Europe Economics Focus Can QE revive the euro-zone? The European Central Bank (ECB) is set to launch a full-blown quantitative easing (QE) programme this week or in January. But the political and economic limitations on the policy’s size and effects... 3rd December 2014 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Focus Will lower oil prices end Norway’s long boom? Norway has been one of the strongest growing economies of the developed world over the last decade. But with households buckling under high debt burdens and lower oil prices set to exacerbate the... 20th November 2014 · 1 min read
Nordic & Swiss Economics Focus Will lower oil prices end Norway’s long boom? Norway has been one of the strongest growing economies of the developed world over the last decade. But with households buckling under high debt burdens and lower oil prices set to exacerbate the... 20th November 2014 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Focus How bad is Belgium’s competitiveness problem? The improvement in southern euro-zone nations’ competitiveness has left some core countries, such as Belgium, lagging behind. If Belgium and other uncompetitive economies are unable to close the... 20th October 2014 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Focus Will the euro-zone ever escape abnormality? Don’t be fooled by the apparent normalisation of the euro-zone’s financial markets. Conditions in the currency union’s economy are still a very long way from normal. 6th October 2014 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Focus Finland set to lag behind Nordic neighbours Finland’s dismal post-crisis economic performance is at odds with the ongoing recoveries of its Nordic neighbours. Although these countries share many characteristics, Finland’s economic decline has... 25th September 2014 · 1 min read
Nordic & Swiss Economics Focus Finland set to lag behind Nordic neighbours Finland’s dismal post-crisis economic performance is at odds with the ongoing recoveries of its Nordic neighbours. Although these countries share many characteristics, Finland’s economic decline has... 25th September 2014 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Focus Using another country’s currency is a costly option Unilateral adoption of the euro, which is the currency regime of Montenegro and a number of other countries, might seem to be a potential blueprint for other European countries outside the euro-zone... 9th September 2014 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Focus France to fall further behind Germany The recent underperformance of the French economy compared to Germany reflects fundamentalfactors that will drive an even greater wedge between the two economies over time. Thisdivergence will... 17th July 2014 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Focus Is Sweden the Nordic Japan? Fears that Sweden might be about to enter a Japanese-style “lost decade” of deflation and stagnation are not entirely without foundation. But we think that Sweden should be able to avoid such an... 2nd July 2014 · 1 min read
Nordic & Swiss Economics Focus Is Sweden the Nordic Japan? Fears that Sweden might be about to enter a Japanese-style “lost decade” of deflation and stagnation are not entirely without foundation. But we think that Sweden should be able to avoid such an... 2nd July 2014 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Focus Can Italy really stop its debt rising? Contrary to official forecasts, Italy’s huge public debt is unlikely to fall over the coming years. Given the size of the economy, this will leave not only Italy in a very precarious position, but... 25th June 2014 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Focus Is the euro-zone turning Japanese? There is a real and growing danger that the euro-zone enters a Japanese-style bout of flat or falling prices. But even a prolonged period of low positive inflation would seriously hamper the... 3rd June 2014 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Focus Is France resolving its problems? France is beginning to tackle its long-standing economic problems. Although a weak labour market and additional fiscal austerity will weigh on the economy this year, growth should pick up in 2015... 31st March 2014 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Focus Does Portugal need more help? The chances of Portugal following in Ireland’s footsteps and making a “clean break” from its bailout have recently grown. Nonetheless, we think that it may still need further loans and some form of... 4th March 2014 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Focus Banking union: a step rather than a leap forward The euro-zone’s proposed banking union will help to strengthen the region’s financial system. But the benefits will be slow to feed into the real economy. And the current framework for banking union... 18th February 2014 · 1 min read