Quote:
Originally Posted by parsonsj
But we're talking about government debt, and there is a huge difference between the U.S and Europe: currency. The U.S. has its own currency and can borrow at historically low rates. European governments cannot (due to their shared currency), and borrowing costs are sky-high for them since there is no European bond that would correspond to U.S Treasury bonds.
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Debt is a "product" -- which, when offered, needs a buyer... when the buyer is afraid of the product - he'll demand a higher premium or he won't buy.
It's the oldest market in the world... Our debt is "cheap" (Low coupon rates) because we are seen as having the ability to pay back the debt with the interest. Europe's debt carries a high coupon rate because there is a far higher risk of default.
As a buyer of bonds and corporate bonds etc... I wouldn't care if Europe paid 15% - I wouldn't touch it. It wouldn't make me a buyer even if all of Europe backed the bonds, because their problems are so systemic that issuing more bonds to cover their current crisis is only adding to their problems.
It's like getting pregnant to save a marriage - or borrowing a third mortgage on your house because you have a debt problem... either way - it's going to end badly.
The real issue is - whether you're a household, or a government - you can't spend more than you earn.
The problem is fixing what got you here in the first place...