EUROZONE: HALLOWEEN CANDY OR A SLOWDOWN?
Edito It’s been a short week, but one that has had its share of bad news. After last week’s PMI, the slowdown in the eurozone has been confirmed with disappointing growth figures (+0.2% QOQ for a consensus at +0.4%). The glimmer of hope brought by S&P’s rating review for Italy (BBB rating maintained and a shift to a negative outlook) was quickly put into the background by the release of a zero growth figure in Q3, which sent a shiver down the spine of investors. It’s fears about the feasibility of the budget, more than the Halloween effect, that has made the market react. For its statement on the future of its monetary policy, the ECB will prefer to concentrate on core inflation, which has accelerated slightly to 1.1% in October vs. 0.9% in September. In coming days, our attention will be on the other side of the Atlantic. On Friday, with employment figures, but especially on Tuesday, the date of the mid-term elections.