Europe Economics Update Little relief in sight for Italian households May’s rise in Italy’s unemployment rate highlights the dire economic situation of households. And with inflation now slowing sharply, the country’s public debt ratio risks rising inexorably higher. 1st July 2014 · 1 min read
Europe Data Response Euro-zone Unemployment (May) & Final Manu. PMI (Jun.) May's unemployment data highlighted that the euro-zone’s economic recovery is still too weak to erode the significant amount of slack in the labour market. 1st July 2014 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update Euro-zone Monetary Indicators Monitor (May) May’s small improvement in the euro-zone monetary data will not be enough to shake off concerns that the financial sector is a brake on the recovery and does little to diminish the risk that the... 30th June 2014 · 1 min read
Europe Data Response Euro-zone Flash CPI (Jun.) June’s weak euro-zone inflation figures will add to pressure on the ECB to provide more policy support, particularly given recent signs that the recovery may already be slowing. 30th June 2014 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Weekly Is the euro-zone recovery over already? Last week's euro-zone economic data added to the growing weight of evidence that the fledgling recovery in the currency union - which only really got going a year ago - is already running out of steam... 30th June 2014 · 1 min read
Europe Data Response Euro-zone EC Survey & German CPI estimate (Jun.) June’s EC Business and Consumer Survey added to signs that the euro-zone recovery could be nearing a peak when it has barely begun. 27th June 2014 · 1 min read
ECB Watch ECB on hold to gauge effect of new policies The ECB is very unlikely to unveil additional policy support at its policy meeting on 3rd July as it waits to judge the effect of the raft of measures announced in June. President Draghi is likely to... 26th June 2014 · 1 min read
Europe Commercial Property Update What is the outlook for Oslo retail rents? We expect household spending growth in Norway to be subdued by past standards as households grapple with exceptionally high levels of debt. Coupled with last year’s double-digit rental value increases... 25th June 2014 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Focus Can Italy really stop its debt rising? Contrary to official forecasts, Italy’s huge public debt is unlikely to fall over the coming years. Given the size of the economy, this will leave not only Italy in a very precarious position, but... 25th June 2014 · 1 min read
Europe Data Response German Ifo Survey (Jun.) June’s Ifo survey added to signs that German GDP growth may already be slowing at what should have been an early stage of the recovery. 24th June 2014 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update PMIs highlight France’s stuttering recovery The French economy is probably faring a little better than June’s dreadful PMIs suggest. But more austerity and weak competitiveness mean that it will continue to weigh on the euro-zone’s recovery. 23rd June 2014 · 1 min read
Europe Data Response Euro-zone Flash PMIs (Jun.) June’s PMIs suggested that the euro-zone recovery only gained a little momentum in Q2 and highlighted the continued divergence between France and Germany. 23rd June 2014 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Weekly Weak wage growth adds to deflation risks Data last week revealed that euro-zone labour costs growth fell to just 0.9% in Q1, adding to evidence of deflationary pressure in the region. The fall in wage growth has not been confined to the... 23rd June 2014 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update Norges Bank opening its eyes to weakening economy As we expected given signs of a slowdown in the energy sector, the Norges Bank pushed back its first projected rate hike until 2016. Although the krone weakened on the news, the economic slowdown may... 19th June 2014 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update SNB on hold for now, but further action will be needed The Swiss National Bank (SNB) today maintained its strongly supportive policy stance, pledging to enforce the ceiling on the Swiss franc with “the utmost determination”. We think that the SNB will be... 19th June 2014 · 1 min read
Nordic & Swiss Economics Update SNB on hold for now, but further action will be needed The Swiss National Bank (SNB) today maintained its strongly supportive policy stance, pledging to enforce the ceiling on the Swiss franc with “the utmost determination”. We think that the SNB will... 19th June 2014 · 1 min read