Europe Economics Update ECB can’t count on Fed tapering to weaken the euro The ECB cannot rely on the commencement of asset purchase tapering by the US Federal Reserve to bring the euro down from its potentially damaging levels. 10th December 2013 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Weekly Is the ECB being complacent about deflation? For now at least, the ECB appears happy to leave its “powerful artillery” in the arsenal due to its fairly sanguine outlook for inflation. But rather than start to rise gently in line with the ECB’s... 9th December 2013 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update Pressure on the ECB to take further action set to grow President Draghi emphasised at December’s interest rate press conference that the ECB has a “powerful artillery of instruments available”. And the pressure on it to use these instruments looks set to... 5th December 2013 · 1 min read
Europe Chart Pack Weak growth & strong euro keep pressure on ECB Having slowed almost to a halt in Q3, early indications suggest that the euro-zone’s economic recovery is unlikely to have regained much momentum – if any – in the final quarter of the year. Meanwhile... 4th December 2013 · 1 min read
Europe Data Response Euro-zone GDP (Q3 13), Final PMIs (Nov.13) & Retail Sales (Oct.13) The breakdown of Q3 GDP and more timely news on retail sales and the final PMIs further underlined the weakness of the euro-zone’s recovery. 4th December 2013 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Weekly Rating changes don't confirm convergence Last week’s rating changes by S&P, which stripped the Netherlands of its triple A status and moved Spain from negative watch to stable, appeared to re-affirm the recent message from the economic data... 2nd December 2013 · 1 min read
Europe Data Response Euro-zone Flash CPI (Nov.) & Unemployment (Oct.) The latest news on euro-zone inflation and unemployment will do little to relieve the pressure on the ECB to take more action to support the fragile economic recovery and head off a potentially... 29th November 2013 · 1 min read
ECB Watch Time to talk about the euro? Last month's cut in interest rates has not lifted the pressure on the ECB to provide more support for the fragile economic recovery. Accordingly, President Draghi may make a more concerted effort to... 28th November 2013 · 1 min read
Europe Data Response Euro-zone EC Survey, German Unemp. (Nov.) & Spa. GDP (Q3) November’s rise in the EC’s euro-zone Economic Sentiment Indicator (ESI) is a comforting sign given the recent falls in other indicators, like the composite PMI, but we still expect the recovery to... 28th November 2013 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update Euro-zone Monetary Indicators Monitor (Oct.) There remains little sign that a pick-up in euro-zone bank lending to help support the fragile economic recovery is taking place. 28th November 2013 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update Euro-zone Fiscal Monitor (Nov.) While Greece and Ireland remain ahead of their fiscal consolidation targets, Italy appears set to record a larger than planned deficit this year. 27th November 2013 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Weekly External sector won’t drive the recovery September’s euro-zone trade data and November’s PMI surveys, both released last week, gave mixed signals on how the euro-zone’s external sector is developing. Whilst the survey data suggested that... 25th November 2013 · 1 min read
Europe Data Response Euro-zone Flash Consumer Confidence (Nov.) November’s fall in euro-zone consumer confidence adds to signs that the eurozone recovery may have lost some momentum in Q4. 21st November 2013 · 1 min read
Europe Data Response Euro-zone Flash PMIs (Nov.) November’s fall in the euro-zone composite PMI suggests that the region’s anaemic recovery may be losing more steam. 21st November 2013 · 1 min read
Europe Data Response Euro-zone Trade (Sep.) The latest euro-zone trade data indicate that although the trade surplus continues to widen, weak global demand and the strong euro are holding back exports. 18th November 2013 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Weekly Signs of growth convergence provide little comfort Q3's meagre rise in euro-zone GDP clearly was disappointing, but there were some signs that growth within the region is converging. The slowdown was largely down to weaker growth in Germany and France... 18th November 2013 · 1 min read
