- The EZ construction PMI rose in April, on the back of a recovery in new orders in Germany.
- Construction activity is still faring better in Italy than in Germany or France.
- The sector is likely to support EZ GDP in Q2, as it seems to have done in Q1.
Melanie Debono (Senior Eurozone Economist)Eurozone
- Jump in April core inflation was due to Easter effects in services; the remaining components were soft.
- Dovish forecasts from the ECB will pave the way for for a back-to-back 25bp rate cut next month…
- …and we now look for an additional 25bp cut in July, but also hikes next year, in June and September.
Melanie Debono (Senior Eurozone Economist)Eurozone
In one line: Consistent with slower growth in Q2.
Melanie Debono (Senior Eurozone Economist)Eurozone
In one line: Inflation held steady, but declines are coming; we are adding a July ECB rate cut.
Melanie Debono (Senior Eurozone Economist)Eurozone
- We now think EZ investment is falling, mainly due to sustained weakness in machinery and equipment.
- Leading indicators for construction and services capex look solid, at least before the tariff shock.
- Surveys point to downside risks for inventories in H1, but brace for significant volatility this year.
Melanie Debono (Senior Eurozone Economist)Eurozone
In one line: GDP growth pick up in Q1 will prove short-lived as trade uncertainty hits.
Melanie Debono (Senior Eurozone Economist)Eurozone
In one line: Down but pointing to higher inflation expectations.
Melanie Debono (Senior Eurozone Economist)Eurozone
In one line: Business sentiment sours on pessimism in services.
Melanie Debono (Senior Eurozone Economist)Eurozone
In one line: Growth slowed but remained solid; Inflation comes in below expectations.
Melanie Debono (Senior Eurozone Economist)Eurozone
In one line: In line with our view that consumer spending growth is now slowing.
Melanie Debono (Senior Eurozone Economist)Eurozone
In one line: Lifted by tariff front-running, still pointing to downside risks to growth.
Melanie Debono (Senior Eurozone Economist)Eurozone
In one line: Don’t show Donald Trump the trade charts; Construction down but still defied surveys in Q1
Melanie Debono (Senior Eurozone Economist)Eurozone
In one line: Trade wars are not good for firm morale.
Melanie Debono (Senior Eurozone Economist)Eurozone
In one line: As in France, domestic demand is rattled by tariff concerns and PMI shows clear signs of tariff front-running.
Melanie Debono (Senior Eurozone Economist)Eurozone
- Most near-real-time consumers’ spending indicators suggest it is holding up well in April.
- The trade war also hasn’t hit job postings, while Google searches for ‘unemployment’ are down.
- Leading indicators on production, meanwhile, reflect greater activity, boosted by tariff front-running.
Melanie Debono (Senior Eurozone Economist)Eurozone
In one line: Fastest fall in demand for services since Covid pulls down the headline.
Melanie Debono (Senior Eurozone Economist)Eurozone
- Soft April PMIs signal downside risk to our Q2 GDP call, but we still think tariff front-running will help.
- Demand for services is retreating, confirming that trade uncertainty is weighing on domestic demand.
- Manufacturing is holding the fort for now, with new orders recovering thanks to tariff front-running.
Melanie Debono (Senior Eurozone Economist)Eurozone
In one line: EZ consumers didn’t like Trump’s tariff announcements.
Melanie Debono (Senior Eurozone Economist)Eurozone
In one line: Tariffs hit investor sentiment hard; industrial production will feel the tariff burn but not until later in the year probably.
Melanie Debono (Senior Eurozone Economist)Eurozone
In one line: Banks tighten lending standards for firms & demand for credit eases again even before the shock of “Liberation Day".
Melanie Debono (Senior Eurozone Economist)Eurozone
