Surprising pessimism regarding the euro zone
When we “calmly†consider the situation , we become rather optimistic about the economic outlook for the euro zone: growth outpacing wages, disinflation due to the fall in the oil price, expansionary monetary and fiscal policies, positive financial situation for companies. But business outlook (cyclical) surveys are deteriorating, like the situation of financial markets, in clear contradiction to what macroeconomic analysis says. An initially irrational pessimism about the euro zone has appeared, with a spreading belief in the idea that growth will decline sharply, perhaps due to concern about Brexit, the trade conflict with the United States, or the rise of populism. Frankly, macroeconomic analysis gives no reason to become very pessimistic about the euro zone.