UK Economics Update How worrying is the rise in companies' price expectations? Concerns about the knock-on effects of the rise in inflation on inflation expectations tend to focus on the expectations of households and financial markets. But of most direct importance for the... 2nd March 2011 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update New Irish Government faces daunting challenges News that Fine Gael and Labour are likely to form a coalition Government with a healthy majority will reduce political uncertainty in Ireland. But the new Government faces a major battle to improve... 28th February 2011 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Weekly Will the German revival save the periphery? Healthy rises in the euro-zone business surveys in February add to evidence that the region as a whole and Germany in particular have made a strong start to the year. But while a bout of robust German... 28th February 2011 · 1 min read
Europe Data Response Euro-zone EC Survey (Feb.) February’s EC business and consumer survey adds to evidence that the euro-zone recovery has regained momentum in Q1 and that the ECB’s hawkish stance may harden at next week’s Governing Council... 24th February 2011 · 1 min read
Middle East & North Africa Economics Update Middle Eastern states still need Western allies At first glance, the West looks set to be amongst the biggest losers from the political turmoil hitting the Arab world. The toppled regimes in Egypt and Tunisia were staunch Western allies. The same... 22nd February 2011 · 1 min read
Global Markets Update What does the Libyan crisis mean for oil prices? Thus far we have taken a relatively sanguine view of the global economic and market fall-out from the political turmoil in the Middle East and North Africa. The fact that the unrest has spread to... 21st February 2011 · 1 min read
Europe Data Response Euro-zone Flash PMIs & German Ifo (Feb.) February’s euro-zone PMI and German Ifo surveys suggest that the euro-zone and German economies have started 2011 with a bang. Nonetheless, divergences between the core and peripheral euro-zone... 21st February 2011 · 1 min read
Global Economics Update G20 struggles to find common ground on imbalances This weekend’s meeting of G20 finance ministers and central bank governors appears to have achieved as little as expected. The most substantive decision was to agree a list of indicators which will be... 21st February 2011 · 1 min read
Middle East & North Africa Economics Update What are Egypt's prospects after Mubarak? Following the resignation of President Hosni Mubarak on Friday, Egypt has only taken the first step to economic prosperity and political plurality. The work does not end with the departure of the ex... 15th February 2011 · 1 min read
UK Economics Focus Can the resilience of corporate profits last? Corporate profits held up remarkably well during the recent economic downturn. But a closer look at the factors that explain this resilience suggests that profits over the next couple of years are... 14th February 2011 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update Portuguese economy stumbles as political tensions resurge The renewed contraction in Portuguese GDP in Q4 last year underlines the fragility of the outlook for the economy. With political tensions rising and government bond yields uncomfortably high... 14th February 2011 · 1 min read
Middle East & North Africa Economics Update Is Saudi Arabia next? Events in Egypt are unfolding quickly and further political change looks inevitable. An orderly transition of power is still possible and would ensure that the current disruption to markets in the... 2nd February 2011 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update Is Ireland's bail-out under threat? Ireland’s next Government will push for better terms on its existing bail-out package, but it will enter discussions in a weak bargaining position. Even if it does gain major concessions there is a... 2nd February 2011 · 1 min read
US Economics Update Fed's survey shows big jump in demand for business loans The Fed's latest survey of Senior Loan Officers suggests that we could see a marked turnaround in business lending this year, which would presumably boost investment and possibly even employment too... 31st January 2011 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update Thailand political risks should fall this year Monthly indicators for December released at the end of last week and today underline that Thailand’s economy is now regaining momentum. The main threat to the economic outlook is an increase in... 31st January 2011 · 1 min read
Europe Data Response Euro-zone EC Survey (Jan.) January’s EC business and consumer survey adds to evidence that the euro-zone economy has made a pretty good start to the year. But the recovery remains heavily reliant on the industrial and external... 27th January 2011 · 1 min read
