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
Europe Economics Weekly Voluntary is the key "v-word" now President Trichet last week stressed again the ECB’s general opposition to a restructuring of Greek debt. But he left the door slightly open to a “voluntary” agreement in which bondholders would... 14th June 2011 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update ECB signals July rate hike & stands firm on Greek default ECB President Jean-Claude Trichet struck a hard line on the euro-zone’s debt crisis today by both signalling an interest rate hike in July and again ruling out a debt restructuring for Greece. But on... 10th June 2011 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update ECB trying to hold back the tide The European Central Bank’s continued opposition to any form of sovereign debt restructuring in the euro-zone remains a major short-term obstacle to plans for a Greek debt “rollover”. But the ECB... 8th June 2011 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update Economic clouds still hanging over Iceland The dust clouds may have cleared but economic gloom continues to hang over Iceland. While the economy returned to growth in Q1, conditions for consumers remain grim and large risks remain over plans... 8th June 2011 · 1 min read
Europe Data Response Euro-zone GDP Breakdown (Q1) The breakdown of euro-zone Q1 GDP provided some support to our view that the pace of recovery in the region peaked in the first quarter and that growth is likely to be materially slower in Q2 and... 8th June 2011 · 1 min read
Nordic & Swiss Economics Update Economic clouds still hanging over Iceland The dust clouds may have cleared but economic gloom continues to hang over Iceland. While the economy returned to growth in Q1, conditions for consumers remain grim and large risks remain over plans... 8th June 2011 · 1 min read
Europe Chart Pack Further signs of a slowdown Further falls in euro-zone leading indicators and the first hard data for Q2 suggest that the economic recovery may have passed its peak. After three consecutive falls, the EC’s Economic Sentiment... 7th June 2011 · 1 min read
Europe Data Response Euro-zone Retail Sales (Apr.) April’s pick-up in euro-zone retail sales may look like an encouraging sign that euro-zone consumers are defying the fiscal squeeze. But the bounce is likely to have been a one-off boosted by Easter... 7th June 2011 · 1 min read
Europe Commercial Property Update Spanish commercial property investment market not out of the woods The Q1 2011 RICS distressed property monitor points to the largest rises in the number of distressed properties coming onto the market in Q2 in Spain and Ireland. Investment demand in Ireland will not... 6th June 2011 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Weekly Greek bond plan faces big hurdles Last week’s news of proposals for a voluntary “rollover” of Greek debt brought some hope that the policy impasse over the crisis may soon be over. Crucially, there were signs that the ECB − until now... 6th June 2011 · 1 min read
Europe Commercial Property Update Copenhagen retail market looking increasingly overpriced Q1’s fall in Danish consumer spending suggests that it may take a little longer for retail rental values in Copenhagen to recover than we previously expected. Given their low level, we cannot rule out... 2nd June 2011 · 1 min read
ECB Watch Green light for July hike ECB President Jean-Claude Trichet will use Thursday’s post rate-announcement press conference to signal another rise in interest rates at the following meeting in July. But with growing signs that the... 2nd June 2011 · 1 min read
Non-Euro Europe Commercial Property Chart Pack Emerging European markets currently leading the way Emerging European property markets are outperforming the rest of non-euro-zone Europe both in terms of rental growth and yield compression. Yet, the pace at which yields are falling is slowing in all... 1st June 2011 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update Greek bail-out 2 will merely delay the inevitable A second Greek bail-out package, perhaps involving some form of voluntary debt rescheduling, won’t address Greece’s fundamental problems and won’t prevent a major restructuring in the future. 1st June 2011 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update Euro-zone Fiscal Monitor (May) While Spain has made good progress in reducing its central government budget deficit this year, its growing regional deficits are a cause for concern. Meanwhile, the Greek and Irish deficits are still... 1st June 2011 · 1 min read
