia).
As the Financial Times states, the drop in the exchange rate of the euro can help Italian exports (February 9 – Rome foresees economic benefit in euro’s fall*), but the extent of recovery signs goes far beyond external factors and is reflected in the positive results of credit institutions like Intesa Sanpaolo (February 10 Washington Post – Italy’s Intesa bank returns to profit in fourth quarter; Les Echos – Intesa renforce ses fonds propres, relève son dividende; Wall Street Journal, February 10 – Intesa Sanpaolo Swings to Profit*), Mediobanca (Bloomberg, February 10 – Mediobanca Profit Beats Estimates on Higher Revenue), Popolare di Sondrio (Reuters, February 10 – Italy’s Popolare Sondrio 2014 net doubles on trading income), Bper (Reuters, February 10 – Italy’s BPER posts 85 pct rise in 2014 net on trading income).
Tourism – The foreign press published several articles on tourism. The New York Times offered suggestions for readers who wanted to visit some of the more unusual places in Italy (February 6 – Italy, Beyond the Tourist Traps) and the Washington Post recommended taking a leap backwards to celebrate the Carnival of Venice (February 10 – Venice takes a step back in time for 17-day Carnival). The image of Italy as dream destination was in fact well placed in articles in the foreign press. The New York Times wrote about Castel San Giuliano in Umbria, a dilapidated dwelling in need of a buyer looking to turn a dream into reality (February 5 – An Italian Castle in Need of a Rescue); Time recommended visiting Casole d’Elsa in Toscana to stay in one of the world’s most romantic hotels (February 6 – These Are the World’s Most Romantic Hotels); El Mundo included Lake Como in the list of the best location to propose marriage (February 9 – Los mejores lugares para pedir matrimonio).
Culture, style, taste – There were other articles about Made in Italy culture, taste, and style. Starting with music, Le Monde reported on the tarantellas of Antonio Castrignano ready to debut in Paris (February 6 – Antonio Castrignano se pique de tarentelle*), while the Washington Post remembered the pianist Aldo Ciccolini, master of virtuosity and elegance (February 8 – Aldo Ciccolini, pianist of virtuosity and elegance, dies at 89). Liberation ran a piece on Walter Bonatti, the legend of mountaineering (9 – Bonatti, photographies des grands espaces) and Le Monde informed its readers that Prada has engaged designer and cabinet maker Martino Gamper to dress its windows (February 6 – Martino Gamper habille Prada*). Finally, the New York Times provided its readers with a choice if Italian bubbles to celebrate Valentine’s Day (February 10 – Champagne, Italian Reds Add Sparkle to Valentine’s Day*).
* marked articles viewable online upon payment or registration