Bond vigilantes or the revenge of the rentier?

My piece for Jacobin were I explain why higher bond yields are not at all a result of a fiscally irresponsible government being disciplined by bond vigilantes. They are, instead, a deliberate policy choice that shifts income from workers and borrowers to wealthy bondholders. Interest rates, at both end of the yield curve, are shaped by Federal Reserve policies rather than simply by market dynamics. Concerns about financial fragility are exaggerated, and the danger is that the higher yields, that lead to a higher interest rate bill, and a higher debt-to-GDP ratio, would be used politically for constraining social spending. Ultimately, this situation reflects political choices rather than financial necessity.

Per S&P & Bloomberg, Argentina Defaults... So What Now?

From a matter of fact point of view, even though Argentina has made the payments to bondholders, Judge Griesa's decision precludes them (the bondholders) from receiving payment, and so Argentina is technically in default (Argentine Finance Minister, Kicillof called it: "default Griesa. Griefault." This is NOT like in 2002 the result of lack of funds, but direct consequence from a judicial decision backed by the US Supreme Court. From Bloomberg:

Standard & Poor’s declared Argentina in default after the government missed a deadline for paying interest on $13 billion of restructured bonds. The South American country failed to get the $539 million payment to bondholders after a U.S. judge ruled that the money couldn’t be distributed unless a group of hedge funds holding defaulted debt also got paid. Argentina, in default for the second time in 13 years, has about $200 billion in foreign-currency debt, including $30 billion of restructured bonds, according to S&P. Argentina and the hedge funds, led by billionaire Paul Singer’s Elliott Management Corp., failed to reach agreement in talks today in New York, according to the court-appointed mediator in the case, Daniel Pollack. In a press conference after the talks ended, Argentine Economy Minister Axel Kicillof described the group of creditors as “vulture funds” and said the country wouldn’t sign an accord under “extortion.”

Read rest here.

And for recent NK posts on the situation, see here, here, here, here, here, and here.

Mark Weisbrot - The Debt Vultures' Fell Swoop

By Mark Weisbrot

Last week, the United States Supreme Court decided not to review a ruling in the Second Circuit Court of Appeals whose effect is that Argentina must pay “holdout” creditors who refused to participate in debt restructuring agreements that Argentina reached with the majority of bondholders following the 2001 default on its sovereign debt. Argentina’s lawyers warned that the court’s decision created “a serious and imminent risk” that the country would again be forced to default. But the ruling also has profound and disturbing implications for the functioning of the international financial system, and even the United States would most likely be adversely affected. Parties as diverse as the International Monetary Fund and leading religious organizations wanted the Supreme Court to overturn the decision, and briefs supporting this position were filed by the governments of France, Brazil and Mexico, as well as by the Nobel Prize-winning economist Joseph E. Stiglitz. The I.M.F. — which has had mostly sour relations with Argentina since its involvement in that country’s 1998-2002 recession — was also planning to file a brief on Argentina’s side to the Supreme Court, but was blocked by the American government from doing so. This action may have influenced the court’s decision not to hear the case.

Read rest here, and for recent posts on the topic by Matías, see here & here

Reverse Bond Vigilantism -- How is that austerity thing working out for you?

Let me see if I get this correctly: Monetary and fiscal austerity reigns over Europe like Napoleon. And beyond to the UK. So what is happening to sovereign bond yields? They are down, right?

In rough numbers, and for 10 years unless noted:

Spain 3 month over 5%
German auction fails by 40%, yields rising
Austria 4%
France 4%
Belgium 5%
Italy 7%
Spain 7%
Portugal 12% if I am reading Bloomberg correctly
Greece 30% ibid

While the risk premium is rising surely just because the Euro zone is currently so dysfunctional, clearly the bond vigilantes are not driving up rates because they think the economies will boom, not even the core economies.

Thus, can this be the last time we have to hear about how austerity must be invoked to please the bond vigilantes? Please? And focus on what they care about, which is growth (since they are after all Keynesians). And then we can fight the correct fight, which is over the meme of austerity-led growth. That one is easy to win. Nope, not even Canada. Sorry.

Update: From Tim Duy at Fed Watch, looks like Eurozone industrial production is tanking, leading growth forecasts down. The blue line headed almost straight down is the result of austerity, and doesn't look like growth to me. This chart also indicates US decoupling from the coming Eurozone depression may be difficult.