France
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03 April 2025 - 14:22
The Account of the Governing Council meeting on 5-6 March 2025 seemingly dwelt more on the downside risks posted by trade uncertainties than the upside risks posed by fiscal expansion plans across much of the EU. It noted that not all members supported the proposal to lower the three key ECB inter
03 April 2025 - 10:24
The U.S is imposing a widespread tariff on the EU of 20%, higher and broader than expected, this based on U.S. calculation of an effective tariff rate of in effect 39 per cent, a figure the EU puts at about 1 per cent. Moreover, rather than including factors such as VAT, and hygiene restrictions o
01 April 2025 - 09:45
Largely as expected, there was more supportive news in the March flash HICP numbers (Figure 1), with the headline down a notch and core down 0.2 ppt (the former to 2.2% and hence the lowest since last autumn). Perhaps more notably services inflation slowed more clearly, dropping 0.3 ppt to 3.4%, a
25 March 2025 - 13:43
February HICP inflation numbers did deliver better news and broadly and less marginally so after revisions with the headline dropping 0.2 ppt to an as-expected 2.3%. This ended a run of three successive rises and came about despite a rise in food inflation. Regardless, the core also eased 0.1 pp
24 March 2025 - 10:45
· For once in a long while, we have upgraded the EZ activity forecast and for 2026 actually to a notch above consensus thinking. However, the current backdrop still suggests that while the economy has been growing afresh it is doing so timidly, with downside risks persisting more clearl
18 March 2025 - 09:05
· The crucial date for more clarity is the June 24-26 NATO summit. Donald Trump might attend but will ask for more spending. NATO head Rutte’s desire is for above 3% of GDP for NATO countries, but the politics and budget suggest that a 2.5% minimum may only be agreed with Germany
14 March 2025 - 12:08
It does seem as if effective German Chancellor-elect Merz now has enough parliamentary support to amend the so-called debt brake and unlock more spending and borrowing to be directed toward added defense and infrastructure. Thus, it does seem as if Germany and its economy are undergoing a sea-chan
06 March 2025 - 15:01
Unsurprisingly, the ECB verdict was less important that the rhetoric. A sixth 25 bp discount rate was widely expected – and delivered - to 2.5%, but how wide the door is left open for further cuts may be more opaque. This both reflects gauging the extent of any lingering degree of policy restric
05 March 2025 - 12:56
As the EU/EZ prepares for an almost certain trade spat if not trade war with the U.S. as the latter levies well-flagged and probably significant tariffs, we consider what is actually behind President Trump’s ferocity regarding bilateral trade. As has been suggested widely, the EZ does not actual
05 March 2025 - 07:42
Germany’s likely new Chancellor Friedrich Merz has (and as has been flagged since his election win last week) announced plans to amend the country’s constitutional fiscal restraints, the so-called debt brake and within the confines of the current parliament. Merz said Tuesday evening the motto
03 March 2025 - 16:17
February HICP inflation numbers may did deliver better news and broadly but only marginally so (Figure 1) with the headline dropping 0.1 ppt to a higher-than-expected 2.4%. This ended a run of three successive rises and came about despite a rise in food inflation. Instead, the core also eased’
27 February 2025 - 13:55
As has been the case at most recent Council meetings, the ECB verdict is less important that the rhetoric. A sixth 25 bp discount rate is widely expected, to 2.5%, but how wide the door is left open for further cuts may be gleaned from any clear change in regard to how near(er) neutral policy the Co
26 February 2025 - 12:14
It is clear that, especially with another official rate cut due at the looming ECB Council meeting (Mar 6), the existing debate about how restrictive policy will be may only intensify. Indeed, the debate is already quite vocal, led by the hawks who are trying to argue for policy pause at least.
26 February 2025 - 08:30
· EZ equities still have further scope to outperform U.S. equities in the remainder of 2025 helped by further ECB easing/hopes of a Ukraine peace deal and U.S. equity market overvaluation restraining the U.S. However, this can be volatile with uncertainty over the scale of U.S. tari
25 February 2025 - 11:40
They say that good things often come in threes. For the ECB, Q4 data on negotiated wages just released adds to both INDEED compiled wage indicator and the central bank’s own wage tracker data in suggesting softening if not very muted cost pressures, something we attribute to the rising EZ labor
24 February 2025 - 15:34
February HICP inflation numbers may deliver better news and broadly so (Figure 1) and thus contrast with the mixed messages in the higher-than-expected January flash HICP numbers. Indeed, for a third successive month in January, the headline rose but by ‘only’ 0.1ppt, to a six-month high of 2.
24 February 2025 - 08:53
The German election delivered few surprises with the electorate swinging even more clearly away from the political middle ground. It clearly means that many difficult decisions lie ahead with questions over the effectiveness of the likely new government. The result is only likely to inflame US c
24 February 2025 - 08:27
· Our baseline remains of a Russia-friendly peace deal in Ukraine, but this need not lead to a weaker European security situation. This is our baseline (Figure 1), but does require Europe to make concessions to the Trump administration on defence spending increases and trade. However,
21 February 2025 - 10:21
The February composite PMI data may have not fallen (stable at 50.2) and the weaker-than-expected outcome was dominated by sharp addition weakness in France, but the data will be uncomfortable reading for the ECB. The data very much suggest that the better news regarding EZ consumer spending see
20 February 2025 - 08:03
It is highly likely in April that the U.S. will announce a 25% tariff on EU cars and pharmaceuticals (here) and also reciprocal tariffs against the EU. The majority could be implemented given Trump’s desire to raise revenue/dislike of the EU as well as negotiate trade deals. This
18 February 2025 - 15:29
As Europe is forced to consider a massive and rapid ramp up to its relatively mediocre defence spending (Figure 1) as it contemplates a reduction in military support from the US, key questions emerge as the economic effect(s). Will it boost or inhibit growth, add to inflation, and how will/should
13 February 2025 - 12:33
European politicians are surprised and angry at the U.S. stance on a peace deal for Ukraine and less military support for Europe, but eventually they will have to accept the new reality. Europe is too divided to provide security guarantees to Ukraine on its own. A further increase and acceleration
11 February 2025 - 08:30
The ECB staff forecasts on March 6 will be revised upwards for 2025 and 2026, due to the surge in wholesale gas prices. However, the ECB will likely take the view that 2 round effects from higher gas prices on balance are unlikely to boost core inflation (especially given wage tracker softness) an
07 February 2025 - 13:14
A well-advertised research paper from the ECB suggests that the real neutral rate of interest for the EZ has not changed very much in the last few years but with a likely range of between -0.5% and +0.5%, but still well below estimates for what is so-called r* prior to the pandemic (Figure 1). The
05 February 2025 - 09:06
President Trump has made it clear that the EU is going to face US tariffs in the not too distant future. Admittedly, tariff threats have been used as the basis for negotiation elsewhere, this may be the case for the EU too – as was the case during Trump’s first term. As for the EU, it does h
03 February 2025 - 10:38
There were mixed messages in the higher-than-expected January flash HICP numbers. For a third successive month, the headline but this time by ‘only’ 0.1ppt, to a six-month high of 2.5%, but where the core (again) stayed at 2.7%, partly due to what is seemingly relatively stable services inflat
30 January 2025 - 14:34
It was always likely that the ECB verdict at this month’s Council meeting would be less resounding than that seen in December. A fifth 25 bp discount rate cut did occur, to 2.75%, but may not have seen any demand to at least consider a larger move as was the case last month. But the door is le
30 January 2025 - 10:31
After a series of upside surprises, EZ GDP both weakened and undershot both consensus and ECB expectations in Q4 (Figure 1). There is a certain irony that for an ECB Council that has evidently shifted its main concern away from broadly falling inflation to real economy weakness, the soft Q4 GDP outc
29 January 2025 - 11:01
Ahead of what seems to be a routine decision tomorrow, recent monetary data complicate the policy outlook for the ECB in the months ahead. Positively, ECB compiled money data show discernible signs of as revival in bank lending, even for companies, although still hardly any growth in real terms.
27 January 2025 - 11:42
There were mixed messages in the December HICP numbers. For a second successive month, the headline rose 0.2 ppt, but to 2.4%, but where the core (again) stayed at 2.7%, partly due to what is seemingly stable services inflation. Once again, higher energy costs, mainly base effects, were the main
24 January 2025 - 10:32
It is unlikely that the ECB verdict at this month’s Council meeting will be anything like as resounding as that seen in December. A fifth 25 bp discount rate cut is virtually assured, to 2.75%, but may not see any demand to at least consider a larger move as was the case last month. Admittedly
22 January 2025 - 11:33
There is certain irony that for an ECB Council that has evidently shifted its main concern away from broadly falling inflation to real economy weakness, its next policy decision arrives on the day of the next GDP release. We see the ECB cutting a further 25 bp but with some Council members again cal
16 January 2025 - 13:27
As the account of the December 11-12 Council meeting noted, a fourth 25 bp discount rate cut was agreed but there appeared to be a minority wanting a 50 bp move. But this account also shows some confusion as to just what the advertised change in forward guidance (in which the ECB accepts that on-tar
14 January 2025 - 08:15
The EUR real exchange rate is well above the 2014 low, while ECB officials are guiding that more rate cuts are coming. 2yr German yields are unlikely to rise much further and will likely come back down in Q2 (here). A January 30 ECB cut will likely build more easing expectations, though more of
31 December 2024 - 10:48
There were mixed messages in the November HICP numbers. After a downward revision, and thus below consensus thinking, the headline rose 0.2 ppt to 2.2%, but where the core stayed at 2.7%, partly due to what is seemingly stable services inflation. Higher energy costs, mainly base effects, were th
17 December 2024 - 08:16
· Once again, it does seem as if EZ activity expectations are being pared back in line with our below consensus thinking, most notably for next year. The result is that while the economy has been growing afresh it is doing so timidly, with downside risks persisting more clearly into 2
12 December 2024 - 15:02
A fourth 25 bp discount rate cut at this latest Council meeting, to 3%, was also the third in a row. But this meeting was important for the (as we expected) change in forward guidance in which the ECB accepts that on-target inflation is likely to be durable enough so that it no longer has to pursue
05 December 2024 - 08:56
With a parliamentary no-confidence vote having toppled the Barnier administration convincingly, France has no government. This far from unexpected development is a political crisis and one that even without the fiscal cuts that the failed Budget envisaged is likely to mean that the country also fa
04 December 2024 - 15:53
While a larger move is possible, we think that the ECB will instead opt for a fourth 25 bp discount rate cut at this month’s Council meeting, to 3%. But this meeting may be as important for what may be a change in forward guidance in which the ECB accepts that on-target inflation is likely to be d
02 December 2024 - 17:07
As France’s political deadlock intensifies amid a likely toppling of the fledgling government, markets are worried about the fiscal fall-out of what may at best be emergency legislation, a so-called Special Law that would keep the country running, but with funding approved month by month. To som
02 December 2024 - 13:28
While real economy considerations seem to have taken over as the policy focus for the ECB majority, there are still some mutterings about apparent resilient services inflation. The latter is certainly the case when such inflation is measured on the conventional but possibly untimely y/y basis. How
29 November 2024 - 11:04
There were mixed messages in the November flash HICP. Matching consensus thinking, the headline rose 0.3 ppt to 2.3%, but where the core stayed at 2.7%, partly due to what is seemingly stable services inflation. Higher energy costs, mainly base effects, were the main factor behind the rise back
28 November 2024 - 12:54
Concerns about the 2025 French budget failing have caused new spread widening for 10yr France v Germany. What are the prospects?If the new and still very much minority government reaches agreement with National Rally and passes the 2025 budget, then it will produce some relief in markets but will
27 November 2024 - 11:01
Getting a reliable coincident assessment of the EZ real economy, let alone any insight into the likely near-term outlook, is difficult. EZ GDP data are prone to rapid revision, arrive only quarterly and only with a long lag offer detail from either the spending or output side that would allow a be
21 November 2024 - 09:59
Slightly higher energy costs were the main factor behind the rise back in HICP inflation in October to 2.0% having fallen to a well-below target 1.7% in the previous month (Figure 1). The outcome was a little higher than expected, not least with another apparently resilient services inflation read