Who should be afraid of a stop in Russian energy supply?

The EU can easily manage an immediate embargo on crude oil imports from Russia. Within two months or so, OPEC members could step up crude oil production to the levels of H2 2018 (which implies +3.3 Mbb/d vs. Q1 2022) and Norway, the US and the UK could add another +0.5 Mbb/d to global output. 

US and European EV outlook: Driving the energy transition

The global electric vehicle (EV) market is booming: Sales more than doubled in 2021 and market share reached around 8%.  This positive momentum is likely to continue, with estimated growth of +50% in 2022. 

Eurozone inflation: How bad can it get?

Inflation is back with a vengeance in the Eurozone, sending the cost of living to record highs. Aside from pandemic-related base and one-off effects, snarled-up global supply chains have failed to keep up with post-pandemic demand. 

Germany’s Easter package: Great green intentions

The starting shot for Germany’s green transformation, the Easter package announced last month calls for a near tripling of electricity generation from renewables by 2030. 

France: Turn the music off to hear the bells tolling

After an election campaign dominated by the topics of dwindling purchasing power and surging energy prices, it is now time for an economic reality check in France. The first 100 days of Macron’s second term need to establish a roadmap to tackle three issues in urgent need of reforms.  

Forget earnings yield, embrace “expected” capital gains?

Movements in interest rates alone cannot explain fluctuations in the earnings yield. We find that two variables – the long-term risk-free interest rate and, more surprisingly, the “expected” rate of capital gains (proxied by a weighted average of past equity returns) – explain the cyclically adjusted earnings yield of U.S. equities (S&P 500), which has dropped to a record low.

Allianz Trade Global Survey 2022

How is the current international environment affecting exporters and their willingness to trade? Allianz Trade, the world leader in trade credit insurance, decided to check the pulse of companies in the United States, China, the United Kingdom, France, Italy and Germany. Two surveys were carried out – one before the start of the invasion of Ukraine and one after, involving nearly 3,000 corporates.

Corporate credit: straddle or struggle?

The war in Ukraine has put pressure on European corporate margins. The conflict has sent (energy) commodity prices soaring, amplified existing supply-chain disruptions and increased uncertainty weighing on investment. 

The cost of the zero-Covid policy for China and the world

With provinces accounting for nearly a quarter of GDP under partial or full lockdown, the cost of China’s zero-Covid policy is climbing. We expect that omicron outbreaks in Q1 and April will have cost -0.4pp of GDP growth in 2022.