The inflation divide: what should investors be doing? August 25, 2020 Currently, inflation is more of an annoyance than the economic tyrant of old. Given the unprecedented stimulus that the global economy has received since the coronavirus crisis hit, the debate is whether these “whatever it takes” financial packages will stoke a sustained period of rising prices. Inflation or deflation? The inflation debate is polarising opinion [...]
Eurozone inflation defies expectations with rise as economies re-open June 30, 2020 Eurozone inflation rose in June after hitting a four-year low in May as economies across the bloc began to re-open following lockdowns. Consumer prices in the bloc rose 0.3 per cent in June month-on-month, defying economists’ expectations that they would remain flat as the negative impact of low energy prices decreased. The European Union’s statistics [...]
Inflation post Covid-19: to be or not to be? May 26, 2020 | City Talk We spoke to two experts who argued the case for and against inflation in the near future and what it means for investments. Abdallah Guezour, Head of Emerging Market Debt and Commodities, and Keith Wade, Chief Economist, discuss the outlook for inflation in the midst of the Covid-19 crisis. Abdallah argues the case for inflation [...]
‘We had to respond’: ECB defends move to splash cash in Eurozone September 16, 2019 European Central Bank (ECB) chief economist Philip Lane has defended the institution’s decision to turn the stimulus taps back on, despite some public opposition from members of its governing council. The bank relaunched its massive bond-buying programme known as quantitive easing (QE) and cut its deposit rate by 0.1 percentage points to minus 0.5 per [...]
The inflation target is just the start for the next ECB president May 30, 2019 With the EU elections out of the way, the horse-trading over a host of top EU jobs, including who replaces Mario Draghi as president of the European Central Bank (ECB), will ratchet up. By the European Council meeting on 20-21 June, a successor to Draghi should become clear. The new president’s most urgent task is [...]
Eurozone business confidence crumbles as bosses grapple with economic uncertainty May 7, 2019 The vast majority of European chief financial officers (CFOs) continue to consider the current level of financial and economic uncertainty as high or very high, a new survey shows. Uncertainty is now higher in the euro area, increasing to 65 per cent in the last six months from 62 per cent, in contrast to the [...]
Eurozone inflation falls to its lowest rate in eight months as business output crashes January 4, 2019 A fall in oil prices saw eurozone inflation crash to an eight-month low in December as business activity fell to a four-year low, it emerged today. Inflation for the 19-country area stood at 1.6 per cent in the last month of 2018, down from 1.9 per cent in November and the lowest recorded since April, [...]
George Osborne: The EU needs the City of London to be successful in business September 9, 2015 The success of the Square Mile is of paramount interest to the European Union and the Eurozone, chancellor George Osborne told peers yesterday. “The health of the City is an EU and Eurozone interest,” Osborne told the Lords Economic Affairs Committee. But responding to a question from Lord Kerr of Kinlochard, Osborne also [...]
Euro plummets after Mario Draghi’s dove-bomb as ECB chief cuts inflation forecasts September 3, 2015 The euro lost over one per cent of its value yesterday after Brussels’ top central banker hinted that he could push the button on further monetary stimulus in a bid to boost the single currency area. European Central Bank (ECB) boss Mario Draghi gave an unexpectedly dovish statement, revealing that his organisation has cut forecasts for [...]
Europe’s hidden political crisis: Internal Eurozone disagreements over Greece could have deep-seated implications – CNBC Comment August 31, 2015 The Eurozone economy may be showing signs of strength this year, thanks in part to the European Central Bank’s (ECB) massive bond-buying programme but, politically, Europe is struggling. And we can thank Greece for that. ECONOMIC BOOST The forecast for GDP growth for Europe is much stronger this year than it was in 2014 [...]