Skip to main content

Euro-zone close to recession

Economic growth has slowed to a crawl and is likely to remain anaemic until well into next year, even in the absence of a fresh external shock. Germany is probably in a recession already and we think it will not recover for a long while yet; Italy’s economy is set to flatline; and France will lose momentum as the region slows. German policymakers are unlikely to respond to mounting calls for a fiscal stimulus unless the unemployment rate there rises sharply. Meanwhile, although core euro-zone inflation is stuck close to 1%, an increasingly divided ECB will bide its time before making any further policy moves. That said, we think it will cut its deposit rate to -0.8% and further increase its corporate bond purchases next year.

Become a client to read more

This is premium content that requires an active Capital Economics subscription to view.

Already have an account?

You may already have access to this premium content as part of a paid subscription.

Sign in to read the content in full or get details of how you can access it

Register for free

Sign up for a free account to:

  • Unlock additional content
  • Register for Capital Economics events
  • Receive email updates and economist-curated newsletters
  • Request a free trial of our services


Get access