Europe Economics Update New rescue plans are unlikely to save the euro Talk of radical new measures to bail out highly indebted euro-zone governments and shore up banks throughout the region suggests that policymakers might finally be considering the bold steps that... 27th September 2011 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update Is Greece’s second bail-out dead and buried? On the face of it, the recent fall in Greek sovereign CDS premia and press reports suggesting that Greece will receive the fourth tranche of loans from its bail-out package in March are encouraging... 14th September 2011 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update Deepening debt crisis points to new recession The debt crisis in the euro-zone has escalated rapidly over recent months and could now come to a head sooner than we had previously anticipated. This is likely to have severe near- to medium-term... 14th September 2011 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update ECB paving the way for rate cuts After leaving interest rates on hold at 1.5% today, the ECB struck a downbeat tone regarding the economic outlook and acknowledged that risks to price stability are no longer on the upside, supporting... 9th September 2011 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update Concerns about Italy to resurface The Italian Government’s recent indecision over the form of its latest fiscal package underlines the view that it is unlikely to implement the tough and unpopular measures needed to get the public... 9th September 2011 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update German court ruling points to troubles ahead Today’s ruling by the German Constitutional Court that bail-outs already undertaken by EU authorities were not unlawful might come as a relief to highly indebted euro-zone governments. But its... 8th September 2011 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update Is Greece at risk of an imminent default? In the near term, Greece may continue to receive EU/IMF support and grudgingly meet the terms of its bail-out, despite the ongoing problems surrounding the second rescue package. But it is virtually... 8th September 2011 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update SNB’s action won’t rescue the Swiss economy Today’s decision by the Swiss National Bank to apply a limit of 1.20 per euro to the franc is a bold move which it has pledged to defend at all costs. But in the end, there may be limits to how many... 7th September 2011 · 1 min read
Nordic & Swiss Economics Update SNB’s action won’t rescue the Swiss economy Today’s decision by the Swiss National Bank to apply a limit of 1.20 per euro to the franc is a bold move which it has pledged to defend at all costs. But in the end, there may be limits to how many... 6th September 2011 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update Euro-zone Fiscal Monitor (Aug.) Most of the peripheral economies have continued to make progress in reducing their government borrowing. But over the past month, the euro-zone debt crisis has spread further to the core economies... 2nd September 2011 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update Strong Swiss franc starts to hurt Swiss GDP data show that the economy held up relatively well in Q2, but exports have already begun to fall. As the Swiss National Bank struggles to prevent a renewed appreciation of the franc, the... 2nd September 2011 · 1 min read
Nordic & Swiss Economics Update Strong Swiss franc starts to hurt Swiss GDP data show that the economy held up relatively well in Q2, but exports have already begun to fall. As the Swiss National Bank struggles to prevent a renewed appreciation of the franc, the... 1st September 2011 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update Euro-zone Monetary Indicators Monitor (Aug.) Recent signs of growing stresses in the euro-zone banking sector support our view that credit growth will remain subdued at best and that household spending and investment will grind to a virtual halt... 27th August 2011 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update Belgium's political crisis yet to take its toll Belgium’s severe political deadlock seems to have done little harm so far. But the political crisis is still preventing crucial fiscal tightening from being implemented. The deadlock is also delaying... 25th August 2011 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update Greece's second bail-out deal far from being concluded The dispute over the provision of collateral by Greece to some euro-zone economies in return for a second bail-out, coupled with the private sector’s reluctance to take part in a debt exchange, may... 23rd August 2011 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update Is Ireland over the worst? There have recently been signs that Ireland’s troubles may be starting to ease, but we still think that it faces a huge challenge to return its public finances to a stable footing. Accordingly, there... 19th August 2011 · 1 min read