Europe Data Response Euro-zone Flash PMIs (Jun.) The sharp fall in the flash euro-zone PMI in June provides further signs that the underlying pace of GDP growth is slowing, making it increasingly likely that a bout of strong growth will not solve... 24th June 2011 · 1 min read
Europe Commercial Property Update CEE investment volumes still on upward trend, but remain subdued The trend for investment volumes among CEE property markets still appears to be upward. However, activity remains well below peak levels and restricted only to a handful of markets, namely Poland... 23rd June 2011 · 1 min read
Europe Data Response German ZEW (Jun.) June’s sharper than expected fall in the headline German ZEW index brought further signs that the German economic recovery has passed its peak. 22nd June 2011 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update Will Ireland and Portugal roll over their debt too? The Irish and Portuguese public finances are not in as precarious a position as those of Greece, but we think that there is a strong chance that both economies will eventually have to follow in Greece... 22nd June 2011 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Weekly Greece teetering on the edge The growing political uncertainty within Greece and fears that European policymakers will not step in and take decisive action to resolve the crisis has pushed the Greek Government closer to the brink... 21st June 2011 · 1 min read
Europe Commercial Property Update Have the downside risks to the French retail market increased? Signs that French consumer spending has fallen sharply over the past couple of months might make our forecast for retail rental values to track sideways this year look too optimistic. Yet, in the... 18th June 2011 · 1 min read
Europe Data Response Euro-zone Trade Balance (Apr.) April’s euro-zone trade data do nothing to alter our view that the external recovery in the region has passed its peak. With domestic demand set to remain weak, we expect GDP growth to slow sharply in... 18th June 2011 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update Greece on the brink Crunch time appears to be rapidly approaching for Greece. While an additional bail-out package may stave off near-term disaster, a major debt restructuring seems inevitable at some point and Greece’s... 17th June 2011 · 1 min read
Europe Data Response Euro-zone CPI (Final, May) & Employment (Q1) May’s small fall in euro-zone CPI inflation is unlikely to prevent the ECB from hiking interest rates again in July. But with Q1’s weak employment figures supporting our view that domestic demand will... 17th June 2011 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update SNB strikes a dovish tone As expected, the Swiss National Bank left its interest rate target unchanged at today’s meeting. With the Bank striking a slightly more downbeat tone in its statement and the Swiss franc’s strength... 17th June 2011 · 1 min read
Nordic & Swiss Economics Update SNB strikes a dovish tone As expected, the Swiss National Bank left its interest rate target unchanged at today’s meeting. With the Bank striking a slightly more downbeat tone in its statement and the Swiss franc’s strength... 16th June 2011 · 1 min read
Europe Commercial Property Update Office yields in Vienna offer some near-term upside potential The Viennese office market seems to be suffering from the weakness of cross-border investment activity in Europe. Nevertheless, the economic fundamentals look sound, suggesting that over the next year... 16th June 2011 · 1 min read
Europe Data Response Euro-zone Industrial Production (Apr.) April’s euro-zone industrial production figures supported the view that the recovery in the wider economy has peaked and that growth may slow quite sharply in Q2 . 16th June 2011 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update Euro's unwanted strength heightens break-up dangers Our expectation that the euro would fall against the US dollar as the fiscal crisis deepened has not been borne out and we now expect the euro to stay higher for longer. But this unwanted strength... 16th June 2011 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update Where would a second bail-out leave Greece? European policymakers will hope that a second bail-out package will provide Greece with more time to show that its fiscal and structural reforms are working. But we are far from convinced and still... 15th June 2011 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update How far is Spain from a tipping point? Recent developments suggest that Spain may have started to recouple with the likes of Greece, Ireland and Portugal. Over the coming months, Spain is likely to face a number of tricky hurdles and could... 14th June 2011 · 1 min read
