Europe Commercial Property Update Could the spread between yields in Paris and Munich reverse sign? Recent data show that the French economy is lagging behind Germany. If we are right that this divergence will grow, the low levels of property yields in Paris relative to Munich look unsustainable... 30th January 2013 · 1 min read
Europe Data Response Euro-zone EC Survey (Jan. 13) January’s rise in the euro-zone EC Economic Sentiment Indicator (ESI) provided further evidence that the improvement in market conditions seen over recent months is starting to have a moderately... 30th January 2013 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update Euro-zone Fiscal Monitor (Jan. 13) The latest fiscal news from the periphery suggests that Greece, Ireland and Portugal met their fiscal goals for 2012 as a whole. 29th January 2013 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update Can exporters shrug off the euro's rise? The euro’s appreciation over recent months may not necessarily prove disastrous for exporters. But with domestic demand likely to continue to contract, the strong currency reduces the chances of the... 29th January 2013 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update Gap between Germany and France to widen Recent economic data suggest that France is lagging further behind Germany. If anything, we suspect that this gap will widen as the year goes on, leading tensions between the two countries to rise. 28th January 2013 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update Euro-zone Monetary Indicators Monitor (Dec. 12) The latest euro-zone monetary data have brought further signs of an improvement in financial market conditions. However, lending to firms and households has continued to fall and seems unlikely to... 28th January 2013 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Weekly Currency concerns likely to deepen The ECB’s apparent refusal to engage in the recent outbreak of covert currency wars amongst global policymakers is partly understandable. After all, the single currency’s recent rise has been at least... 28th January 2013 · 1 min read
Europe Data Response German Ifo Survey (Jan.) January’s increase in the German Ifo business climate index provides further hope that the economy will fare better in Q1 than Q4. 25th January 2013 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update LTRO repayments to give mixed signals The expected repayment of some ECB LTRO funding should add to signs that the region’s banking system is on the mend. But it will also underline the weakness of demand in the region and could fuel... 24th January 2013 · 1 min read
Europe Data Response Euro-zone Flash PMIs (Jan.) January’s flash euro-zone Purchasing Managers’ Indices (PMIs) provided further evidence that the pace of contraction in the euro-zone economy has decelerated at the start of this year. But it is too... 24th January 2013 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update What scope for a virtuous circle? While the improvement in financial market sentiment seen over recent months should have some beneficial effects on the euro-zone’s troubled economies, hopes that a “virtuous circle” will bring an end... 23rd January 2013 · 1 min read
Europe Data Response Spanish GDP (Q4 est.) The 0.6% contraction in Spanish GDP in Q4 last year serves as a timely reminder that, while market pressures on the country have abated in response to the ECB’s promised intervention, the underlying... 23rd January 2013 · 1 min read
Europe Commercial Property Update Has European property investment turned a corner? The strong rise in European property investment volumes in Q4 was driven by only a handful of markets and appears largely seasonal. It is unlikely to be a sign that an upwards trend is forming. 22nd January 2013 · 1 min read
Europe Data Response German ZEW Survey (Jan.) January’s sharp rise in German ZEW investor sentiment suggests that activity may have improved at the start of 2013 following a very weak end to last year. 22nd January 2013 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update Post-election Germany might offer periphery more support Yesterday’s narrow loss for Germany’s current governing coalition in the state of Lower Saxony added to evidence that September’s general election could result in a change of government. While Angela... 21st January 2013 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Weekly Can Germany continue to grow in 2013? Last week’s news that German GDP rose by 0.7% in 2012 clearly confirmed that the economy broke no records. But it did well to continue growing at all in such a weak economic and political climate... 21st January 2013 · 1 min read
