Europe Economics Update Which countries are most exposed to US protectionism? Germany, Belgium and particularly Ireland are the euro-zone members most exposed to US protectionism, while Portugal and the other peripheral euro-zone economies are the least exposed. 8th February 2017 · 1 min read
Europe Economic Outlook Euro-zone back in the spotlight in 2017 The European economies have continued to fare relatively well, with euro-zone growth in particular supported by a weaker currency and low inflation. However, a temporary surge in inflation this year... 17th January 2017 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update Portuguese bond yields to climb further as ECB nears limits Portuguese government bonds rallied last week, but we doubt that this will continue. Sooner or later, we think that concerns about the sovereign credit rating and falling ECB asset purchases will push... 16th January 2017 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update Euro-zone Fiscal Monitor (Dec.) November’s data brought further signs of public finances improving in the euro-zone’s periphery. But the Greek bail-out deal is at risk of collapse, and the Italian banking sector remains in a parlous... 11th January 2017 · 1 min read
Europe Chart Pack Surveys and hard data point to Q4 GDP growth pick-up Recent hard data for the euro-zone have generally been encouraging. Despite falling in November, the level of retail sales remains fairly high after a strong rise in October. And while industrial... 9th January 2017 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update Euro-zone Fiscal Monitor (Nov.) In October, signs of fiscal slippage eased somewhat in the euro zone’s periphery. But the Greek bailout deal remains at risk of collapse and the growing likelihood of a bail-out for Italian banks... 13th December 2016 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Focus Just how big are Portugal’s fiscal problems? After narrowly avoiding EU fines for its excessive fiscal deficit, the Portuguese Government has a lot of work to do to get its finances in order. But strong political resistance to austerity and... 17th November 2016 · 1 min read
Europe Commercial Property Update Retail rental growth in Lisbon down but not out Prime retail rents in Lisbon have risen by more than one-third in the last six years, supported by policy reform, a rise in tourist numbers and an economic recovery. But, with slower economic growth... 3rd November 2016 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update Will Portugal be excluded from the ECB’s QE programme? The sharp rise in Portugal’s bond yields last week reflected justified concerns about the government’s credit rating. While the Government intends to stick to the EU’s fiscal rules, slow economic... 22nd August 2016 · 1 min read
Europe Commercial Property Update Should investors be concerned about Lisbon property? With Lisbon office and retail valuations looking increasingly stretched, and periodic spikes in Portuguese government bond yields, the risks to property market pricing appear to be on the rise. 17th August 2016 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Weekly Has the EC become more lenient on fiscal policy? On the face of it, last week’s decisions by the European Commission to allow Italy greater flexibility in its budget, and not to fine Spain and Portugal for their large deficits, suggest that it has... 20th May 2016 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update Are Portugal’s fiscal problems over? Last week’s decision by DBRS to maintain its investment grade credit rating for Portugal has brought short-term relief. But with the economic recovery likely to slow this year and the public finances... 3rd May 2016 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update Portuguese yields to rise further on threat of QE exclusion The latest rise in Portuguese bond yields reflects fears that its debt will soon be classified as junk by all four major ratings agencies, leading the country to be excluded from the ECB’s asset... 8th March 2016 · 1 min read
Europe Commercial Property Update Recent volatility in Portuguese bond yields a worrying sign for property Given the historic correlation between property yields in Lisbon and Portuguese government bond yields, the recent spike in bond yields seems worrying. Although a correction in property yields does... 25th February 2016 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update Portuguese Government struggling to resist austerity The European Commission made only minor concessions to the Portuguese Government over its 2016 Budget and the pace of fiscal consolidation will still be faster this year than last. This suggests that... 8th February 2016 · 1 min read
Europe Commercial Property Focus Is property in Lisbon overvalued? Lisbon has been highlighted as one of Europe’s top cities for investment prospects this year. Yet property yields are already at record lows. And as Portugal’s weak economic fundamentals limit the... 22nd January 2016 · 1 min read