Europe Economics Update Italy may only spend a quarter of EU Recovery Fund Italy has already accumulated so many delays in spending NextGenerationEU money that it will only be able to use a fraction of the funds and any boost to growth is likely to be much smaller than hoped... 24th July 2023 · 6 mins read
Europe Economics Update Additional headwind from tighter fiscal policy Lower energy prices and the reinstatement of the EU’s fiscal rules will contribute to lower budget deficits in the euro-zone next year. Together with tighter monetary policy, this will help to dampen... 19th July 2023 · 4 mins read
Europe Economics Update Euro-zone probably contracted again in Q2 The latest data suggest that the euro-zone remained in recession in Q2. We think that the economy will continue to contract in the second half of the year as the impact of tighter monetary policy... 19th July 2023 · 2 mins read
Europe Economics Update Switzerland’s inflation spectre slain Swiss inflation has fallen sharply this year to below 2% and we expect it to stay there for the foreseeable future. In contrast to the SNB’s view, we think second-round effects on wages will be quite... 18th July 2023 · 4 mins read
Europe Economics Update Election uncertainty in Spain The upcoming election in Spain may result in a change of government, but it is unlikely to change the country’s short-term economic fortunes. Low inflation and a rebound in tourism will help GDP... 11th July 2023 · 3 mins read
Europe Economics Update Construction boom in Italy fizzling out We think that the huge expansion of the Italian construction sector over the past two years has run its course, as the reduction in construction subsidies and tighter financial conditions will reduce... 11th July 2023 · 4 mins read
Europe Economics Update When would the Bundesbank need recapitalising? There are circumstances in which the Bundesbank’s losses over the next few years could require it to be recapitalised by the German government. However, we think these are unlikely to occur and the... 10th July 2023 · 5 mins read
Europe Economics Update Europe, China and EVs: lessons from the 1980s In the 1980s Europe responded to competition from Japanese auto producers with protectionist policies known as Voluntary Export Restraints (VERs). We think its response to competition from China in... 3rd July 2023 · 4 mins read
Global Economics Update Hawkish tone at Sintra forum, particularly in Europe Central bankers have struck a hawkish tone at the ECB’s forum in Sintra this week, suggesting that rates haven’t yet peaked and cuts are not on the cards for some time. But there were some interesting... 28th June 2023 · 4 mins read
Europe Economics Update Money and lending data suggest recession will drag on The effects of tighter monetary policy are very clear in the money and credit data, reinforcing our view that the euro-zone economy will underperform the ECB and consensus forecasts. 28th June 2023 · 2 mins read
Europe Economics Update Don’t lose sleep over Bundesbank losses The Bundesbank may make large losses in the coming years but these will be paper losses only, will have no impact on the government’s fiscal position, and are likely to fall over time. While the... 26th June 2023 · 4 mins read
FX Markets Update The fall and fall of the Swedish krona The rapid depreciation of the Swedish krona has pushed the currency down to its lowest ever level against the euro. Worse still, we do not think the krona is significantly below “fair value”, nor do... 22nd June 2023 · 4 mins read
Europe Economics Update Riksbank will ignore “Beyoncé theory” and raise rates Some observers have suggested that the strength of Swedish inflation in May reflected buoyant demand driven by Beyoncé’s Stockholm concerts but the Riksbank is more likely to view it as evidence that... 22nd June 2023 · 3 mins read
Europe Economics Update SNB hikes by 25bp and signals more to come The 25bp rate hike announced by the SNB this morning was smaller than the 50bp hike we had predicted. But the accompanying statement and upward revision to inflation forecasts for 2024 and 2025... 22nd June 2023 · 3 mins read
Europe Economics Update Norges Bank steps up the pace, more hikes to come Today’s 50bp rate hike by the Norges Bank, taking its policy rate to 3.75%, was accompanied by new hawkish guidance and projections. As a result, we have revised up our already above-consensus... 22nd June 2023 · 3 mins read
Europe Economics Update Inflation falling but SNB set to hike rates further Policymakers are likely to raise the policy rate by 50bp to 2% next Thursday, despite inflation falling sharply this year. And SNB Chairman Thomas Jordan’s view that Switzerland’s neutral interest... 15th June 2023 · 4 mins read
