'Bad' Brexit is major risk for Europe

We meet management teams from companies across Europe and they continue to report a positive trading environment.

But there are risks at a macroeconomic level: chief among them is a 'bad' Brexit deal that results in higher trade costs for European Union (EU) nations exporting to the UK, as well as vice versa. US President Donald Trump's aggressive stance on trade tariffs is another concern, despite an apparent ceasefire with Europe. We also see rising raw material costs affecting some industrial companies and signs of skills shortages in IT and construction in Germany and Sweden, which could act as a brake on growth. Broadly speaking, though, the environment remains supportive for European com...