A May rate hike remains unlikely, in our view. |
A rise has become a real possibility. |
Britain has learned that there is no harm is selling your local champions to foreigners. |
Faced with an extremely high euro and high wage costs, the companies stepped up their restructuring. When the euro declined last year, they suddenly found they could take on the world quite easily. |
French unemployment is stabilizing. We see further declines in the jobless rate. |
Germany does not need abstract economic ideas; it needs labor market reforms. |
Germany is reaping the fruits of wage restraint and painful structural reforms. In addition, the change in government seems to have improved the business climate even if Merkel has so far done hardly anything in terms of serious economic reforms. |
Growth looks more likely to stay below than to rise above 2.5 in the foreseeable future. A further decline in inflation, coupled with mediocre growth, will likely tilt the balance towards further rate cuts later this year. |
Having been the sick man of Europe for much of the last decade, Germany is, for once, resuming its traditional role of a motor of economic development in the heart of Europe. |
I dislike the V.A.T. hike tremendously. |
I dislike the VAT hike tremendously, I don't think it's necessary. |
It is unlikely now that Germany and Italy will move ahead on the crucial issue of dismissal rules. |
It seems as if the labor market would stabilize even if it's still too early to speak of a change in trend. It's good news for consumption, but faced with high oil prices, a real improvement doesn't seem very likely for now. |
Lafontaine was seen as the arch-exponent of the hard left in Germany, |
Merkel is chancellor, and she is reform-minded; we shouldn't forget that. |