Documentlist

For the financial sector, sustainable finance is steadily moving up the priority list. It is about incorporating environmental, social and governance (ESG) considerations into finance. The global volume of ESG-labelled assets grew to USD 35 tr in 2020 and may reach USD 41 tr by the end of this year. Despite strong growth, sustainable finance still faces obstacles such as the absence of a universally accepted definition of ESG and a lack of data on ESG metrics. Regulation is trying to keep pace with market dynamics to facilitate the flow of funds into sustainable activities. Key initiatives include the establishment of taxonomies, disclosure rules and product-related regulation. In the short term, sustainable finance faces headwinds from adverse macroeconomic conditions and emerging regulatory requirements, but the fundamental growth drivers remain intact. [more]

In an unusual constellation, the banking industry is at the same time suffering and benefiting from the current difficult macroeconomic situation. Inflation is driving up expenses, but also triggering a monetary policy normalisation which has fuelled a jump in net interest income. Meanwhile, recession fears require higher loan loss provisions. The net effect has been manageable so far, but is hard to foresee in the second half of the year. The largest capital distributions to shareholders since the financial crisis have pushed the CET1 and leverage ratios lower, though they remain at robust levels. Balance sheet growth has accelerated due to buoyant corporate and mortgage lending, but this may not last given the looming economic slowdown and further interest rate increases. [more]

July saw a notable rebound in equity and bond markets – albeit perhaps counterintuitively, given how initially worse economic data had sparked expectations of a dovish Fed pivot. But then investors had to adjust expectations again, after July employment numbers suggested that the Fed may stay on course. According to Blaz Zlicar, markets will continue to be in a state of flux: inflation vs growth. He says “That is the name of the game these days”. Watch this video for more. [more]

Rising mortgage rates and shortages of building materials led to a shock of uncertainty in the housing market over the last months. But there are many countervailing effects. Hence, it is not set in stone that the house price cycle comes to an end. [more]

In a new ‘Q&A with’ Mallika Sachdeva, Asia Macro Strategist, introduces a newly launched Deutsche Bank’s Asia Corporate Newsletter, what market environments corporates are likely to face in the coming quarter and what the longer-term themes most pressing for corporates are. [more]

The German labour market held up well during the pandemic and even gained momentum from 2021 onwards. In the meantime, a shift in the employment structure took place that brings the shortage of skilled labour back into focus. [more]

Rising interest rates due to rampant inflation will have a mixed impact on the banking industry. They are a boon for net interest income but also cool down loan demand (currently still buoyant) and may lead to higher loan losses. This will probably be reinforced by a mild recession in Europe caused by macroeconomic and geopolitical headwinds. As a result, net income may decline yet banks should remain solidly profitable. From a comfortable starting position, capital ratios could come under pressure if risk-weighted assets continue to rise which would dampen prospects for further significant shareholder returns through dividends and share buybacks. Liquidity levels have stayed strong so far. [more]

Germany's current account is in flux. Currently, the "terms of trade" shock is reducing the surplus in the goods balance. But structural factors such as the reduced importance of industry and demographics also point to lower surpluses. In addition, we expect a further narrowing of the deficits in the services balance. The surpluses from the primary and secondary balance, on the other hand, are likely to increase further. In total, the current account ratio will fall sharply in 2022, especially measured in terms of GDP, and will also tend to be significantly lower than in the past thereafter. Accordingly, criticism of Germany's surpluses is likely to become increasingly muted. [more]

Greenflation is inevitable. And it has become a more acute issue this year since many countries, particularly in Europe, have increased their efforts to expand renewables and reduce their dependence on Russian energy. [more]

Stablecoins and the DeFi ecosystem have taken a hard hit recently. However, the current stress for cryptos caused by tighter monetary policy may reveal which services offer real value for customers. In fact, leading collateral-backed stablecoins have weathered the storm quite well. The ecosystem will probably face further losses but emerge consolidated and well positioned for continued growth. [more]