Europe Data Response Norwegian GDP (Q4) Q4’s GDP figures show that the Norwegian economy continued to expand at a steady pace. This, together with the fact that inflation is still a little below the Norges Bank’s target and the strong krone... 16th February 2011 · 1 min read
Europe Data Response Belgian GDP (Q4) Today’s Q4 GDP figure suggests that the Belgian economy continued to expand at a modest pace. But growth is likely to slow in coming quarters and given the country’s ongoing political crisis and large... 16th February 2011 · 1 min read
Europe Data Response Spanish GDP (Q4) Spain’s final Q4 GDP release confirmed that the economy outperformed its southern European counterparts at the end of last year. But we still think that Spain is set for a pretty tough 2011. Indeed... 16th February 2011 · 1 min read
Nordic & Swiss Economics Update Swedish Riksbank becoming more hawkish As expected, the Swedish Riksbank responded to the economy’s ongoing robust revival by raising interest rates and revising up its interest rate forecast. Nonetheless, we still think that weaker than... 15th February 2011 · 1 min read
Europe Commercial Property Update Q4 2010 RICS global survey: too gloomy on the Netherlands? There are certainly some reasons to suggest that the prospects for rental value and capital value growth in the Netherlands are weaker than in most euro-zone markets. However, we think that latest... 15th February 2011 · 1 min read
Emerging Europe Economics Update Recovery continues but low hanging fruit has been picked The key message from the raft of Q4 GDP data released today is that the region’s recovery is continuing but that the underlying pace of growth is now starting to slow in a number of countries. 15th February 2011 · 1 min read
Europe Data Response Euro-zone GDP (Q4) The modest rise in euro-zone GDP growth in Q4 is likely to have been partly down to one-off weather-related factors, suggesting that the recovery may regain momentum at the start of this year... 15th February 2011 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update Swedish Riksbank becoming more hawkish As expected, the Swedish Riksbank responded to the economy’s ongoing robust revival by raising interest rates and revising up its interest rate forecast. Nonetheless, we still think that weaker than... 15th February 2011 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update Portuguese economy stumbles as political tensions resurge The renewed contraction in Portuguese GDP in Q4 last year underlines the fragility of the outlook for the economy. With political tensions rising and government bond yields uncomfortably high... 14th February 2011 · 1 min read
Europe Data Response Euro-zone Industrial Production (Dec.) December’s small fall in euro-zone industrial production was probably down to the unusually severe winter weather and does little to alter the view that the sector remains the key driver behind the... 14th February 2011 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Weekly A weak end to 2010 On the face of it, recent data suggest that the euro-zone is on track to expand at a pretty healthy pace in Q4. But we suspect that the disruption caused by the bad weather will mean that Q4’s growth... 14th February 2011 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update Portugal remains on the frontline After a month of respite, the surge in Portuguese ten year government bond yields to new euro-era highs has reignited fears that Portugal may still need outside support. Even if Portugal isn’t forced... 10th February 2011 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update Bank debt plans won’t solve Ireland’s fiscal problems Speculation is growing that the next Irish Government will attempt to restructure some of the nationalised banks’ senior debt. But such a move, while no doubt popular with taxpayers, would do little... 9th February 2011 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update Greek fiscal position remains deeply worrying On the face of it, the recent fall in Greek sovereign CDS premia and press reports suggesting that Greece will receive the fourth tranche of loans from its bail-out package in March are encouraging... 9th February 2011 · 1 min read
Europe Data Response German Industrial Production (Dec.) December’s sharp fall in German industrial production is not as worrying as it seems. Although GDP growth in Q4 will not be as strong as we had previously anticipated, owing to bad weather, it still... 8th February 2011 · 1 min read
Europe Commercial Property Focus Investment case for the Italian retail market remains weak Italy’s historic position as one of the euro-zone’s most expensive retail markets might suggest that the recent stability of Italian retail yields, while yields in other euro-zone markets have fallen... 8th February 2011 · 1 min read
