Euro: To Praise or Condemn?

In light of the credit crisis, commentators on the Euro have taken to one of two extremes; either they believe the Euro is doomed, or they argue that the Euro represents the key to EU economic salvation.

The naysayers point to recent trends in financial markets such as the widening spread between German and Italian bond yields.

They further argue that a common monetary policy exacerbated the credit crisis by fomenting real estate booms in overheated economies, namely Ireland and Spain.

Supporters, on the other hand, need to look no further than the complete economic collapse in Iceland to understand the advantages of the Euro. Moreover, some of the more fragile EU members (Luxembourg, Belgium) would have witnessed runs on their currencies, if not for their participation in the common currency.

In the end, the Euro probably represents a viable investment alternative to the Dollar and it brings the benefit of relative stability to its members.

While its supporters are prone to overstating its benefits, it's not likely at risk of crumbling in the next few years.

The Economist reports:
The euro's defenders are convinced that the currency will still be there at the end of the crisis. That is a reasonable bet.

But public support for the euro may still be painfully tested as economies deteriorate.