Nordic & Swiss Economics Olympic productivity gains; fading boosts to Swiss CPI Norway’s Karsten Warholm had the race of his life this week, but if only it were as easy for economic policymakers to achieve the 1-2% productivity gains that the super-springy running track in Tokyo... 6th August 2021 · 6 mins read
Europe Commercial Property Helsinki offices to continue to outperform euro-zone Following better-than-expected Q2 data, we have revised up our Helsinki office returns forecasts for this year. And given a robust rental outlook, returns are set to outpace the euro-zone over the... 6th August 2021 · 3 mins read
UK Housing Market Data Response Halifax House Prices (Jul.) Halifax house prices returned to growth on a monthly last month, partly reversing a weak June figure. But the underlying trend, as the stamp duty discount is phased out, is for a modest slowdown... 6th August 2021 · 2 mins read
Europe Economics German Industrial Production (June) The further decline in German industrial output in June, to 6.8% below its pre-pandemic level, underlines that the problems in the auto sector will hold back an otherwise strong economic recovery. It... 6th August 2021 · 2 mins read
Emerging Europe Economics Update Hawkish CNB flags faster pace of monetary tightening The Czech National Bank (CNB) raised its two-week repo rate by 25bp to 0.75% at today’s meeting, and its communications signalled that policymakers will raise rates more quickly than they had... 5th August 2021 · 3 mins read
UK Economics Update MPC starts to signal rate hikes The Monetary Policy Committee’s (MPC) policy statement sent a clear signal that higher interest rates are on the horizon. But there were few signs that it is preparing to hike rates soon. What’s more... 5th August 2021 · 3 mins read
UK Commercial Property Data Response RICS Construction Market Survey (Q2) The latest RICS survey confirmed that construction activity rose strongly in Q2 and suggests expectations are upbeat about the outlook. But while we think output is likely to remain strong in the... 5th August 2021 · 2 mins read
UK Commercial Property Data Response IHS Markit/CIPS Construction PMI (Jul.) July’s construction PMI figure was slightly disappointing compared with the previous month’s highs. But it continued to point to robust activity and we think any dip is most likely a reflection of... 5th August 2021 · 2 mins read
Europe Commercial Property Update Longer-term prospects poor for Italian offices With demand slowly recovering and supply being pushed back, we no longer expect prime office rental falls in the Italian markets this year. However, the outlook is less encouraging, with a slowdown in... 4th August 2021 · 3 mins read
Europe Economics Strong recovery to continue in Q3 The surge in spending as coronavirus restrictions have been lifted will bring the euro-zone economy close to its pre-pandemic level in the coming months. After expanding by 2% q/q in Q2, we expect a... 4th August 2021 · 12 mins read
Emerging Markets Economics Update The Delta variant and EM tourism troubles The rapid spread of the Delta variant of the coronavirus adds to reasons to think that lacklustre economic recoveries lie in store for tourism-dependent economies in Africa, parts of the Middle East... 4th August 2021 · 3 mins read
Europe Economics Euro-zone Final PMIs (July) and Retail Sales (June) The final PMIs show that the euro-zone’s recovery continued apace at the start of Q3. Price pressures are continuing to mount and point to an increase in inflation in the coming months, but we expect... 4th August 2021 · 2 mins read
Emerging Europe Economics Is it time to worry about Romania’s current account? The widening of Romania’s current account deficit to a 10-year high partly reflects a rise in foreign firms’ reinvested earnings which is not a concern. But the trade balance has also worsened and the... 3rd August 2021 · 3 mins read
Emerging Europe Data Response Turkey Consumer Prices (Jul.) The further jump in Turkey’s headline inflation rate to 19.0% y/y in July is unlikely to trigger an interest rate hike but it will delay the start of an easing cycle until the back end of this year... 3rd August 2021 · 2 mins read
Emerging Markets Economics Update Asian industry struggles, strong recoveries in EM Europe June’s PMIs show that virus outbreaks have weighed on manufacturing in Southeast Asia while supply bottlenecks and weaker demand created headwinds for industry in China. In contrast, Indian industry... 2nd August 2021 · 2 mins read
Emerging Europe Data Response Manufacturing PMIs (July) The PMIs for July suggest that supply chain disruptions weighed on output in Czechia and Poland and continued to put upward pressure on prices. Meanwhile, the releases suggest that manufacturing... 2nd August 2021 · 2 mins read
