ECB Watch Treating signs of recovery with caution The ECB will leave interest rates on hold at 1.0% at its September policy meeting and is very unlikely to announce any new unconventional policy measures. The Bank is likely to treat recent signs of... 28th August 2009 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update Euro-zone Monetary Indicators Monitor (Aug.) The latest euro-zone money figures provided little sign that the ECB’s recent continued provision of liquidity to banks has prompted them to increase their lending to the wider economy. 27th August 2009 · 1 min read
Europe Commercial Property Chart Pack Too soon to call an end to rising euro-zone yields (Aug 09) European investment transactions rose marginally in Q2, but remain very low. Although upward pressure on yields abated, we are not convinced that property is fairly valued yet. Occupier demand remains... 18th August 2009 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update ECB holds its line After leaving interest rates unchanged at 1.0% at it August meeting, President Trichet suggested that the ECB is unlikely to adopt new measures to stimulate the economy in the immediate future. We... 6th August 2009 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Focus How much slack is there in the euro-zone? The damaging effects of the recession and financial crisis have almost certainly hit the euro-zone’s productive potential, suggesting that conventional estimates of spare capacity exaggerate the... 30th July 2009 · 1 min read
ECB Watch ECB sticking to its guns The ECB looks set to leave interest rates on hold at 1.0% at its August policy meeting and is very unlikely to announce any new measures to stimulate the economy. The Bank is biding its time for now... 30th July 2009 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update Decline in bond spreads may not go much further The recent decline in the spread between German and other euro-zone government bond yields is an encouraging sign that rising fiscal deficits in the region are unlikely to lead peripheral governments’... 28th July 2009 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update Euro-zone Monetary Indicators Monitor (Jul.) The latest euro-zone money figures revealed that lending growth continues to slow. Of course, other things, equal, the ECB’s recent 12-month liquidity injection should help to boost bank lending in... 27th July 2009 · 1 min read
Europe Commercial Property Update Euro-zone yields stabilise in Q2, but unlikely to have peaked Recent data show yields stabilised in most euro-zone office and retail markets in 2009Q2. While there are reasons to believe this may be the peak for yields, we are sceptical. Investor demand has... 23rd July 2009 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update Strong euro to add to near-term deflationary pressures The recent appreciation of the euro is yet to have had an impact on euro-zone import prices, due to the normal lags between these two variables. But it soon will. What’s more, with spare capacity... 21st July 2009 · 1 min read
Europe Commercial Property Focus Euro-zone economic and property risk In the current uncertain environment, any upturn in commercial property investment flows is likely to centre on Europe’s largest, most transparent markets. Yet investors will also be looking for... 16th July 2009 · 1 min read
Europe Commercial Property Outlook Euro-zone commercial property yields still have some way to rise (Q2 2009) Our forecasts for euro-zone commercial property markets have not been altered significantly from those we released in March. (See European Commercial Property Focus, “Euro-zone capital values to fall... 13th July 2009 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update ECB relying heavily on bank lending channel Despite weaker signs of recovery in the euro-zone than elsewhere, the ECB’s policy support remains considerably narrower than other central banks’. President Trichet suggested today that the Bank is... 2nd July 2009 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update Euro-zone Monetary Indicators Monitor (Jun.) The latest euro-zone money and credit figures revealed that, after having flattened off for some time, the monetary base increased again. The hope is that banks will feel encouraged to lend. But there... 30th June 2009 · 1 min read
ECB Watch Maintaining narrow focus on bank lending The ECB looks almost certain to leave interest rates on hold at 1.0% this month, where we expect them to remain until at least the end of 2010. There is little hope that any new unconventional policy... 25th June 2009 · 1 min read
Europe Commercial Property Update Euro-zone PMIs suggest rental values will not stabilise this year June’s flash PMIs for the euro-zone showed a modest improvement compared to May, largely driven by a rise in the manufacturing index. Falls in the service sector index, however, suggest that occupier... 24th June 2009 · 1 min read
