The European Commission named and shamed seven EU Member States for facilitating tax avoidance on Wednesday. The European Semester country reports published on Wednesday signaled Belgium, Cyprus, Hungary, Ireland, Luxembourg, Malta and the Netherlands. Country reports underscored so-called “tax planning schemes,” that is, a byword for tax-avoidance. The European Commission also released a study that clearly delineates the criteria for the evaluation of member state tax policies. Source: New Europe
It finally happened, that glorious moment, when, after teetering on the verge for weeks – for reasons we’ll get into shortly – the incredibly spiking US gross national debt, after kissing the line a couple of times for a moment, finally, and suddenly by a big leap, jumped over the $28-trillion mark, with a $143-billion leap in one day on Wednesday, March 31, following some big Treasury sales. Source Wolfstreet
The Russian Akademik Cherskiy vessel has arrived at the construction site to lay pipes for the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline project, Nord Stream 2 AG, project operator company, told reporters. Source Tass
Holders of UK government bonds are suffering the worst quarter in at least two decades as Britain’s economic prospects brighten, setting a contrast with the eurozone where a more sputtering recovery from the coronavirus crisis is helping haven assets hold their value. Source FT
