The Italian Story: Easy Math, Somewhat Complicated Economics, Extremely Complex Politics

2 min read

In recent weeks I have been covering the current Italian stalemate with the European Union regarding the Mediterranean country’s 2019 budget. Its targeted 2.4% fiscal deficit as a share of its GDP is three times as large as the 0.8% the previous government had committed the country to achieve in order to start reducing the Italy’s massive accumulated sovereign debt burden (in excess of 130% of GDP). As the title of this article implies, the math is pretty easy. Even at 2.4% of GDP (if that’s what Italy actually ends up adhering to), the debt to GDP could still edge…...

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Claudio Brocado Claudio Brocado is a seasoned financial professional with substantial corporate finance experience, followed by over twenty years in the financial services industry — sell-side as well as over sixteen years on the buy-side, including firms such as RCM (now Allianz Global Investors), Putnam, Fidelity and Batterymarch, an affiliate of Legg Mason. Mr. Brocado has substantial global expertise and interests (complemented by formal studies in foreign languages and literatures) and enjoys a strong understanding of multiple cultures and intercultural communications. He has Bachelor of Arts with a double major from Washington State University (in Hotel and Restaurant Administration and Foreign Languages and Literatures) and a Masters in Business Administration from the University of California, Irvine. Starting in 2014, Claudio (now officially retired) spends much of his ‘professionally-oriented’ time performing research on and investing in global financial markets — developed and emerging — with a long-term (5-year-plus investment horizon). Having grown up in Mexico, and with extensive contacts at all levels of industry and financial services throughout Latin America, Mr. Brocado can provide value added to global investors participating in the region. Claudio is the author of the book “Against #shortermism” - A few lessons on the importance of a long-term corporate culture. He publishes frequently on LinkedIn, Seeking Alpha and Medium (including their specialized “Data Driven Investor” platform). Mr. Brocado is also a member of the Board of Directors of Young Investors Society (YIS.org), a US-based non-profit organization focused on improving the financial literacy of high school youths in the US and a growing number of countries.