Seven Weeks of Middle East Conflict Push PMI Surveys Toward Stagflation Risk

MCOMCO

Seven weeks of Middle East conflict have baked in stagflation risks as PMI surveys in Germany, France, the euro zone and UK are poised to weaken while US gauges remain flat. ECB and Fed officials will weigh these data with retail sales, inflation prints and rate decisions when setting policy.

1. Stagflation Risks Rise

Seven weeks of war in the Middle East have begun to show up in global business surveys, with preliminary PMI readings in Germany, France, the euro zone and the UK expected to deteriorate. US PMIs, by contrast, are forecast to remain largely unchanged, underscoring uneven growth pressures while headline inflation remains elevated.

2. Central Bank Policy Implications

ECB chief economist Philip Lane and his Fed counterparts will integrate this new survey data alongside upcoming retail sales figures, consumer sentiment, and inflation reports when calibrating interest-rate decisions. Additional inputs include rate choices from Canada, Indonesia and other markets, highlighting a complex backdrop of persistent uncertainty.

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