Despite good growth figures, Belgium is less prepared for the future than the average EU country

Now that the European Central Bank (ECB) cut interest rates for the first time in five years at the beginning of June, we can expect further rate cuts in the coming quarters. The US economy is growing faster than the eurozone, but the latter is expected to accelerate in 2025. The outlook for Belgian growth and property prices is positive, but it is not all good news for the country: according to the latest update of the FutureProof Index, Belgium is less future-proof than the average EU country. Globally, we are seeing a broadening of equity markets, with other sectors taking their place alongside technology stocks. Commodities, on the other hand, have a lot of potential but also show a lot of volatility as a result. BNP Paribas Fortis Chief Economist Koen De Leus and Chief Strategist Philippe Gijsels look ahead to the second half of 2024.