Global Economics Focus Does a sovereign debt crisis always cause a financial crisis? While there are no direct historical parallels with the current situation in Europe, a review of past experience suggests policymakers may need to resolve the euro-zone’s sovereign debt crisis... 25th October 2011 · 1 min read
Europe Data Response Euro-zone Flash PMIs (Oct.) The steep fall in the euro-zone composite PMI further below the theoretical 50 “no-change” barrier supports our view that the consensus outlook for GDP growth in the region is far too optimistic. 25th October 2011 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Weekly Crunch time, again Aware of what is at stake and under the watchful glare of the world, euro-zone policymakers might finally put their differences aside and produce the goods at the forthcoming EC council meetings and... 25th October 2011 · 1 min read
Europe Data Response German Ifo Survey (Oct.) On the face of it, October’s modest decline in the headline Ifo index suggests that the German economy is still holding up reasonably well, but we continue to think that the index is understating the... 22nd October 2011 · 1 min read
Europe Commercial Property Update Stability of Spanish office capital values won’t last much longer The stability of Spanish office capital values over the past two years does not preclude a second leg to the downturn. If anything, the prospects for office occupier demand and rental values have... 21st October 2011 · 1 min read
Global Economic Outlook Growing risk of another recession We expect growth to be very low or negative in most advanced economies next year. The euro-zone is already heading for recession, and if its public debt and banking crisis is not contained, the rest... 20th October 2011 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Focus Can the euro survive the sovereign debt crisis? Policymakers’ latest plans to tackle the euro-zone debt crisis are unlikely to address the region’s fundamental problems and secure the future of the single currency. We still doubt that the euro will... 19th October 2011 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Weekly Are policymakers about to take decisive action? Signs that European policymakers may finalise a “comprehensive response” to the euro-zone debt crisis at the European Council meeting on 23rd October prompted the euro to climb sharply against the... 18th October 2011 · 1 min read
Europe Data Response Euro-zone Final CPI (Sep.) & Trade (Aug.) The final euro-zone CPI data for September confirmed that both headline and core inflation rose sharply. But given the recent dramatic deterioration in the growth outlook, we still expect the ECB to... 15th October 2011 · 1 min read
Europe Commercial Property Update Are we too downbeat on office rent prospects in Germany and Geneva? Survey evidence suggests that the main German cities, as well as Geneva and Moscow, are the current, preferred destinations for firms looking to expand into new markets. Yet while this points to a... 15th October 2011 · 1 min read
Europe Data Response Euro-zone Industrial Production (Aug.) August’s rise in euro-zone industrial production suggests that, for now at least, the sector is continuing to prop up the wider recovery. But this is unlikely to last. 13th October 2011 · 1 min read
Europe Commercial Property Update Ireland's strong economic growth has yet to revive occupier demand Ireland’s robust rebound in economic output so far this year does not appear to have meaningfully improved the health of Dublin’s commercial property occupier markets. Although rents may now have... 13th October 2011 · 1 min read
Global Markets Update Euro still likely to slide further The dollar’s recovery against the euro may have paused but the outlook for the European single currency remains poor. The relative prospects for monetary policy and the risks of a renewed escalation... 12th October 2011 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Weekly Banks’ capital needs could be greater than feared The ECB took some fairly bold steps to improve commercial banks’ liquidity last week. But given the growing likelihood of default by some euro-zone governments, fears about banks’ solvency have surged... 11th October 2011 · 1 min read
Europe Data Response German Industrial Production (Aug.) August’s fall in German industrial production supports other evidence that the recovery in what was previously the strongest sector of the euro-zone’s strongest economy has gone into reverse. 8th October 2011 · 1 min read
Europe Commercial Property Update German industrial property looks vulnerable to a shift in sentiment For now, the risks of a marked fall in prime industrial rental values in Germany look low, despite the recent downbeat industrial data. But the comparatively low level of industrial yields in Germany... 8th October 2011 · 1 min read