The labour market weathered the COVID-19 crisis better than expected and is growing at a high rate, but it is facing labour shortages, and short-term risks are on the rise. That is the gist of the High Council of Employment’s analysis.

Falling asset prices and a deficit on the financial account have pushed down Belgium’s external claims. The net international investment position dropped to €277 billion or 53 % of GDP in the first quarter of 2022.

Belgian companies like SWIFT and Euroclear are leading international players in the financial market infrastructure environment. This report describes their role and our mission as supervisory authority, which involves creating a secure and stable framework enabling them to operate in better conditions. In this report, we also set out the latest developments in the sector and explain how we are making e-commerce safer.

The 3.6 point drop is the biggest recorded since September last year. The drop in confidence is evident in the four main branches of activity surveyed, although a bit less marked in construction and trade.

The ECB has announced that it will soon be raising its main interest rates for the first time in eleven years. Our expert explains the workings of long-term interest rates, which are going back up again after having fallen to a record low at the height of the coronavirus crisis. Historically speaking, interest rates are nevertheless still low, especially after correcting for inflation expectations.