The European Debt Crisis
The European debt crisis threatened the euro from 2009 to 2012. Learn how Greece's deficits sparked contagion, the bailouts, Draghi's pledge and the lessons.
The European sovereign debt crisis was a series of crises from late 2009 to around 2012 in which several eurozone countries struggled to borrow, and markets feared the euro itself might break apart. It began when Greece revealed that its budget deficit was far larger than reported. Borrowing costs soared for Greece, Ireland, Portugal, Spain and Italy, banks holding their bonds came under stress, and the eurozone launched bailouts and new rescue funds. The turning point came in July 2012, when European Central Bank president Mario Draghi pledged to do "whatever it takes" to preserve the euro.
Timeline#
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| October 2009 | Greece's new government reveals a much larger budget deficit than previously reported |
| May 2010 | Greece receives a €110 billion bailout from eurozone countries and the IMF; the EFSF rescue fund is created |
| November 2010 | Ireland receives a bailout after its banking crisis |
| May 2011 | Portugal receives a bailout |
| 2011 | Contagion spreads to Spain and Italy; bond yields rise sharply |
| March 2012 | Greece completes a debt restructuring with private bondholders, the largest sovereign restructuring in history at the time |
| June 2012 | Spain seeks support for its banks |
| 26 July 2012 | Draghi says the ECB will do "whatever it takes" to preserve the euro |
| September 2012 | The ECB announces Outright Monetary Transactions (OMT); the permanent ESM rescue fund launches soon after |
| 2015 | Greece faces a new crisis, capital controls and a third bailout |
Causes#
| Cause | Explanation |
|---|---|
| High government debt and deficits | Especially in Greece, where data had been misreported |
| Banking crises | Ireland and Spain suffered property busts that hit their banks |
| Loss of competitiveness | Some countries' costs rose faster than Germany's, and they could not devalue a shared currency |
| Monetary union without fiscal union | A single interest rate and currency, but separate national budgets |
| Doom loop | Banks held their own governments' bonds; weak banks hurt governments and vice versa. See Systemic Risk |
How bond markets reacted#
Draghi's pledge#
On 26 July 2012, Mario Draghi said: "Within our mandate, the ECB is ready to do whatever it takes to preserve the euro. And believe me, it will be enough." The OMT programme announced in September allowed the ECB to buy government bonds of countries in a support programme. The programme was never actually used, yet bond yields in Spain and Italy fell sharply after the announcement. It is a classic example of central bank credibility moving markets. See The ECB and the BOJ.
Market effects#
- Euro weakness and volatility in currency markets. See Currency Pairs: Majors, Minors and Exotics.
- Bank stocks fell sharply across Europe.
- Safe haven flows into German bonds, US Treasuries and the Swiss franc, which led the Swiss National Bank to set a floor for the franc in 2011. See Central Bank Intervention.
- Global risk aversion, contributing to nervousness in markets worldwide.
Lessons#
- Sovereign debt is not risk free when a country cannot print its own currency.
- Contagion spreads to countries seen as similar.
- Bank and government risks can feed each other.
- Central bank credibility can calm markets even without spending money.
- Political decisions can drive markets as much as economic data. See Macro Trading.
Frequently asked questions#
What was the European debt crisis?#
A period from 2009 to about 2012 when several eurozone countries struggled to finance their debts, requiring bailouts and threatening the euro.
Why did Greece need a bailout?#
Its debt and deficits were far larger than reported, and markets stopped lending at affordable rates, so it turned to eurozone countries and the IMF.
What did "whatever it takes" mean?#
Mario Draghi's 2012 pledge that the ECB would act to preserve the euro, followed by a bond purchase programme that calmed markets.
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