It’s possible to meet the climate objectives of the Paris Agreement at a reasonable economic cost. That being said, the structural reform necessary to do so has a macroeconomic dimension which central banks cannot overlook. To learn more, read the article by NBB Governor Pierre Wunsch and economists Thomas Stoerk and Carine Swartenbroekx, posted on our blog.

Published at least biannually, our new publication takes the pulse of the Belgian economy, based in particular on information gathered from interviews with business leaders. It thus offers a fresh qualitative assessment of the current economic situation in Belgium.

From voice assistants to online advertising and the (in)famous ChatGPT, AI is having an increasingly significant impact on our daily lives. But what are the economic consequences? How will AI affect productivity? Could it really replace certain categories of workers? Our expert Céline Piton answers these and other questions in the latest article in our Economic Review.

Value added fell by 0.6% in the manufacturing industry, while the services sector and the building industry posted positive growth of 0.8% and 0.3%, respectively.

Read the new Financial Stability Report, in which the National Bank assesses the stability of the Belgian financial system in an environment characterised by tighter monetary policy, turning credit and real estate cycles and turbulence in the US and Swiss banking sectors.

Tonight, the European Central Bank celebrates its 25th anniversary. The ECB has been at the forefront of financial news since 1 June 1998 and serves as the cornerstone of price stability in the euro area.  Read ECB President Christine Lagarde's blog post marking the occasion here.

According to businesses, credit conditions were further tightened compared to the previous quarter. As for business confidence, it fell in May in all sectors surveyed, with the exception of trade.

After recovering last month, consumer confidence fell back this month to its March level. The loss of confidence affected all components of the indicator.