Europe Economics Update Why is Spain still dragging its heels? Spain’s delay in applying for a bail-out and hence triggering the ECB’s new bond buying plan probably reflects both political and financial considerations. But it can’t hold out for much longer. 11th October 2012 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update ECB plays its cards close to its chest President Draghi reiterated the ECB’s determination to preserve the single currency at today’s interest rate press conference, but there remains a large amount of uncertainty surrounding how the... 4th October 2012 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update Budget marks a small step forward for Greece By announcing fiscal measures to generate the €13.5bn of savings demanded by the Troika, the Greek Government has moved a step closer to gaining the next loan instalment from its bail-out package. But... 1st October 2012 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update Euro-zone Monetary Indicators Monitor (Aug.) The latest monetary data provide no encouragement about the outlook for the eurozone. Lending to the private sector has continued to fall and the boost to banks’ lending to governments generated by... 27th September 2012 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update Spain still faces major obstacles The unveiling of the 2013 budget and the publication of the audit of the banking system later this week could potentially boost sentiment towards Spain and pave the way for a bail-out deal to be... 26th September 2012 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update Euro-zone Fiscal Monitor (Sep.) Further signs of fiscal slippage suggest that peripheral euro-zone governments will fall short of their ambitious budget deficit targets for this year. 26th September 2012 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update Will the ECB follow the Fed? With the launch of QE3, the Federal Reserve has clearly trumped the ECB’s conditional pledge to make sterilised bond purchases. Similar action is warranted in the euro-zone and technically feasible... 17th September 2012 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update Is the bazooka now in place? The German Court’s decision to allow the ESM to be ratified, together with the ECB’s earlier promise to meet ESM bond purchases with unlimited purchases of its own, suggests that a substantial... 12th September 2012 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update Will the ECB provide a "third bail-out" for Greece? The ECB’s willingness to make “unlimited” government bond purchases in order to calm the situation in Spain could potentially have large positive repercussions for Greece too. But on balance, we doubt... 10th September 2012 · 1 min read
Nordic & Swiss Economics Update Swedish rate cut unlikely to be the last We doubt that the latest interest rate reduction by the Riksbank will be the last in the cycle. If the euro-zone debt crisis intensifies as we expect, interest rates may eventually fall well below 1%. 6th September 2012 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update Positive reaction to ECB could prove short-lived The confirmation that the ECB is prepared to buy “unlimited” quantities of peripheral government bonds looks encouraging at face value. But the details reveal that the Bank has not upped its policy... 6th September 2012 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update Euro-zone GDP (Q2) The second euro-zone GDP release for Q2 revealed that last quarter’s contraction was down to a decline in domestic spending. With the timelier data consistent with sharper declines in activity ahead... 6th September 2012 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update Swedish rate cut unlikely to be the last We doubt that the latest interest rate reduction by the Riksbank will be the last in the cycle. If the euro-zone debt crisis intensifies as we expect, interest rates may eventually fall well below 1%. 6th September 2012 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update Euro-zone Fiscal Monitor (Aug.) The latest fiscal data suggest that most of the peripheral economies will struggle to meet their budget deficit targets for 2012 without implementing further austerity measures. 3rd September 2012 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update Euro-zone Monetary Indicators Monitor (Jul.) The latest monetary data confirm that the ECB’s earlier liquidity operations have yet to boost lending to the private sector, which will add to the pressure on the Bank to do more. As well as buying... 28th August 2012 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update Pressure on Greece continues to grow The Greek Government’s inability to agree on how to cut public spending highlights the ongoing fragility of the situation there. And with euro-zone policymakers still unwilling to concede any ground... 8th August 2012 · 1 min read