The establishment of a special unit within the Department of the Taoiseach (Irelands Prime
Minister) to deal with a possible British exit shows the Government is taking the threat of
Brexit seriously. Nonetheless, Ireland faces a delicate balancing act over the coming years in
Brussels demonstrating to its European partners that it remains committed to the European
project, while working constructively with Britain on a reform agenda in which both countries
share much common ground.
This renewed complexity in European affairs is bound to have a detrimental effect on the value
of the Euro. It is highly likely it will add new energy to speculation whether the Euro can indeed
survive a British withdrawal. When one takes into consideration the fact that the Greek debt
crisis is in no way resolved it thus remains highly probable that the Dollar will continue to grow
in strength vis-a-vis the Euro. This is not good news for US corporate earning going forward
given their market foot-print in Euroland. Should the European Union become even weaker as a
result of the English referendum there is a distinct possibility that a sharp decline in European
GDP figures will herald a significant pullback in the US stock market for where earnings go
share prices are sure to follow.
Charts courtesy of Worden Bros.
News Source: Irish Times 2nd. April 2015