@LumpenErnie@MichaelAArouet Why didn't the same thing happen to France then?
The € is just one small puzzle piece. Much more important in the case of Italy:
too many small firms, low specialization
too much bureaucracy
ineffective legal system
bad school/univ./apprentice system
low R&D investment
etc.
CIA SAYS IRAN CAN OUTLAST HORMUZ BLOCKADE FOR MONTHS – WAPO
A confidential U.S. intelligence assessment says Iran could withstand a U.S. naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz for 90–120 days, and possibly longer, according to multiple officials cited by The Washington Post.
The report also finds Iran still retains much of its missile and drone arsenal despite sustained U.S. and Israeli strikes, suggesting its military capacity remains significant.
While the White House claims the blockade is causing severe economic damage, the assessment concludes Tehran has enough resilience and workarounds—such as oil stockpiles and alternative smuggling routes—to avoid immediate collapse.
The next big question tonight:
Tons of major news outlets reported the same information ahead of President Trump's address to the nation, sending markets sharply higher.
Almost all "insider sources" signaled Trump would be "winding down" the war tonight.
What just happened?
In a sudden turn of events, US 12-month inflation expectations have surged to 5.2%, the highest level since March 2023.
In just 3 weeks, markets have gone from pricing-in rate cuts to rate hikes.