Europe Economics Focus Pensions & public finances: not just a French problem Far from being only a French problem, pensions will be a growing fiscal headache in all the major euro-zone countries in the coming decade as populations age. In France and Italy, this will add to the... 14th January 2026 · 24 mins read
Europe Commercial Property Update High valuations challenge the Paris prime office market A weak overall office market in Paris has pushed investor demand to prime assets, leaving valuations highly stretched. Nevertheless, our relatively positive prime rental forecast means that Paris... 13th January 2026 · 3 mins read
Europe Commercial Property Update Our key calls for 2026 The recovery in European commercial property values is set to slow this year given the soft economic growth backdrop and elevated interest rates. Our forecast for euro-zone all-property total returns... 7th January 2026 · 3 mins read
Europe Rapid Response Euro-zone national inflation data (December) National inflation data released so far suggest that euro-zone headline inflation fell below 2% in December and that the core rate edged down. ECB policymakers will take that as confirmation that... 6th January 2026 · 2 mins read
Europe Rapid Response Euro-zone Flash PMIs (December 2025) December’s flash PMI was a little weaker than the reading in November but is still consistent with the economy expanding moderately in the fourth quarter while inflationary pressures remain too high... 16th December 2025 · 2 mins read
Europe Rapid Response Germany, France, Italy & Spain HICP (November 2025) The national inflation data for November published today suggest that headline and core inflation in the euro-zone edged up. 28th November 2025 · 2 mins read
Europe Rapid Response Euro-zone Flash PMIs (November 2025) November’s flash PMI for the euro-zone was little changed from the reading in October and suggests that the economy has continued to expand only slowly in the fourth quarter, while inflationary... 21st November 2025 · 2 mins read
Europe Economics Focus Has France’s RN turned moderate? As it has dropped plans for “Frexit”, scaled back its tax and spending promises and made overtures to business, the RN is worrying investors less than it did in the past. However, it is no more likely... 20th November 2025 · 16 mins read
Europe Commercial Property Update Corporate bonds more supportive of French property valuations Rises in French government bond yields point to material increases in property yields in the next year or so. However, corporate bond yields, as an alternative benchmark, suggest less need for... 5th November 2025 · 3 mins read
Europe Rapid Response Germany, France and Italy GDP (Q3 2025) National data available so far suggests that euro-zone GDP probably grew by a slightly stronger than expected 0.2% q/q in Q3, mainly thanks to a strong performance by France and Spain. Germany and... 30th October 2025 · 2 mins read
Asset Allocation Update France’s stock market likely to remain a laggard France’s financial markets have been under the cosh for much of 2025, as political gridlock in parliament has kept the door revolving at the Matignon. Equities have not gone unscathed, with the bond... 27th October 2025 · 6 mins read
UK Economics Update Why are the UK’s borrowing costs higher than France’s? The UK’s high borrowing costs relative to those of France appears to reflect differences in monetary policy and its higher inflation rate, rather than greater fiscal concerns. As inflation in the UK... 9th October 2025 · 6 mins read
Capital Daily What to make of the latest bond market mess While long-term government bond yields have stabilised today, political developments in France and Japan over recent days highlight how fiscal uncertainty continues to put upward pressure on long-term... 7th October 2025 · 4 mins read
Europe Economics Focus The fallout from France’s ongoing political deadlock The latest political developments in Paris underline that France is heading for some kind of fiscal crisis which in turn means the risk premium on its debt is likely to rise in the coming year or two... 6th October 2025 · 13 mins read