ECB Watch ECB to remain in hawkish mode for now At August’s press conference, the ECB is likely to keep its options open over the likely near-term path of interest rates. But given the further decline in business and consumer sentiment and growing... 29th July 2011 · 1 min read
Europe Commercial Property Update Will Czech retail rental values recover this year? Over recent weeks, the downside risks to our forecasts for a modest recovery in retail rental values in Prague this year have increased. But, if we are right, some of the factors weighing on Czech... 29th July 2011 · 1 min read
Europe Data Response Euro-zone EC Survey (Jul.) July’s fall in euro-zone economic sentiment adds to the evidence of a broad-based economic slowdown. The decline in the economy-wide Economic Sentiment Indicator (ESI), from 105.1 to 103.2, was... 29th July 2011 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update Euro-zone Monetary Indicators Monitor (Jul.) The latest ECB Bank lending survey suggests that conditions in the euro-zone banking sector remain far from normal, supporting our view that domestic demand in the region as a whole will struggle to... 29th July 2011 · 1 min read
Europe Data Response German Flash CPI (Jul.) & Euro-zone M3 (Jun.) July’s rise in German CPI inflation appears to have been driven by energy prices. Underlying price pressures remain subdued and with the economic recovery already slowing, there is little risk of a... 28th July 2011 · 1 min read
Europe Economic Outlook Crisis deepens as slowdown spreads to the core The latest rescue package for Greece has reduced the threat of a near-term catastrophe in the eurozone.But it does not address the fundamental problems facing Greece itself and is unlikely to bring an... 27th July 2011 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Weekly Back from the brink, for now The positive market reaction to the Greek rescue package is not without some justification. After all, following the dithering and disagreement of recent months, it would not have been a shock if... 26th July 2011 · 1 min read
Europe Commercial Property Update End of the road for German industrial yield compression? We suspect that Q2’s fall in yields may mark the end of the road for the German industrial investment market recovery. As our fears of a rapid slowdown in the manufacturing recovery are borne out... 26th July 2011 · 1 min read
Europe Data Response German Ifo Survey (Jul.) July’s drop in the German Ifo index was another sign that the recovery in the eurozone’s largest and strongest economy is faltering. 23rd July 2011 · 1 min read
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
