Europe Economics Weekly Core policymakers resisting calls for decisive action Despite some dire pronouncements from global policymakers last week, there remain few signs that their counterparts in Europe are preparing to pull out all the stops and secure the future of the... 27th September 2011 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Weekly Heading for another recession Last week proved to be another rollercoaster week for Greece. We now think that the Government may end up defaulting within months or perhaps even weeks. With concerns about banks’ solvency likely to... 20th September 2011 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Weekly Core and periphery still at loggerheads More signs emerged last week that policymakers in the core economies are unwilling to soften the conditions attached to current or future bail-outs. For now, though, Greece looks set to bow to EC, ECB... 13th September 2011 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Weekly Is the euro-zone heading back into recession? The latest data have provided considerable support to our long-held view that the euro-zone recovery would grind to a halt. For now, we continue to expect a long period of near economic stagnation... 6th September 2011 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Weekly Collateral squabble casts doubt on Greek bail-out This week, the markets’ focus has fallen back on Greece. In addition to long-standing doubts over whether a sufficient number of private-sector creditors will sign up to the Greek debt exchange scheme... 30th August 2011 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Weekly Policymakers still unwilling to pull out all the stops Signs last week that European policymakers remain unwilling to take major steps towards fiscal union, coupled with very weak economic data and a renewed slump in equity prices, did nothing to alter... 23rd August 2011 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Weekly French fears deepen crisis Last week saw markets respond fairly positively to the ECB’s bond purchases and Spanish and Italian bond yields fell sharply from dangerously high levels. At the same time, though, France has been... 16th August 2011 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Weekly Italy’s debt dynamics worsen Prior to the announcement of the second rescue package for Greece, we noted that anything other than a very decisive response by European policymakers could prompt Italy and Spain to be dragged deeper... 9th August 2011 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Weekly Slowdown spreads to Germany Data last week brought perhaps the firmest signs yet that the slowdown in euro-zone economic activity has spread to the region’s core. With exports weakening in response to slowing world demand and... 2nd August 2011 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Weekly Back from the brink, for now The positive market reaction to the Greek rescue package is not without some justification. After all, following the dithering and disagreement of recent months, it would not have been a shock if... 26th July 2011 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Weekly Still fiddling while Rome starts to burn Having pledged to agree on a new rescue package for Greece last week, euro-zone policymakers managed only another vague statement pledging their commitment to “safeguard financial stability” in the... 19th July 2011 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Weekly A reality check for Portugal Last week’s move by credit rating agency Moody’s to cut Portugal’s rating to below investment grade was a stark reminder that default concerns are not confined to Greece. While the move was fiercely... 12th July 2011 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Weekly Greek plan won’t end the periphery’s problems The risk of an imminent Greek disaster appears to have eased after the Greek parliament passed the crucial medium-term fiscal bill last week. But European policymakers’ inability to deal with the... 5th July 2011 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Weekly Greece edging closer to a second bail-out Developments last week suggest that the Greek Government will receive the fifth tranche of its initial bail-out package by early July. What’s more, although the finer details on the form of any... 28th June 2011 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Weekly Greece teetering on the edge The growing political uncertainty within Greece and fears that European policymakers will not step in and take decisive action to resolve the crisis has pushed the Greek Government closer to the brink... 21st June 2011 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Weekly Voluntary is the key "v-word" now President Trichet last week stressed again the ECB’s general opposition to a restructuring of Greek debt. But he left the door slightly open to a “voluntary” agreement in which bondholders would... 14th June 2011 · 1 min read
