The flaw in the liquidity paradigm: Lessons from China

Velocity is a crucial but often overlooked dimension of money. Contemporary data from China show that the velocity of money in equity markets is highly unstable and pro-cyclical. Our observations cast a shadow on the alleged omnipotence of quantitative easing (QE).

French export barometer: 8 out of 10 companies aim to increase exports in 2021

For the 7th edition of our Export Barometer survey, we asked more than 300 French exporters about their 2020 performance, their outlook for 2021 and the main risks and threats to their activity. The results reveal that strong winds of change lie ahead.

Semiconductors realpolitik : A reality check for Europe

European industrial autonomy in semiconductors is far out of reach. The recent shortage of semiconductors has highlighted one of Europe’s vulnerabilities, prompting the European Commission to set targets to bring the region’s share of global semiconductor production to 20% by 2030 and to ramp up chip production using the most advanced manufacturing technologies.

Eurozone government debt - Quo vadis from here?

The fiscal version of “whatever it takes” triggered a notable deterioration in public finances across the Eurozone in 2020. However, the picture has never proven more heterogeneous at the country level: Seven countries (Greece, Italy, Portugal, Spain, Cyprus, France and Belgium, together representing more than 50% of Eurozone GDP) now boast debt-to-GDP ratios close to or above 120% of GDP i.e. twice the Maastricht debt target.

Abolishing fuel subsidies in a green and just transition

Abolishing fossil fuel subsidies and directing the funds to renewable energy seems like an easy win for the climate: After all, fossil fuel subsidies account for 0.5% of global GDP, almost exactly the size of the funding gap needed to comply with the Paris Accord. But getting rid of them comes with steep costs for consumers, particularly the poorest households. 

Drivers of growth: Property & Casualty insurance

Nominal GDP growth explains 61% of global gross written P&C insurance premium development between 2009 and 2019. At the country level, however, results are more dispersed.

Allianz Global Insurance Report 2021: Bruised but not broken

According to the latest Allianz Global Insurance Report, the insurance industry got off relatively lightly during the Corona crisis: in 2020, global premium income fell by only 2.1%. Property insurance even recorded a small increase of 1.1%, while life business slumped by 4.1%. 

Pricing superpowers: Which sectors have them in the Eurozone?

In the long run, most sectors have (some) pricing power. By comparing the evolution of retail prices with changes in producer prices, we find that only five out of 19 sectors (textiles, household appliances, cleaning products, telephone services and restaurants) lack long-term pricing power. We also find that consumer electronics, pharmaceuticals and airlines have the most pricing power among our sample. 

Germany´s constitutional court: Reincarnation under the climate veil of ignorance

The fiscal burdens from Germany’s ambitious climate policies pile up only after 2030. In recognizing this, and labelling the 2019 climate protection law as partly unconstitutional as a result, Germany's Constitutional Court attempts to hardwire future generations’ interests into the political process. 

European households: The double dividend of excess savings

In 2021, the glut of excess savings could generate a double dividend for the Eurozone: first, a consumption boom of EUR170bn, or 1.5% of GDP. In 2020, gross savings in the Eurozone increased by more than +50%, and “excess savings”  stood at more than EUR450bn, or over 4% of GDP, thanks to reduced spending on services amid renewed lockdowns.