by winston » Wed Feb 25, 2015 7:57 am
Ceasefire ?
The questionable ceasefire that Germany and France cobbled together never really took hold, and fighting in eastern Ukraine continues.
Ukraine is of strategic importance to Russian President Vladimir Putin, and he has shown he is willing to pay a steep price to achieve his objectives.
The price that Putin will pay may indeed rise after the latest ceasefire agreement was essentially ignored by Ukraine and pro-Russian rebels.
The Obama administration is mulling another round of sanctions in response to Russia’s strategy of “land-grabbing,” as U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry put it.
That would come on top of the credit downgrade that Moody’s just announced for Russia, which moved its rating into “junk” territory with a negative outlook.
Sanctions, low oil prices, inflation, and a reeling ruble have significantly darkened the growth prospects for Russia.
With Russia’s credit now below investment grade, the country could see an increase in capital flight, which would further undermine the currency and its stash of foreign exchange.
Source: Oilprice.com
It's all about "how much you made when you were right" & "how little you lost when you were wrong"