Print this page

From Eurozone, on Monday, German Business Confidence figures were released. The ifo Business Climate deteriorated this month. The index fell to 101.8 points in June from 102.3 (seasonally adjusted) points in May. Companies were less satisfied with their current business situation. Their business expectations, by contrast, remained slightly optimistic. The tailwind enjoyed by the German economy is calming down. In manufacturing, the index fell due to poorer assessments of the current business situation. Manufacturers’ business expectations, by contrast, remained slightly optimistic. More manufacturers plan to ramp up production in the months ahead.

Wednesday’s session was marked by M3 Money Supply figures. The annual growth rate of the broad monetary aggregate M3 increased to 4.0% in May 2018 from 3.8% in April, averaging 3.9% in the three months up to May. The components of M3 showed the following developments. The annual growth rate of the narrower aggregate M1, which comprises currency in circulation and overnight deposits, increased to 7.5% in May from 7.0% in April. The annual growth rate of short-term deposits other than overnight deposits (M2-M1) was -1.7% in May, compared with -1.9% in April.

On Thursday, from Eurozone, German CPI figures were released. German inflation rose in line with expectations last month, according to a report released on Thursday. The consumer price index rose 2.1% last month, compared with the same month a year earlier, according to data from the Federal Statistics Office. The reading was slightly weaker than May's 2.2% increase but the minor dip was unlikely to alter the European Central Bank's outlook on monetary policy. Prices rose 0.1% from a month earlier.

Focus of Friday’s session was on Eurozone CPI figures. Euro area annual inflation is expected to be 2.0% in June 2018, up from 1.9% in May 2018, according to a flash estimate from Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union. Looking at the main components of euro area inflation, energy is expected to have the highest annual rate in June (8.0%, compared with 6.1% in May), followed by food, alcohol & tobacco (2.8%, compared with 2.5% in May), services (1.3%, compared with 1.6% in May) and non-energy industrial goods (0.4%, compared with 0.3% in May).

Figures to watch:

PPI (Monday 10:00)

Retail Sales (Tuesday 10:00)

German Factory Orders (Thursday 7:00)