Category: Banking & Financial Services
Europe Banking & Financial Services
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Macro - Country Economic Forecasts - Austria
... don't expect an imminent pickup in activity. But recent monthly retail sales data suggest improved consumer spending in Q4 2024 and we maintain consumption will be the main driver of growth over the near term. ... Read More
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Analysis by Region - Emerging Markets - Poland
... modest pace. We expect investment will predominantly drive the pickup in the recovery this year due to the boost in EU-funded outlays. We also expect some improvement in exports. Still, we think subdued foreign demand ... Read More
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Macro - Country Economic Forecasts - Bulgaria
... government on January 16 put an end to the political stalemate since the snap elections last October. However, we think the government will find it difficult to achieve a well-functioning and effective coalition, as seven ... Read More
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Charge Cards in Greece
... major systemic bank Alpha Bank (the sole issuer) and Diners Club (the sole operator) ending in 2024 and not being renewed, there remains no active personal charge card scheme in Greece. The first big blow ... Read More
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Credit Cards in Sweden
... higher usage among existing customers. With inflation falling over 2024, transaction values were less impacted by inflation compared to the previous two years, yet value growth remained robust. After the pandemic, there was much pent-up ... Read More
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Debit Cards in Sweden
... of debit card transactions rose steadily in 2024 due to the ease of using contactless technology and mobile wallets, with more consumers using them in place of cash. Steady growth is also evident in terms ... Read More
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Pre-Paid Cards in Sweden
... cards were the star performer in 2024, whilst closed loop pre-paid cards have been steadily losing ground over the review period. Pre-paid cards were heavily impacted by the pandemic with usage plummeting in 2020. Euromonitor ... Read More
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Store Cards in Sweden
... transactions and cards expenditure for several years. Even inflation, which generally boosts card transaction values, and the pent-up demand seen post-pandemic, was unable to turnaround the decline seen in store cards. Swedes increasingly prefer payment ... Read More
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Credit Cards in Ukraine
... growing adoption of contactless payments, propelled by the expansion of supporting infrastructure and the popularity of digital wallets such as Apple Pay and Google Pay, further strengthened the market. Banks actively introduced credit card products ... Read More
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Financial Cards and Payments in Greece
... the dominant card type. Greece, a traditionally cash-oriented economy, has been quick to adopt card payments over recent years, a trend accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic, with the momentum of e-commerce and digital wallets, as ... Read More
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Financial Cards and Payments in Ukraine
... on cities and frequent power outages disrupting merchants, ATMs, and bank branches, the industry demonstrated remarkable resilience. To safeguard the financial system, the National Bank of Ukraine (NBU) implemented the Power Banking initiative, creating a ... Read More
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Macro - Country Economic Forecasts - France
... GDP growth is expected to have been broadly flat during Q4 2024 and will take time to gain pace in 2025 given that sentiment remains subdued, making up for a weak start of the year. Read More
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Macro - Country Economic Forecasts - Finland
... gains, lower interest rates, and stronger external demand will support growth this year. Key risks relate to the extent to which households spend or save real income gains, labour market strength, and global trade protectionism. Read More
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Credit Cards in Greece
... the number of cards in circulation. However, as seen in debit cards, an increase in everyday usage means smaller transactions per spend, in line with the increased frequency of use. Euromonitor International's Credit Card Transactions ... Read More
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Debit Cards in Ukraine
... feature contactless functionality, and the majority of point-of-sale (POS) terminals are equipped to support these payments. Contactless transactions are especially prevalent in public transportation, where their adoption has grown significantly. Municipal transport systems, such as ... Read More
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Pre-Paid Cards in Ukraine
... advantages compared to debit cards, which offer comprehensive features such as direct access to bank accounts, enhanced security and broad acceptance both domestically and internationally. Further, consumers increasingly prefer debit cards due to their versatility ... Read More
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Debit Cards in Greece
... multiple global crises, relative stability and mild growth of the Greek economy is providing the context for increased consumer spending. On a negative note, spending is also boosted by inflated prices of basic goods due ... Read More
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Pre-Paid Cards in Greece
... the year, following a similar trend with other card types in a context of stability and slow growth of the economy. Euromonitor International's Pre-Paid Card Transactions in Greece report establishes the size and structure of ... Read More
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Charge Cards in Sweden
... contraction at the height of the pandemic. Whilst there was a strong rebound in charge card transactions in 2021 and 2022, this trend quickly dissipated. Only marginal growth was evident in 2023 before charge card ... Read More
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Financial Cards and Payments in Sweden
... has been spearheading changes in mobile payments for some time. Even though inflation declined in 2024, consumers remained under pressure as the costs of living remained high. Consumer confidence also floundered as the economy experienced ... Read More
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Macro - Country Economic Forecasts - United Kingdom
... is likely to average 3% this year, we think markets are too hawkish on the outlook for monetary policy and we still expect the Bank of England to cut Bank Rate by 100bps in 2025. Read More
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Consumer Credit in Greece
... loans in particular are driving growth, as the market shifts back into a positive direction. Consumers are interested in purchasing products again, and banks are trying (conservatively) to loosen issuing criteria (in some instances) to ... Read More
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Credit Cards in Romania
... a general lack of innovation. Nonetheless, transaction value growth remained relatively steady in 2024. Slowing inflation and rising disposable income has gradually improved the financial stability of consumers helping to boost purchasing power in 2024. ... Read More
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Debit Cards in Hungary
... fees related to current accounts and debit cards. Many of these fees have risen at the rate of 2023 inflation, which was significant, prompting some customers to consider switching banks. The increase in transaction fees ... Read More
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Credit Cards in Hungary
... percentage points above the prevailing base rate of the central bank. However, actual credit card rates are significantly below this maximum. Additionally, the APR on credit cards has been steadily decreasing, currently standing approximately 5ppt ... Read More
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