Europe Commercial Property Update Risks of fresh declines in French retail rents have increased To date, the strength of demand from international retailers seeking to enter the French retail market has been sufficient to offset softening demand from incumbent brands, in turn helping to support... 13th August 2011 · 1 min read
Europe Data Response Euro-zone Industrial Prod. (Jun.) & French & Greek GDP (Q2) June’s euro-zone industrial production data and Q2’s French GDP figures provide further strong indications that economic growth in the region as a whole slowed sharply in Q2. 13th August 2011 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update What more can the SNB do? The Swiss National Bank has not exhausted all options to stem the franc’s appreciation and might yet try capital controls or direct intervention in currency markets. But internationally co-ordinated... 12th August 2011 · 1 min read
Nordic & Swiss Economics Update What more can the SNB do? The Swiss National Bank has not exhausted all options to stem the franc’s appreciation and might yet try capital controls or direct intervention in currency markets. But internationally co-ordinated... 11th August 2011 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update Could German courts block the bail-outs? The ongoing case in the German Constitutional Court against providing financial support for Greece is unlikely to lead to an outright ban on bail-outs. But the court could insist that Germany is... 11th August 2011 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update Plunging equity markets exacerbate growth risks The recent plunge in equity markets may not necessarily have severe negative consequences for euro-zone growth. But when combined with the region’s other problems it supports our long-held bearish... 11th August 2011 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update France's problems threaten policymakers' firepower Growing concerns about France’s fiscal position have underlined the breadth of the euro-zone’s debt crisis. While a default seems unlikely at this stage, merely a credit rating downgrade would... 10th August 2011 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update Italy’s fiscal measures will need to be seen to be believed On the face of it, the response of the Italian Government to the recent market mayhem appears pretty impressive. But we are sceptical as to whether the Government can deliver on its promises. 10th August 2011 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update ECB purchases may have little lasting impact The ECB’s purchases of Italian and Spanish Government bonds have drawn a very positive initial response in the markets. But there are some good reasons to doubt that it will be sustained. 9th August 2011 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Weekly Italy’s debt dynamics worsen Prior to the announcement of the second rescue package for Greece, we noted that anything other than a very decisive response by European policymakers could prompt Italy and Spain to be dragged deeper... 9th August 2011 · 1 min read
Europe Data Response Italian & Spanish GDP (Q2) & German Industrial Prod. (Jun.) The latest activity data from the euro-zone support our view that the recovery in the region as a whole is slowing sharply and cast further doubt on whether the likes of Italy and Spain can meet their... 6th August 2011 · 1 min read
Non-Euro Europe Commercial Property Outlook Yield compression to halt as the recovery falters Non-euro-zone economies will not be immune from the slowdown now unfolding in the single currency area. A slower pace of economic growth coupled with concerns about potential contagion from the crisis... 5th August 2011 · 1 min read
Europe Commercial Property Outlook Europe’s fiscal crisis will dent the occupier market recovery The weakening economic outlook for the euro-zone economy is likely to act as a brake on the recovery in commercial property markets over the next year or two. Rental value growth will moderate in most... 5th August 2011 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update ECB softens its stance The ECB was bolder than expected today, upping its support for the banking sector and embarking on a new bout of bond purchases to help the peripheral economies. The Bank claimed that these measures... 5th August 2011 · 1 min read
Europe Data Response Euro-zone Retail Sales (Jun.) & Final Comp. PMI (Jul.) June’s rise in euro-zone retail sales does little to alter our view that consumers remain badly placed to offset the slowdown in other sectors of the economy. 4th August 2011 · 1 min read
Europe Chart Pack Core economies weakening The past month has brought the firmest signs yet that the euro-zone economic slowdown is spreading from the region’s periphery to the northern “core”. July’s decline in the German Composite PMI was... 4th August 2011 · 1 min read
