Europe Economics Update Euro-zone employment recovery masks national divergence Employment in the euro-zone is expanding at a healthy pace and survey data point to a positive outlook. But this hides a very mixed story amongst different countries, and the overall picture is... 17th December 2015 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update Will the Fed’s lift-off cause a euro-zone nose-dive? There are reasons to think that the advent of tighter monetary policy in the US will not have a materially negative impact on the currency union. But there is no room for euro-zone policymakers to be... 16th December 2015 · 1 min read
Europe Data Response Euro-zone Trade (Oct.) & Final CPI (Nov.) October’s euro-zone goods trade data revealed a further slowdown in export growth, adding to the evidence that the boost from the weaker euro is fading. We suspect that the trade surplus will narrow... 16th December 2015 · 1 min read
Europe Data Response Euro-zone Flash PMIs (Dec.) December’s small fall in the euro-zone Composite PMI left it still pointing to steady but modest growth in the region. But the Paris attacks have taken a toll on France, leaving the economy close to... 16th December 2015 · 1 min read
Europe Data Response Euro-zone Industrial Production (Oct.) October’s rise in euro-zone industrial production provides an early indication that the sector will have had a solid Q4, adding to evidence that the region’s recovery may have regained some pace at... 14th December 2015 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update Will the Fed & oil prices bail out the ECB? The recent further fall in oil prices and imminent commencement of monetary tightening in the US are unlikely to compensate for the ECB’s disappointingly timid action at last week’s policy meeting. 9th December 2015 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Focus Can the euro-zone weather the global headwinds? The euro-zone has proved relatively resilient in the face of global headwinds, but the region still has to contend with significant domestic problems. And with fiscal policy unlikely to provide a big... 8th December 2015 · 1 min read
Europe Data Response Euro-zone GDP Breakdown (Q3) The second estimate of euro-zone GDP in Q3 revealed that the slowdown in growth was driven by weaker net exports. As the boost to consumer spending growth from lower oil prices fades, we think that... 8th December 2015 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Weekly Mariodona shoots wide The ECB’s failure to live up to its own hype at December’s Governing Council meeting looks likely to have at least some negative consequences, both on the economic outlook via the market response and... 4th December 2015 · 1 min read
Europe Commercial Property Update Can prime retail rental values continue to rise in the euro-zone? Euro-zone retail sales are likely to remain fairly weak in the next couple of years. However, due to structural changes in the retail sector, expansionary retailers will continue to compete to secure... 4th December 2015 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update ECB fails to live up to its own hype The European Central Bank’s failure to meet the expectations for further policy loosening fuelled by its own dovish signals has dented both its reputation for communication and, more importantly, the... 3rd December 2015 · 1 min read
Europe Data Response Euro-zone Retail Sales (Oct.) & Final PMIs (Nov.) October’s euro-zone retail sales data suggest that the consumer recovery might be losing some steam. But the final PMIs for November suggest that the overall economic recovery might actually have... 3rd December 2015 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update Current QE rules won’t stop the ECB An expansion of the QE programme tomorrow would probably require some changes to ECB rules. But we do not think that this will be enough to deter the Bank from implementing more stimulus. 2nd December 2015 · 1 min read
Europe Data Response Euro-zone Flash CPI (Nov.) November’s weaker-than-expected euro-zone consumer prices figures gave a final green light for the ECB to announce much-needed additional monetary policy stimulus at tomorrow’s Governing Council... 2nd December 2015 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update Euro-zone Fiscal Monitor (Nov.) The latest fiscal data provided further evidence that the peripheral countries are improving their budgetary positions. But with some of these countries planning to loosen the fiscal reins next year... 1st December 2015 · 1 min read
Europe Data Response Euro-zone Unemployment (Oct.) & Final Mfg PMI (Nov.) October’s euro-zone unemployment data confirmed that the region’s steady labour market recovery has continued. But the bigger picture is that unemployment remains too high to boost wage growth and... 1st December 2015 · 1 min read
