KBRA Releases Research – Europe’s Labour Market Outlook Amid Trade Protectionism

1 May 2025 | Dublin

KBRA releases a research report analysing European labour markets, highlighting their resilience and analysing the potential impact of heightened trade protectionism.

The report provides a close examination of selected European labour markets and assesses how structural reforms and persistent supply constraints have supported historically low unemployment despite repeated economic shocks. Even under stress scenarios such as increased trade protectionism, European labour markets are expected to remain relatively robust. This analysis supports KBRA’s ongoing assessment of sovereign credit quality, with a focus on how labour market dynamics influence broader credit risk profiles.

Key Takeaways

European labour markets have demonstrated exceptional resilience, maintaining low unemployment amid the pandemic, geopolitical tensions, and financial stress.
Structural reforms have strengthened flexibility and workforce participation, helping economies absorb shocks more effectively.
Even under adverse trade scenarios, labour market strength is expected to support credit quality, though regional and sector-specific vulnerabilities remain.

Click here to view the report.