The strong euro looms large in the bankâs decision to downgrade continental Europe to benchmark, from the it-canât-get-much-worse overweight position assigned to it in May. As Credit Suisse observe:
1) With exports outside the Euro area accounting for 16% of GDP, each 10% on the euro trade-weighted takes nearly 0.8% off European GDP growth and 0.7% off inflationâEuropeâs exports account for 40% of GDP and 40% of these exports going to countries outside the monetary union⦠Thus each 10% on euro trade-weighted takes 1.5% off nominal GDP growth.
2) 36% of European corporate earnings come from outside of Europe. We estimate that each 10% appreciation of the euro would reduce earnings by about 11% â directly and indirectly (since the end of June the euro is up 7% trade-weighted and thus should have reduced EPS estimates by 8%). This could be even higher when we consider the lags involved (increased competition from third markets).
3) Finally, the more the euro strengthens, the more deflationary pressures are likely to be exerted on peripheral Europe which in turns threatens to raise the risk premium for Europe as a whole.