Europe Economics Weekly Italy’s debt dynamics worsen Prior to the announcement of the second rescue package for Greece, we noted that anything other than a very decisive response by European policymakers could prompt Italy and Spain to be dragged deeper... 9th August 2011 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Weekly Slowdown spreads to Germany Data last week brought perhaps the firmest signs yet that the slowdown in euro-zone economic activity has spread to the region’s core. With exports weakening in response to slowing world demand and... 2nd August 2011 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Weekly Back from the brink, for now The positive market reaction to the Greek rescue package is not without some justification. After all, following the dithering and disagreement of recent months, it would not have been a shock if... 26th July 2011 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Weekly Still fiddling while Rome starts to burn Having pledged to agree on a new rescue package for Greece last week, euro-zone policymakers managed only another vague statement pledging their commitment to “safeguard financial stability” in the... 19th July 2011 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Weekly A reality check for Portugal Last week’s move by credit rating agency Moody’s to cut Portugal’s rating to below investment grade was a stark reminder that default concerns are not confined to Greece. While the move was fiercely... 12th July 2011 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Weekly Greek plan won’t end the periphery’s problems The risk of an imminent Greek disaster appears to have eased after the Greek parliament passed the crucial medium-term fiscal bill last week. But European policymakers’ inability to deal with the... 5th July 2011 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Weekly Greece edging closer to a second bail-out Developments last week suggest that the Greek Government will receive the fifth tranche of its initial bail-out package by early July. What’s more, although the finer details on the form of any... 28th June 2011 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Weekly Greece teetering on the edge The growing political uncertainty within Greece and fears that European policymakers will not step in and take decisive action to resolve the crisis has pushed the Greek Government closer to the brink... 21st June 2011 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Weekly Voluntary is the key "v-word" now President Trichet last week stressed again the ECB’s general opposition to a restructuring of Greek debt. But he left the door slightly open to a “voluntary” agreement in which bondholders would... 14th June 2011 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Weekly Greek bond plan faces big hurdles Last week’s news of proposals for a voluntary “rollover” of Greek debt brought some hope that the policy impasse over the crisis may soon be over. Crucially, there were signs that the ECB − until now... 6th June 2011 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Weekly Recovery past the peak Attention regarding the euro-zone’s debt crisis has remained focused on the continuing spat between the EU and the ECB on whether or not Greece should be allowed to undertake some form of “soft” debt... 30th May 2011 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Weekly No "soft" options for Greece There are growing signs that the EU will allow Greece to undertake a “soft” debt restructuring, probably involving the voluntary exchange of debt for bonds of longer maturities. This could ease the... 23rd May 2011 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Weekly Strong surface hides widening cracks The solid 0.8% gain in euro-zone GDP in Q1 has left our previous forecast of 1.0% growth in 2011 overall looking too downbeat. We have pushed it up to 1.5%, but an even stronger figure of 2.0% or so... 16th May 2011 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Weekly Will the Portuguese bail-out work? It is not surprising that the positive market reaction to the initial details of Portugal’s package last week was short-lived. On the face of it, the bail-out may turn out to be more successful than... 9th May 2011 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Weekly Greek default worries deepen Last week was another bad one for Greece. Markets are now increasingly convinced not only that Greece will default, but that it may happen before the European Stabilisation Mechanism comes into... 2nd May 2011 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Weekly Will the euro ever fall? The further rise in the euro against the US dollar, in the face of speculation that a euro-zone country might default on its debts in the foreseeable future, might seem to indicate that the single... 25th April 2011 · 1 min read
