Germany's Altmaier: Europe feels the effects of US-China trade tensions

Comments by German economy minister Peter Altmaier

• US-China trade talks are positive, but long way to go

Germany is of course feeling the pinch rather painful with trade suffering as a result of waning export demand. If you recall last year, Daimler AG was one of the first few major companies to have brought about these concerns.

Regardless, the softening economic growth pressures on the German/Eurozone economy is going to be a major theme to watch out for in the first quarter of this year. It will be a question of whether or not a further slowdown will cause a rethink in the ECB's forward guidance on rates of "through the summer of 2019".