Europe Economics Update ECB unwilling to join the party After leaving interest rates on hold today, the ECB signalled that it is certainly not ready to follow the Fed into a renewed bout of unconventional policy support. Bolder action might yet be taken... 4th November 2010 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update Are Ireland and Portugal about to turn to the EFSF? There are reasons to think that Portugal and Ireland will not follow Greece in seeking financial support in the very near future. But there are still major doubts over their ability to address their... 4th November 2010 · 1 min read
Europe Commercial Property Update Expectations for European property rental values remain downbeat The latest RICS global property survey points to some signs of life in European commercial property occupier markets. Unfortunately, however, rising tenant demand does not appear to be offsetting new... 4th November 2010 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update Portuguese Budget will only buy time The Government finally passed its 2011 Budget in parliament yesterday. This may provide some relief after weeks of political tension but the episode has re-awakened market concerns. And while Portugal... 4th November 2010 · 1 min read
Europe Chart Pack Peripheral strains still building Recent activity indicators confirm that while, the euro-zone recovery is slowing, it has by no means ground to a complete standstill. Nonetheless, news on the periphery remains grim. This, coupled... 3rd November 2010 · 1 min read
Europe Commercial Property Update German capital values are likely to rise in the near term One of the most striking aspects of Q3’s RICS global property survey was the marked improvement in surveyors’ expectations for German capital values. We find it hard to take issue with the new, more... 3rd November 2010 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update Euro-zone default mechanism poses near-term risks Proposed arrangements for a permanent crisis resolution mechanism in the euro-zone threaten to have counter-productive effects on member countries’ fiscal consolidation efforts. 2nd November 2010 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Weekly Industrial recovery still going strong for now Recent news from the euro-zone industrial sector has provided some encouraging signs that, for now at least, output is merely starting to grow at a more sustainable rate, rather than grinding to a... 1st November 2010 · 1 min read
Europe Commercial Property Update European commercial property investment volumes unlikely to take-off The recovery in European investment volumes appears to have reached a plateau. Unfortunately, yesterday’s ECB Bank Lending Survey, which showed a further net tightening of credit standards to firms... 29th October 2010 · 1 min read
Europe Data Response Euro-zone Flash CPI (Oct.) & Unemployment (Sep.) The latest euro-zone unemployment and inflation data attest to the absence of price pressures in the region. As inflation drops back next year, we think the ECB is more likely to up its unconventional... 29th October 2010 · 1 min read
Europe Commercial Property Update European commercial property investment volumes unlikely to take-off The recovery in European investment volumes appears to have reached a plateau. Unfortunately, yesterday’s ECB Bank Lending Survey, which showed a further net tightening of credit standards to firms... 29th October 2010 · 1 min read
Europe Commercial Property Chart Pack Recovery in euro-zone investment volumes is faltering (Q4 10) The recovery in European commercial property investment volumes seen since early 2009 seems to have reached a plateau. Although euro-zone property assets still look relatively attractively priced... 28th October 2010 · 1 min read
Europe Data Response Euro-zone EC Survey (Oct.) October’s improvement in the EC consumer and business survey and fall in German unemployment suggest that the euro-zone is holding up well for now. But the worrying divergence between core and... 28th October 2010 · 1 min read
ECB Watch ECB's tightening bias should not last long Recent comments from ECB members, together with a reduction in its bank lending and halt to bond purchases, suggest that the Bank has maintained a tightening bias. It will probably keep open the... 28th October 2010 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Focus Would a break-up of the euro help or hinder recovery? The long-term effects of some form of break-up of the euro-zone might ultimately prove to be positive. But the likely short-term damage means that such an event would hinder, rather than help, the... 27th October 2010 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update Belgian growth slows as political stalemate drags on In a sign of what may be to come for the euro-zone, the pace of the Belgian recovery has slowed. While a modest fiscal tightening will partly shield consumers, the political crisis and talk of the... 27th October 2010 · 1 min read
