Global Markets Update The 10-year Bund yield may be heading to zero Growing safe-haven flows in 2019 and the ECB re-starting its net asset purchases in 2020 may mean that the yields of “core” European government bonds (EGBs) fall further over the next two years. 20th March 2019 · 1 min read
Europe Commercial Property Update Could QE bring even lower property yields? The odds have tipped towards the ECB re-starting its QE programme next year. This would increase the likelihood of further reductions in euro-zone prime property yields, but, as yet, this expected... 19th March 2019 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update Wage growth likely to stop rising this year Euro-zone labour cost growth edged down in Q4 and, in contrast to the ECB, we don’t expect it to start rising again this year. This suggests that upward pressure on core inflation will remain muted. 19th March 2019 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update Euro-zone’s supply chain links: smaller than assumed Supply-chain links between Germany and the manufacturing sectors of other large euro-zone countries are smaller than people tend to think. As long as the slowdown in Germany is contained primarily to... 15th March 2019 · 1 min read
Global Markets Update The euro-zone market response to a no-deal Brexit Although UK MPs are unlikely to vote in favour of pursuing a no-deal Brexit tonight, that would not rule it out altogether. This Update considers the potential consequences of no deal for euro-zone... 13th March 2019 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update TLTRO-III to support bank funding, but not economy The ECB’s new “TLTRO-III” programme should help to prevent credit conditions from tightening next year. But any boost to lending growth is likely to be small. 13th March 2019 · 1 min read
Europe Data Response Euro-zone Industrial Production (Jan.) The 1.4% increase in industrial production in January was a bit of a relief after the 0.9% fall in December, but it does not put an end to concerns about the euro-zone’s slowdown. The increase did not... 13th March 2019 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update ECB likely to be forced into more QE in 2020 We now think that a combination of sluggish economic growth, low inflation, and monetary policy loosening in the US is likely to prompt the ECB to re-launch its net asset purchases next year. 12th March 2019 · 1 min read
Global Markets Focus EZ equities likely to hold up better than US equities We forecast that the MSCI EMU Index will fall by another 13% this year as the US joins China and the euro-zone in an economic slowdown. Nonetheless, a resolution to the trade war could see equities in... 12th March 2019 · 1 min read
Europe Chart Pack Economic growth still lacklustre Economic activity in the euro-zone seems to have remained sluggish in the first quarter of this year: we think GDP growth will be only 0.2% for a third successive quarter. This is largely due to... 11th March 2019 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Weekly ECB ahead of the curve, rebound in growth unlikely The ECB’s decision to launch more TLTROs and strengthen its interest rate guidance means that it is, at least for now, ahead of the curve. But we think the Bank is still too optimistic about economic... 8th March 2019 · 1 min read
Global Markets Update Market implications of the outlook for ECB policy We remain more dovish than investors about the outlook for interest rates in the euro-zone. But we still think that “risky” assets there will perform badly this year, as slowing global growth takes... 8th March 2019 · 1 min read
Nordic & Swiss Economics Update What could the SNB do to ease policy further? The more dovish than expected stance adopted by the ECB at today’s monetary policy meeting supports our view that the SNB will also keep rates lower for longer. And if the euro-zone economy... 7th March 2019 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update Probability of more QE this year is rising The ECB did more than expected today, announcing another round of TLTROs and pledging to leave policy rates on hold at least until next year. But with economic growth and inflation likely to remain... 7th March 2019 · 1 min read
Europe Data Response Euro-zone GDP (Q4 2018, breakdown) The third estimate of euro-zone GDP in Q4 last year confirmed that the economy grew at only a moderate pace, and with the latest data fairly weak the ECB is certain to announce lower forecasts later... 7th March 2019 · 1 min read
Europe Data Response Euro-zone Retail Sales (Jan.) & Final PMIs (Feb.) The upward revision to February’s final PMIs does not change our view that GDP growth in the euro-zone was probably just 0.2% again in the first quarter of this year. Meanwhile, the increase in retail... 5th March 2019 · 1 min read