Europe Economics Update Euro-zone Monetary Indicators Monitor (Jun.) Although June’s euro-zone monetary data showed some further signs of improvement, lending is still falling and the data point to a significant risk of deflation in the region. 25th July 2014 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update How competitive is Greece now? The sharp fall in wages and recent flurry of structural reforms in Greece has not yet fed intocompetitiveness gains. Greece is still not able to run the sustained external surpluses that it needs. 24th July 2014 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update New Belgian coalition is likely to disappoint News that the three major Flemish parties have formed a regional government raises hopes that Belgium’s federal political deadlock will be resolved soon. But the proposed national coalition looks set... 24th July 2014 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update Fears of a German housing bubble are overblown German house price inflation is modest by international standards, housing remains affordable andmortgage debt is low. Accordingly, fears of overheating seem overdone and should not ultimatelyprevent... 21st July 2014 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update Subsidence in the French construction sector Construction is set to remain one of the worst performing parts of the French economy. The sector’sproblems are symptomatic of the challenges facing the broader economy. 18th July 2014 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update New Government will keep Slovenian recovery on track Slovenia’s recent election looks set to produce a government that will dilute the country’s muchneededprivatisation programme. Nonetheless, on balance, the new administration will probably... 15th July 2014 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update Rise in Portuguese bond yields has further to run The recent rise in Portuguese government bond yields related to fears for its banking sector confirms that policymakers have done little to weaken the “doom loop” between banks and sovereigns in the... 10th July 2014 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update ABS purchases will not take QE off the table The ECB’s prospective ABS purchases might ultimately help to strengthen the euro-zone financial system. But they will not stave off the immediate disinflationary pressures facing the region. 9th July 2014 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update Norway set for several bouts of monetary loosening The Swedish Riksbank’s interest rate cut last week will put pressure on the Norges Bank to follow suit. We expect the Bank to cut its policy rate by the end of the year. And as spending in the energy... 8th July 2014 · 1 min read
Nordic & Swiss Economics Update Norway set for several bouts of monetary loosening The Swedish Riksbank’s interest rate cut last week will put pressure on the Norges Bank to follow suit. We expect the Bank to cut its policy rate by the end of the year. And as spending in the energy... 8th July 2014 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update ECB rests on its laurels The ECB is relying strongly on measures announced last month to counter the threat of deflation, but we doubt that they will be effective. A bolder programme of asset purchases is still likely to be... 3rd July 2014 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update Swedish Riksbank takes steps to tackle deflation Sweden’s central bank today cut its main policy rate by a bigger-than-expected 50bp to 0.25% and pushed back the date at which it first expects to raise rates until the end of 2015 in order to fight... 3rd July 2014 · 1 min read
Nordic & Swiss Economics Update Swedish Riksbank takes steps to tackle deflation Sweden’s central bank today cut its main policy rate by a bigger-than-expected 50bp to 0.25% and pushed back the date at which it first expects to raise rates until the end of 2015 in order to fight... 3rd July 2014 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update Euro-zone Fiscal Monitor (Jun.) Although progress is still slow, the latest euro-zone fiscal data provided more evidence that peripheral governments are gradually strengthening their fiscal positions. 2nd July 2014 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update Little relief in sight for Italian households May’s rise in Italy’s unemployment rate highlights the dire economic situation of households. And with inflation now slowing sharply, the country’s public debt ratio risks rising inexorably higher. 1st July 2014 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update Euro-zone Monetary Indicators Monitor (May) May’s small improvement in the euro-zone monetary data will not be enough to shake off concerns that the financial sector is a brake on the recovery and does little to diminish the risk that the... 30th June 2014 · 1 min read