Europe Commercial Property Update Euro-zone PMIs highlight the downside risks to occupier demand This morning’s flash euro-zone PMI release suggests that economic recovery in the region may have ground to a virtual halt. The fact that euro-zone manufacturing output is now barely rising supports... 22nd July 2011 · 1 min read
Europe Data Response Euro-zone Flash PMIs (Jul.) The sharp fall in the flash euro-zone PMI in July provides further signs that slowing export growth and the debt crisis is starting to take a heavy toll on the region’s economic recovery both in the... 22nd July 2011 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update Greece needs much more than a bank levy News that a bank levy may be used to help fund Greece’s second rescue package suggests that eurozone policymakers are more concerned about appeasing taxpayers than adopting bold and decisive measures... 21st July 2011 · 1 min read
Europe Commercial Property Update Will the franc derail the Swiss occupier market recovery? It looks increasingly likely that the sovereign debt crisis in the euro-zone will take a heavy toll on the Swiss economy. As a result, the emerging recovery in Swiss commercial property rental values... 21st July 2011 · 1 min read
Global Markets Update What next for the Swiss franc? Most of the world’s major “paper” currencies have fallen out of favour. But the Swiss franc is an exception to the rule. It has even outperformed gold since the start of the year. We expect the upward... 20th July 2011 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update Last chance saloon for euro-zone policymakers? This week’s crucial summit could provide the last chance for euro-zone policymakers to get a grip on the region’s debt crisis. Anything other than a very decisive response which could be applied not... 20th July 2011 · 1 min read
Europe Data Response German ZEW Survey (Jul.) July’s drop in German ZEW investor sentiment highlights fears that the peripheral crisis could soon do some serious damage to the German economy. 20th July 2011 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Weekly Still fiddling while Rome starts to burn Having pledged to agree on a new rescue package for Greece last week, euro-zone policymakers managed only another vague statement pledging their commitment to “safeguard financial stability” in the... 19th July 2011 · 1 min read
Europe Commercial Property Update How significant is the slump in Brussels office take-up? It is tempting to dismiss the recent slump in office market take-up in Brussels as noise in an otherwise positive trend. But it could reflect the early stages of a labour market slowdown as firms... 15th July 2011 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update Italy’s troubles raise risk of euro-zone break-up The growing recognition that highly indebted economies need more than temporary loans has caused the spotlight to turn on Italy. With EU taxpayers unlikely to stump up enough cash to rescue such a... 14th July 2011 · 1 min read
Global Markets Update Are the best days for German Bunds behind us? German Bunds have prospered from the escalating crisis in the euro-zone. Earlier this week, the 10- year yield briefly hit 2.5% – a new low for the year – before edging up again to 2.7% now. Our base... 14th July 2011 · 1 min read
Europe Data Response Euro-zone Industrial Production (May) May’s euro-zone industrial production data confirm that the recovery in the sector is far past its peak and suggest that growth in the economy as a whole slowed pretty sharply in the second quarter. 14th July 2011 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update The beginning of the end for the euro? The continued failure of European policymakers to agree on a new package to support Greece and the growing signs that larger economies like Spain and Italy are being dragged further into the crisis... 13th July 2011 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Weekly A reality check for Portugal Last week’s move by credit rating agency Moody’s to cut Portugal’s rating to below investment grade was a stark reminder that default concerns are not confined to Greece. While the move was fiercely... 12th July 2011 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update ECB takes a hard line After hiking interest rates to 1.5% as expected, the ECB took a hard line today on both conventional policy and the prospect of Greek debt restructuring. We think that it will eventually soften on... 8th July 2011 · 1 min read
Europe Data Response German Industrial Production (May) May’s sharp increase in German industrial production suggested that the euro-zone’s largest economy was still performing very well, but we doubt that this will last. 8th July 2011 · 1 min read
