Nordic & Swiss Economics Update Finland struggling to re-orientate its economy Finland has gone from being one of the euro-zone’s strongest performers pre-crisis to one of the worst, following the demise of its key industries. Reforms to boost growth will take time and effort... 12th June 2014 · 1 min read
Nordic & Swiss Economics Update Sedlabanki on hold, but rates to rise later this year Iceland’s central bank kept interest rates unchanged at 6% at its meeting today, despite raising its medium-term forecasts for GDP growth. We continue to think that the Sedlabanki will have to raise... 21st May 2014 · 1 min read
Nordic & Swiss Economics Update Dismal Q1 suggests Finland will stagnate at best in 2014 The 0.4% fall in Finland’s trend output indicator over Q1 is a clear indication that the country is struggling to exit recession. We expect the Finnish economy to stagnate this year, undermining... 19th May 2014 · 1 min read
Nordic & Swiss Economics Update Growth slowdown to delay rate hikes in Norway until 2016 The Norges Bank left its monetary policy stance unchanged today and we continue to think that a slowdown in the economy will prevent the Bank hiking until 2016. 8th May 2014 · 1 min read
Nordic & Swiss Economics Update Deflation to trump Riksbank’s household debt concerns The Riksbank’s report on household indebtedness underscores the magnitude of the problem and the need for it to be addressed. But we continue to think that the Bank will cut interest rates as... 7th May 2014 · 1 min read
Nordic & Swiss Economics Update Labour market still a constraint on Finland’s recovery The prolonged deterioration in Finland’s labour market may finally be coming to an end, according to data published earlier this week. But we suspect that employment will pick up very slowly at best. 25th April 2014 · 1 min read
Nordic & Swiss Economics Update Riksbank signals greater chance of a rate cut The Swedish Riksbank pushed back the date at which it expects to start raising interest rates and signalled that the probability of a rate cut in the near term has grown. We continue to think that low... 9th April 2014 · 1 min read
Nordic & Swiss Economics Update Norwegian interest rates may be on hold until 2016 Although the Norges Bank left its monetary policy stance unchanged today, the Bank may yet need to push back its first projected interest rate hike from mid-2015 to 2016. 27th March 2014 · 1 min read
Nordic & Swiss Economics Update Danish central bank unlikely to tolerate further krone falls The fall in the Danish krone to its weakest level against the euro since early 2006 has increased speculation that Denmark’s central bank will have to respond to maintain the krone’s peg. We agree... 24th March 2014 · 1 min read
Nordic & Swiss Economics Update SNB’s battle with deflation goes on The combination of a sluggish economic recovery, very low inflation and a still strong currency will keep the Swiss National Bank (SNB) in very accommodative mode for the foreseeable future. 20th March 2014 · 1 min read
Nordic & Swiss Economics Update Sedlabanki softens its stance but rates are still likely to rise In light of the recent drop in inflation, Iceland’s central bank kept interest rates unchanged today and suggested that rate hikes were less probable than they had been in February. However, with... 19th March 2014 · 1 min read
Nordic & Swiss Economics Update Disparity in Nordic inflation rates to be sustained for now February’s consumer prices figures for the Nordic countries revealed a continued disparity between subdued inflation rates in Sweden and Denmark on the one hand and much stronger price pressures in... 11th March 2014 · 1 min read
Nordic & Swiss Economics Update Danish mortgage market set to weather regulatory storm Denmark’s mortgage-bond market, the third largest covered bond market in the world, looks set to avoid a painful regulatory overhaul that might have weighed on the country’s recovery. 26th February 2014 · 1 min read
Nordic & Swiss Economics Update Rates hikes in Sweden remain a distant prospect The Swedish Riksbank reiterated at its meeting today that it does not expect to raise interest rates until early next year. But we think that the expected start date of its tightening cycle will... 13th February 2014 · 1 min read
Nordic & Swiss Economics Update Sedlabanki holds, but will hike later this year Although the Icelandic central bank left its policy rate unchanged today, the Sedlabanki gave a strong indication that it is likely to tighten policy later this year. 12th February 2014 · 1 min read
Nordic & Swiss Economics Update Slide in Norwegian krone may not be over yet Although the Norwegian krone will fare better in 2014 than it did last year, the currency may well depreciate a little further. 10th February 2014 · 1 min read
