2012: The Year of Debt Restructuring

Over the next twelve months, expect unsettling developments, EconoMonitor reported. The global crisis is still unfolding, and it could escalate. Weakening growth, rising systemic risks, and contagion-prone markets are likely to enhance economic and financial fragility. We are entering a perilous new phase. First, growth will remain below potential, hindered by excessive debt. Since 2000, total world dues – the debt globally held by governments, corporations, and households – doubled (from 32 to 63 percent of global output), mostly in developed economies.
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European Banks Stop Serving American Customers

European banks are dumping clients with US citizenship due to a new American law meant to curb tax evasion. The law would require financial institutions around the world to report on certain client activities. Compliance, say many banks, is way too expensive, Spiegel Online reported. The idea was to ensure that US citizens were paying their taxes on investments made through overseas banks.
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Behind the Headlines — A Closer Look at Antitrust Reverse Termination Fees

Perhaps no topic has engendered more conversation among dealmakers in recent months than the allocation between merging parties of the risk of obtaining antitrust approval of a proposed acquisition. With the increase in strategic combinations and the expectation of a more robust regulatory environment under the current administration, many recent merger agreements feature painstakingly negotiated provisions to address these risks.Read more

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