Europe Economics Update Euro-zone Monetary Indicators Monitor (Jan.) The latest euro-zone money and credit data continue to suggest that inflationary pressures in the region as a whole remain subdued, adding to evidence that the recent sharp rise in the headline CPI... 28th January 2011 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update Euro-zone Fiscal Monitor (Jan.) Most of the peripheral euro-zone economies appear to have made some inroads into their large budget deficits last year, with Spain taking the lead. 25th January 2011 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update Spanish bank plans unlikely to be a game changer News that the Spanish Government will force the troubled banks to boost their capital ratios is an encouraging sign that it is trying to tackle the economy’s fundamental problems. But we doubt that... 25th January 2011 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update Ireland's political turmoil not as disastrous as it seems Ireland’s coming general election provides hope that months of political uncertainty may be about to end. But whatever the outcome, the economy and public finances will remain in a precarious state. 24th January 2011 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update Will Portugal's presidential election add fuel to the fire? Portugal has survived its first market tests of 2011 and resisted pressure to accept outside support. But with government bond yields still at very high levels, the Government’s struggle to go without... 21st January 2011 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update ECB remains reluctant to do more After leaving interest rates on hold, the ECB provided no indication that it is about to respond to the ongoing euro-zone fiscal crisis by adopting bolder unconventional policy measures. 13th January 2011 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update Portugal - the end of Act 1? It now seems a matter of when, rather than if, Portugal will follow Greece and Ireland in accepting some form of European/IMF bail-out. But will this signal the beginning of the end of the euro-zone... 11th January 2011 · 1 min read
Nordic & Swiss Economics Update Iceland still faces major challenges The joke about the differences between Iceland and Ireland (one letter and about six months) might provide some encouragement to the latter in the light of recent signs that Iceland is turning the... 4th January 2011 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update Iceland still faces major challenges The joke about the differences between Iceland and Ireland (one letter and about six months) might provide some encouragement to the latter in the light of recent signs that Iceland is turning the... 4th January 2011 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update European Council meeting unlikely to mark a turning point This week’s European Council meeting provides policymakers with the chance to prove that they will do whatever is necessary to get the region’s public finances on a stable footing. But in reality... 16th December 2010 · 1 min read
Nordic & Swiss Economics Update Swedish Riksbank signals more rate hikes to come The Swedish Riksbank responded to the recent strong economic data by raising interest rates today for the fourth time since July. But while further rate hikes are inevitable, we expect monetary policy... 15th December 2010 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update Swedish Riksbank signals more rate hikes to come The Swedish Riksbank responded to the recent strong economic data by raising interest rates today for the fourth time since July. But while further rate hikes are inevitable, we expect monetary policy... 15th December 2010 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update Euro-zone Fiscal Monitor (Dec.) Most of the peripheral euro-zone economies, excluding Spain, are still struggling to meet their budget deficit targets for this year, suggesting that additional fiscal measures will be needed next... 9th December 2010 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update Portugal's toughest tests still lie ahead The ECB’s announcement that it would step up its bond purchase programme and extend liquidity provision to the banking sector has eased immediate pressure on Portugal. But the initial positive market... 9th December 2010 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update Irish Budget fails to lift the gloom As anticipated, the first vote on the Irish 2011 Budget was passed by Parliament late last night. But while this reduces the chances of the Government being unable to tap its bail-out facility for... 8th December 2010 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update ECB does the bare minimum Anyone hoping that the European Central Bank would respond to the euro-zone debt crisis with “shock and awe” today will have been severely disappointed. The fact that it failed to respond more... 2nd December 2010 · 1 min read