Europe Data Response Euro-zone CPI (Final, Mar.) & Trade (Feb.) On the face of it, March’s sharp rise in euro-zone CPI inflation may look a little alarming. But with a fundamental lack of inflationary pressure in the economy, deflation rather than a surge in... 16th April 2010 · 1 min read
Europe Data Response Euro-zone Industrial Production (Feb.) On the face of it, February’s euro-zone industrial production figures confirm that the sector continues to expand at a healthy pace. But there are several reasons why these figures should be treated... 14th April 2010 · 1 min read
Europe Data Response German Industrial Production & Euro-zone Retail Sales (Feb.) February’s data on German industrial production and euro-zone retail sales put a dent in hopes that, after stagnating in Q4 last year, the euro-zone economy will have expanded strongly again in Q1. 8th April 2010 · 1 min read
Europe Data Response Euro-zone Final GDP (Q4), Final PMIs (Mar.) & PPI (Feb.) The downward revision to Q4’s euro-zone GDP figures is a reminder of the economy’s fragility. Thankfully, March’s final PMI survey brought further evidence that the recovery resumed in Q1. But the... 7th April 2010 · 1 min read
Europe Data Response Euro-zone Flash CPI (Mar.) & Unemployment (Feb.) March’s increase in euro-zone HICP inflation related mainly to energy effects and should be short-lived. Indeed, the further increase in euro-zone unemployment in February was another sign that... 31st March 2010 · 1 min read
Europe Data Response Euro-zone EC Survey & German CPI (Mar.) March’s EC business and consumer survey provides some encouragement that, for now, fiscal worries in the region are not weighing too heavily on overall sentiment towards the economy. But the surveys... 29th March 2010 · 1 min read
Europe Data Response Ireland GDP (Q4) Q4’s Irish GDP figures, showing the economy still mired in a deep recession, underline the prolonged and painful adjustments likely to be faced by the euro-zone’s fiscally challenged economies. 25th March 2010 · 1 min read
Europe Data Response Euro-zone Flash PMIs & German Ifo (Mar.) March’s increases in the euro-zone PMI and German Ifo surveys bring some encouragement that the economic recovery in the region has not ground completely to a halt, but the outlook remains fragile. 24th March 2010 · 1 min read
Europe Data Response German ZEW Survey (Mar.) & Euro-zone Final CPI (Feb.) March’s fall in German ZEW investor sentiment confirms that confidence in the economic recovery remains fairly fragile. And with euro-zone CPI inflation still very subdued, the ECB is under no... 16th March 2010 · 1 min read
Europe Data Response Euro-zone Industrial Production (Jan.) The latest euro-zone industrial production figures provide some hope that the recovery in the wider economy has not ground to a complete halt. 12th March 2010 · 1 min read
Europe Data Response Italian GDP (Q4), Italian & French Industrial Production (Jan.) Q4’s Italian GDP figures were pretty dreadful. With domestic demand still very fragil and a fundamental lack of competitiveness hampering the external sector, Italy looks set to stage a slow and... 10th March 2010 · 1 min read
Europe Data Response German Industrial Production (Jan.) The latest German industrial production figures provide some hope that the economic recovery has not ground to a complete halt. 8th March 2010 · 1 min read
Europe Data Response Euro-zone GDP (Q4) The second euro-zone GDP release for Q4 brings some hope that the slowdown in growth at the end of last year at least partly reflected temporary factors. But the recovery in the region remains fragile... 4th March 2010 · 1 min read
Europe Data Response Euro-zone Retail Sales (Jan.) & Final PMI (Feb.) February’s final PMI survey suggests that the euro-zone economy is still expanding only slowly. And with retail sales falling again in January, the much-needed consumer recovery has yet to materialise... 3rd March 2010 · 1 min read
Europe Data Response Swiss GDP (Q4) The Swiss economy is faring better than others in Europe, posting a 0.7% quarterly expansion in Q4. Such a strong pace is unlikely to be sustained, but we have revised up our forecast for GDP growth... 2nd March 2010 · 1 min read
Europe Data Response Euro-zone Unemployment (Jan.) & Manufacturing PMI (Feb.) January’s increase in euro-zone unemployment shows that households’ real incomes remain under strain despite very low inflation. At least February’s final Purchasing Managers’ Index points to a... 1st March 2010 · 1 min read