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Improvement, but surveys still point to recession The flash PMIs for December provide more evidence that businesses in some parts of the euro-zone have become a bit less gloomy about their current situation – but they still point to a combination of …
16th December 2022
No early Christmas cheer for retailers The 0.4% m/m fall (consensus +0.3%) in retail sales volumes in November resumes the downward trend seen across most of the year. Sales volumes in November were 4.5% lower than at the start of the year. And despite …
More ECB rate hikes to come Today’s 50bp rate hike came alongside hawkish comments which are consistent with our view that the deposit rate will peak at 3%, significantly higher than the consensus forecast and a touch above what was priced into the …
15th December 2022
Easing off the brakes, but hikes may not halt until rates hit 4.50% The Bank of England followed the Fed by slowing the pace of interest rate hikes from 75bps in November to a 50bps hike today as widely expected, which took rates from 3.00% to 3.50%. But …
Inflation passed its peak, slower rate hikes more likely The fall in CPI inflation, from 11.1% in October to 10.7% in November (consensus 10.9%, BoE 10.9%, CE 11.1%,), means that inflation has peaked and the fall in core inflation from 6.5% to 6.3% will …
14th December 2022
Rebound in October likely to be a blip The larger-than-expected 0.5% m/m rise in GDP in October was mostly due to the rebound after September’s extra bank holiday. But it could tilt the Bank of England towards delivering another bumper 75bps interest rate …
12th December 2022
Slowing growth keeps the NBP on hold Poland’s central bank (NBP) stuck to its script today as it left interest rates on hold at 6.75% for the third consecutive meeting. With inflation nearing a peak and the economy slowing, we think the tightening cycle …
7th December 2022
German industrial output resilient but still set for contraction German industrial production once again held up better than expected in October. But this resilience was driven partly by a recovery in construction which tends to be volatile. We expect …
Peak headline inflation won’t stop ECB hiking Euro-zone headline inflation may now be past its peak but with core inflation unchanged in November and likely to stay well above 2% throughout next year, we expect the ECB to press on with another 50bp or …
30th November 2022
Small improvement in sentiment and fall in headline inflation The small increase in the EC Economic Sentiment Indicator (ESI) for November suggests that prospects for the euro-zone economy are no longer deteriorating. While we still expect a recession, it …
29th November 2022
Higher interest rates are weighing on credit and attracting savings October’s money and credit figures reveal further signs that households continue to remain cautious and higher interest rates are starting to weigh on the economy. The £0.8bn rise in …
ECB account gives little away on next steps There are no significant clues in the account of the ECB’s October meeting about the pace and extent to which the Bank will raise interest rates in December and next year. A 50bp hike seems most likely next …
24th November 2022
Small improvement in business climate won’t prevent recession The increase in the Ifo Business Climate Index in November does not change the big picture that the German economy is likely to contract in Q4. November’s uptick in the Business Climate Index …
Contraction in Q4 very likely, inflation nearing a peak The flash PMIs for November add to the evidence that the economy will contract in Q4, with the downturn in the services sector intensifying. The price indices suggest that inflation will soon peak, …
23rd November 2022
Doves take control at the NBP Poland’s central bank (NBP) announced (very late by its usual standards) that it had left interest rates unchanged at 6.75% at today’s MPC meeting, confirming previous comments from policymakers that they believe the current …
9th November 2022
German industry still set for a tough winter German industrial production rose significantly in September but we doubt this is a sign of things to come. With industry facing headwinds from high energy costs, rising interest rates and cooling demand, we …
7th November 2022
Although the resignation of Liz Truss as Prime Minister leaves the UK without a leader when it faces huge economic, fiscal and financial market challenges, the markets appear to be relieved. The pound has climbed from $1.12 to $1.13 and 30-year gilt …
2nd November 2022
Slowing before entering recession The modest economic growth recorded by both France and Spain in Q3 was broadly in line with expectations and represents a significant slowdown from the second quarter. We expect both economies to go into recession in the …
28th October 2022
ECB’s work is far from done The ECB is very likely to follow today’s 75bp rate hike with further aggressive increases in the coming months, even if we are right that the forthcoming recession will be deeper than most expect. The decision to maintain the …
27th October 2022
Yet more evidence of recession The Ifo Business Climate Index held up better than expected in October but was still extremely low. With other business surveys also persistently weak, we think Germany will experience the deepest recession among euro-zone …
25th October 2022
PMIs show recession and high inflation The flash PMIs for October provide yet more evidence that the euro-zone is sliding into quite a deep recession but that inflationary pressures remain intense. The decline in the flash euro-zone Composite PMI from …
24th October 2022
Account shows hawks still ruling the roost The account of the September ECB meeting confirms that there was a strong consensus in favour of rapid policy normalisation. Since the September meeting, inflation has again increased more than expected, …
6th October 2022