Europe Economics Weekly Is there any hope for euro-zone consumers? On the whole, the news on the euro-zone was fairly good again last week. Industrial figures from Germany confirmed that Q2 was a very good quarter and the final release of July’s euro-zone PMI surveys... 9th August 2010 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update Cautious ECB to maintain policy support The ECB maintained a cautious stance towards the economic outlook at August’s press conference, despite recent surprisingly positive news. With the pick-up in growth likely to prove temporary, policy... 5th August 2010 · 1 min read
Europe Data Response Euro-zone PPI (Jun.)/Spanish Unemp. & Con. Conf. (Jul.) The continued strength of euro-zone producer price inflation, coupled with the recent increase in CPI inflation, may prompt concerns that inflationary pressures are building. But we still expect CPI... 3rd August 2010 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Weekly Peripheral concerns still central On the face of it at least, last week brought good news as economic sentiment rose further in July and there were tentative signs that strains in the banking sector could be easing. But with credit... 2nd August 2010 · 1 min read
Europe Data Response Euro-zone Flash CPI (Jul.) & Unemployment (Jun.) July’s increase in euro-zone inflation probably reflected developments in energy and food prices, while core inflation remained low. The still high rate of unemployment in the region points to further... 30th July 2010 · 1 min read
ECB Watch A more positive tone, but tighter policy is distant The ECB’s decision to tighten future lending criteria and the fact that its bond purchases have ground to a near halt suggest that the Bank is again phasing out its unconventional policy support. The... 29th July 2010 · 1 min read
Europe Commercial Property Chart Pack Euro-zone investment market recovery under pressure (Jun 10) The gradual recovery in European commercial property investment volumes extended into Q2 2010. As a result, with the exception of Greece, property yields were either stable or fell slightly in all... 29th July 2010 · 1 min read
Europe Data Response Euro-zone EC Survey (Jul.) July’s improvement in the EC consumer and business surveys adds to the evidence that the euro-zone is performing surprisingly well. But divergences between the region’s economies are widening. 29th July 2010 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update Euro-zone Monetary Indicators Monitor (Jul.) The EU bank stress tests have provided some encouraging signs that parts of the euro-zone banking system may be in better health than feared. But as yet there is little sign that banks are becoming... 27th July 2010 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update Bank stress tests leave unanswered questions The EU bank stress tests may have helped to reduce uncertainties around the health of Europe’s largest banks’ balance sheets. But concerns remain over the way the tests were constructed and we are... 26th July 2010 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update Germany to the rescue? Germany’s export-led recovery appears to be going from strength to strength. But while this is clearly good news, a domestic revival would be required to ensure a strong and sustained pick-up in the... 22nd July 2010 · 1 min read
Europe Data Response Euro-zone Flash PMIs (Jul.) July’s rise in the euro-zone composite PMI suggests that, for now at least, the region is (perhaps surprisingly) evading the threat of a double-dip recession apparently facing the US and UK. 22nd July 2010 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Weekly Industrial divergences likely to grow Last week’s euro-zone industrial data provided further evidence that the recovery in the sector remains on track. But it also added to worries that divergences within the region are building and that... 19th July 2010 · 1 min read
Europe Data Response Euro-zone Trade Balance (May) Euro-zone exports continued to recover in May. But as the global economic revival loses momentum, weaker export growth will exacerbate the negative effects of the fiscal squeeze on the wider economy. 16th July 2010 · 1 min read
Europe Data Response Euro-zone Industrial Production (May) & Final CPI (Jun.) May’s euro-zone industrial production data confirm that the recovery remains on track for now. But as global demand slows and domestic demand is hit by the fiscal squeeze, the revival in the wider... 14th July 2010 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Weekly ECB to support banks as stress tests bring little comfort Last week’s confirmation that stress tests of EU banks will be published on 23rd July did little to ease fears about the sector, probably because the scenarios considered will not be adverse enough... 12th July 2010 · 1 min read
