Europe Economics Update Latest Italian data show huge falls in activity Activity in some large parts of Italy’s economy – including manufacturing – appears to be down by more than 50%. Even if the lockdown is relaxed in May, we think that GDP will fall by about 10% this... 3rd April 2020 · 2 mins read
Europe Economics Update GDP to drop by 25% during lockdowns The imposition of strict social distancing controls across the continent means that economic activity in the euro-zone is likely to slump even further than we had assumed two weeks ago. For the... 2nd April 2020 · 5 mins read
Europe Economics Update Will short-time work schemes save euro-zone jobs? Euro-zone unemployment will rise sharply in the coming months but short-time working schemes will help to prevent it from skyrocketing. While this will incur significant fiscal costs, the support to... 2nd April 2020 · 5 mins read
Nordic & Swiss Economics Update Norwegian economy being clobbered on all fronts The combination of virus-related disruption and a crunch in cash flows for energy firms means that the Norwegian economy is more exposed than most at present. And with oil prices likely to increase... 1st April 2020 · 3 mins read
Europe Economics Update Taking stock of Italian COVID-19 infections data The number of new confirmed Covid-19 cases in Italy has been on a downward trend, raising hopes that the lockdown is beginning to work. In this Update, we put the numbers in context. 31st March 2020 · 2 mins read
Nordic & Swiss Economics Update SNB may be forced to live with a stronger franc While the SNB clearly favours using FX interventions to weaken the franc at present, persistent concerns about the size of its balance sheet would make it reticent to step in on an ever-greater scale... 30th March 2020 · 4 mins read
Europe Economics Update Business surveys under-estimating the slump in GDP The business surveys for March point to declines in activity at least as deep as during the global financial crisis. None of them will be perfect guides to GDP though. If anything, the economy seems... 30th March 2020 · 3 mins read
Europe Economics Update Euro-zone inflation set to turn negative The precipitous fall in oil prices and virus-related plunge in demand is likely to push euro-zone inflation to a record low of -1% in the summer. While the risk of deflation becoming entrenched seems... 27th March 2020 · 3 mins read
Europe Economics Update French statisticians think GDP down 35% Measuring the economic fallout from the coronavirus is fraught with uncertainty, but the French statistics office estimates that economic activity is currently running a whopping 35% below normal. If... 26th March 2020 · 3 mins read
Europe Economics Update Joint fiscal support would aid EZ economic recovery Euro-zone policymakers’ plan to offer precautionary credit lines to some governments is a step in the right direction, but it is too small and not the best tool for the job. It stops well short of... 26th March 2020 · 5 mins read
Europe Economics Update ESM help welcome but more will be needed It now seems likely that euro-zone policymakers will exploit the European Stability Mechanism’s lending capacity to offer financial help to all member states to tackle the hit from the coronavirus... 25th March 2020 · 3 mins read
Europe Economics Update Jobless rate to erase seven years of gains We think the unemployment rate in the euro-zone will surge to about 12% by the end of June, giving up seven years’ worth of gains in a matter of months. Much of this may prove temporary if the economy... 24th March 2020 · 3 mins read
Europe Economics Update Germany opens the fiscal taps Germany’s supplementary budget for nearly 5% of GDP sets an example that other euro-zone countries are likely to follow. However, we suspect that the costs will end up being much higher even than this... 23rd March 2020 · 3 mins read
Europe Economics Update Virus cost will add to Italy’s debt problems The cost of the coronavirus crisis could push Italy’s public debt ratio up to 160% of GDP or more in 2020. This shouldn’t spark a crisis this year because the ECB will stand behind the bond market... 23rd March 2020 · 3 mins read
Global Markets Update What to make of the moves in commodity currencies The slump in the prices of commodities has hit hard the currencies of the countries whose fortunes depend heavily on them. But if we are right and commodity prices eventually recover as the... 23rd March 2020 · 2 mins read
Europe Economics Update ESM could be a game-changer While the ECB’s extra €750bn in bond purchases has reduced financial market stress, governments also need to deliver a large fiscal response without triggering a fresh sovereign debt crisis. In our... 20th March 2020 · 6 mins read
