Europe Economics Update On the road to fiscal union? Decisive steps towards greater fiscal integration across the euro-zone seem vital if the currency union is going to hold together in its current form. But recent comments from Angela Merkel and... 18th August 2011 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update Euro-zone crisis another headache for Iceland The Icelandic central bank’s surprise interest rate hike today was in stark contrast to the increasingly dovish tone of other central banks around the world. The move reflected a sharp increase in... 18th August 2011 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update Does Germany still want to save the euro? Germany’s reluctance or political inability to implement stronger measures to support the euro-zone’s periphery suggests that its appetite for the project might be fading. While euro-zone membership... 18th August 2011 · 1 min read
Nordic & Swiss Economics Update Euro-zone crisis another headache for Iceland The Icelandic central bank’s surprise interest rate hike today was in stark contrast to the increasingly dovish tone of other central banks around the world. The move reflected a sharp increase in... 17th August 2011 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update Market relief for Portugal likely to be short-lived Market pressure on Portugal has eased over the past weeks. But we remain sceptical that the ECB’s bond purchases and the agreement reached by euro-zone policymakers last month can be a lasting... 17th August 2011 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update What more can the SNB do? The Swiss National Bank has not exhausted all options to stem the franc’s appreciation and might yet try capital controls or direct intervention in currency markets. But internationally co-ordinated... 12th August 2011 · 1 min read
Nordic & Swiss Economics Update What more can the SNB do? The Swiss National Bank has not exhausted all options to stem the franc’s appreciation and might yet try capital controls or direct intervention in currency markets. But internationally co-ordinated... 11th August 2011 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update Could German courts block the bail-outs? The ongoing case in the German Constitutional Court against providing financial support for Greece is unlikely to lead to an outright ban on bail-outs. But the court could insist that Germany is... 11th August 2011 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update Plunging equity markets exacerbate growth risks The recent plunge in equity markets may not necessarily have severe negative consequences for euro-zone growth. But when combined with the region’s other problems it supports our long-held bearish... 11th August 2011 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update France's problems threaten policymakers' firepower Growing concerns about France’s fiscal position have underlined the breadth of the euro-zone’s debt crisis. While a default seems unlikely at this stage, merely a credit rating downgrade would... 10th August 2011 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update Italy’s fiscal measures will need to be seen to be believed On the face of it, the response of the Italian Government to the recent market mayhem appears pretty impressive. But we are sceptical as to whether the Government can deliver on its promises. 10th August 2011 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update ECB purchases may have little lasting impact The ECB’s purchases of Italian and Spanish Government bonds have drawn a very positive initial response in the markets. But there are some good reasons to doubt that it will be sustained. 9th August 2011 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update ECB softens its stance The ECB was bolder than expected today, upping its support for the banking sector and embarking on a new bout of bond purchases to help the peripheral economies. The Bank claimed that these measures... 5th August 2011 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update What next for Italy and Spain? Hopes that the latest Greek rescue package would limit contagion effects on Italy and Spain have already faded. But we still think that markets are too sanguine about growth prospects for both... 4th August 2011 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update SNB action unlikely to stem the franc’s rise The Swiss National Bank’s decision to cut interest rates to almost zero and embark on a renewed bout of quantitative easing to stem the franc’s appreciation looks pretty bold. But we still think that... 4th August 2011 · 1 min read
Nordic & Swiss Economics Update SNB action unlikely to stem the franc’s rise The Swiss National Bank’s decision to cut interest rates to almost zero and embark on a renewed bout of quantitative easing to stem the franc’s appreciation looks pretty bold. But we still think that... 3rd August 2011 · 1 min read
