Are central banks to blame for the inflation crisis? August 1, 2023 As we enter what looks like the final leg of central banks’ interest rate rising journeys, it’s as good a time as ever to trace why they have been jolted into action after over a decade of ultra loose policy and whether their response to the inflation crisis has been effective. Coming out of the [...]
Eurozone economy pulls away from recession as inflation slips again to 5.3 per cent July 31, 2023 The European economy is outperforming expectations and pulling away from recession as inflation continues to descend, official data out today shows. Growth across the 20 countries that use the euro hit 0.3 per cent in the three months to June, according to the bloc’s statistics agency Eurostat. That topped analysts’ expectations of a 0.2 per [...]
European Central Bank hoists interest rates to joint record high of 3.75 per cent July 27, 2023 The European Central Bank (ECB) today lifted interest rates for the ninth time in a row, following the US Federal Reserve’s rise last night. It means the eurozone’s key interest rate now stands at 3.75 per cent, its highest level in 22 years. President Christine Lagarde and the rest of the governing council opted for [...]
IMF warns Germany and UK will be G7’s laggards this year despite upgrades July 25, 2023 Britain is on course to register the second weakest growth in the clutch of rich countries this year, beaten only by Europe’s economic powerhouse Germany, which will be the only advanced economy to contract this year, the world’s lender of last resort has signalled today. UK output will expand 0.4 per cent this year, the [...]
Eurozone edges nearer to recession while UK economy ‘stalls’ July 24, 2023 The European economy has edged closer to recession, while the UK is on the brink of slipping into negative growth, closely watched surveys out today reveal. A snapshot of the eurozone’s respective economies showed high inflation and the European Central Bank’s (ECB) efforts to tame it with interest rate rises is cooling activity. Hamburg Commercial [...]
Federal Reserve and European Central Bank may back final rate rises this week, experts bet July 24, 2023 US Federal Reserve and European Central Bank officials could launch their final interest rate rises this week as inflation ebbs in their respective economic blocs, experts are betting. Members of the federal open market committee (FOMC) are on Wednesday tipped to raise borrowing costs 25 basis points to a range of 5.25 per cent and [...]
Stock and bond prices fall for first time since 2008 financial crisis but only to $255 TRILLION June 27, 2023 The value of stocks, bonds and other financial assets across the world have fallen for the first time since the 2008 financial crisis as central banks globally have jacked up interest rates aggressively to tame stubbornly high inflation. Global financial wealth slimmed four per cent last year to $255 trillion, the first drop in 15 [...]
European Central Bank hikes rates 25 basis points to 2001 and hints at more to come June 15, 2023 The European Central Bank (ECB) today signed off what many thought would be its final interest rate rise, but lingering concerns about high inflation may lure the monetary authority into further increases, experts have bet. The monetary authority of the 20 countries using the euro sent borrowing costs up 25 basis points to 3.5 per [...]
Euro inflation slumps faster than expected to 6.1 per cent leaving UK further afield June 1, 2023 Inflation in Europe is falling much faster than expected, further marking Britain out as suffering the toughest price pressures in the developed world. The rate of price increases in the 20 countries using the euro dropped to 6.1 per cent last month, down from seven per cent in the previous month, according to eurostat. That [...]
Germany tips into recession and analysts warn economy won’t get much better May 25, 2023 Germany slipped into an official recession over the winter, triggered by family finances being crushed by sky high energy bills, official figures out today show. Revised estimates from the country’s statistics agency, Destatis, revealed gross domestic product (GDP) contracted 0.3 per cent in the first three months of this year. The organisation previously thought output [...]