- The trend in German jobless claims points to a rise in the national unemployment rate to above 6%.
- Surveys signal a rebound in employment growth, but the trend in vacancies is still depressed.
- Real wage growth in Germany soared at the start of 2024, but vacancies point to downside risks.
Claus Vistesen (Chief Eurozone Economist)Eurozone
In one line: Is the rise in jobless claims accelerating?
Claus Vistesen (Chief Eurozone Economist)Eurozone
- The ECB will cut its policy rate by 25bp this week, but the communication will be hawkish.
- How does the ECB stay open to further easing without pre-committing to cuts? We’re about to find out.
- We see little change to the ECB’s near-term inflation forecasts, assuming it is omitting the May HICP.
Claus Vistesen (Chief Eurozone Economist)Eurozone
THE FIRST ECB RATE CUT IS COMING...
- …BUT A JULY CUT IS OUT, AND SEPTEMBER IS AT RISK TOO
Claus Vistesen (Chief Eurozone Economist)Eurozone
In one line: Services too hot to handle, but the trend isn’t 4%.
Claus Vistesen (Chief Eurozone Economist)Eurozone
In one line: Domestic demand, including inventories, rose; net exports plunged.
Claus Vistesen (Chief Eurozone Economist)Eurozone
In one line: The HICP comes in hot; April spending dented by Easter seasonals.
Claus Vistesen (Chief Eurozone Economist)Eurozone
In one line: Disappointing, but don’t write off Q2 consumption just yet.
Claus Vistesen (Chief Eurozone Economist)Eurozone
- EZ services inflation snapped back in May; it will come down eventually, but this will take a while.
- The ECB will cut its policy rate this week, but hopes of a July cut are now lost; September is at risk too.
- EZ consumers’ spending, ex-services, fell in April, but this was mainly due to Easter seasonals in food.
Claus Vistesen (Chief Eurozone Economist)Eurozone
In one line: The EZ labour market is in a good spot.
Claus Vistesen (Chief Eurozone Economist)Eurozone
- Inflation in the Eurozone likely rose a touch in May, to 2.5%, in line with the consensus.
- The EZ labour market is in rude health but poses no threat to the slowdown in wages and inflation, yet.
- The Swiss economy performed better than initially estimated in Q1, boosted by services.
Claus Vistesen (Chief Eurozone Economist)Eurozone
In one line: Jump in services inflation stands out like a sore thumb.
Claus Vistesen (Chief Eurozone Economist)Eurozone
In one line: German core and headline inflation rebounded in May.
Claus Vistesen (Chief Eurozone Economist)Eurozone
In one line: Looking up in Germany, but stalling in France.
Claus Vistesen (Chief Eurozone Economist)Eurozone
- Services inflation in Germany jumped in May; it will be grist to the mill of ECB hawks urging caution.
- Money supply growth in the Eurozone accelerated further in April, but lending growth remains slow.
- German consumer confidence adds to our optimism that a Q2 rebound in consumption is coming.
Claus Vistesen (Chief Eurozone Economist)Eurozone
- Some ECB policymakers are trying to keep the July rate cut alive; it likely will die this week, all the same.
- We’re lifting our growth forecasts for France to take into account the boost from the Paris Olympics.
- The inventory cycle in France will soon turn up, lifting GDP growth, even factoring in declining net exports.
Claus Vistesen (Chief Eurozone Economist)Eurozone
- German GDP growth was propelled by construction and net exports in Q1; neither will be sustained…
- …but growth in manufacturing capex is bottoming out and real income growth is accelerating.
- We think GDP growth will slow in Q2, to 0.1%, as construction investment and net exports fall back.
Claus Vistesen (Chief Eurozone Economist)Eurozone
In one line: Construction and net trade propelled growth in Q1; neither will last.
Claus Vistesen (Chief Eurozone Economist)Eurozone
