UK Economics GDP & International Trade (Oct.) The news that the economy was hardly growing at all before Omicron means it is touch-and-go whether it will grow a bit in December or shrink a bit. Against that background, we doubt the Bank of... 10th December 2021 · 4 mins read
ECB Watch ECB to maintain flexibility in face of Omicron Just a day after we expect the Fed to prepare the ground for substantially tighter monetary policy in the coming years, policymakers at the ECB will probably commit to doubling their monthly APP... 9th December 2021 · 7 mins read
UK Economics Omicron to stay MPC’s hand, but won’t prevent 2022 lift off We wouldn’t completely rule it out, but we no longer expect the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) to raise interest rates from 0.10% on Thursday 16 th December. We now think rates will rise to 0.25% in... 9th December 2021 · 9 mins read
UK Commercial Property Update New variant unlikely to derail recovery The Omicron variant has heightened the near-term risks for both the economy and UK commercial property. The latest restrictions show that there is still considerable uncertainty, but our estimates... 9th December 2021 · 3 mins read
Nordic & Swiss Central Bank Watch Norges Bank to hike as planned, despite Omicron Omicron means that a Norges Bank rate hike next Thursday is no longer as nailed on a prospect as it once was, but we still think that policymakers will decide to raise rates to +0.50%. Meanwhile... 9th December 2021 · 6 mins read
Europe Commercial Property Outlook Omicron poses near-term downside risk to property recovery The near-term economic outlook has weakened, with the Omicron variant posing further downside risk. Meanwhile, inflation is likely to be higher for longer. However, we expect it to fall back by 2023... 9th December 2021 · 30 mins read
Europe Economics Update Revising down our Q4 growth forecast Tighter Covid restrictions and increased consumer caution appear to be causing euro-zone activity to decline. We have revised our euro-zone Q4 GDP growth forecast down to 0.2% q/q and the risks are... 8th December 2021 · 4 mins read
Emerging Europe Economics Update NBP slows tightening, but steps up hawkish rhetoric The National Bank of Poland’s decision to slow the pace of its tightening cycle with a 50bp interest rate hike (to 1.75%) seems a bit inconsistent with its more hawkish tone on inflation in the... 8th December 2021 · 3 mins read
Emerging Europe Data Response Russia Consumer Prices (Nov.) The rise in Russian inflation to 8.4% y/y last month reinforces our view that the central bank will hike the one-week repo rate by 75bp (to 8.25%) when it meets in December – that’s a larger hike than... 8th December 2021 · 2 mins read
Europe Economics Update Dutch economy to grow strongly after restrictions end The tightening of Covid restrictions in the Netherlands in response to the resurgence of the virus there in recent weeks will put a temporary brake on GDP growth in Q4. But we think that the... 8th December 2021 · 4 mins read
Emerging Europe Economics Update Where do the risks lie across banking sectors? Banking sectors in Emerging Europe have come through the pandemic with few scars and vulnerabilities generally remain low, but we identify three potential areas of concern, including deposit... 7th December 2021 · 4 mins read
Europe Data Response Euro-zone GDP & Employment (Q3) Data released today show that the euro-zone economy recovered to within 0.5% of its pre-pandemic level in Q3. But with Covid cases rising, governments tightening restrictions, and supply problems... 7th December 2021 · 2 mins read
Emerging Markets Financial Risk Monitor Turkey and frontiers in the firing line The dramatic slump in the Turkish lira over the past month once again leaves the currency firmly in crisis territory. One crumb of comfort is that Turkish banks are in a better position to cope with... 7th December 2021 · 6 mins read
UK Economics Omicron may weaken activity but lift price pressures While the emergence of the Omicron COVID-19 variant has increased the downside risks to our GDP forecasts, it has arguably increased the upside risks to our CPI inflation forecasts. The... 7th December 2021 · 9 mins read
Europe Data Response German Industrial Production (October) The rebound in auto output in October means that aggregate industrial production may increase in the fourth quarter. But with the services sector being hit hard by new Covid restrictions, it seems... 7th December 2021 · 2 mins read
Europe Chart Pack Omicron adds to downside risks High frequency data show that travel to retail and recreation destinations, restaurant bookings and flights have all declined in the past few weeks as coronavirus restrictions have been tightened in... 6th December 2021 · 11 mins read
