SGM-FX insights

The latest Euro-zone money supply growth data was in line with consensus expectations as growth slowed slightly to 4.9% from 5.0% previously while private loan growth was slightly stronger for the month at 2.2% from 2.0% previously.   Euro-zone economic confidence edged higher for February to the highest level since 2011 which underpinned growth hopes. […]

ECB minutes from January’s meeting confirmed that the central bank would look through increases in inflation triggered solely by a surge in energy prices and would concentrate on whether there was any evidence of second-round inflation effects.   The ECB expected that overall inflation pressures would remain muted despite an important element of uncertainty surrounding […]

Euro-zone GDP growth was revised down to 0.4% in the updated flash Q4 reading from the provisional 0.5% which will tend to dampen expectations that the Euro-zone economy is gaining momentum.   There was also a weaker than expected reading for the German ZEW investor sentiment index, although the overall market impact was limited.

The EU Commission revised its 2017 Euro-zone GDP growth forecast marginally higher to 1.6% from 1.5% previously, although this was still lower than the 2016 outcome and the underlying tone remained generally downbeat with a high degree of uncertainty over both domestic and US developments.   The inflation forecast for this year was revised higher […]