Asia Economics Update Panic subsides, but pessimism lingers Although the China-led panic that swept through Asian markets in August has subsided over the past month, most of the region’s currencies and equity markets still recorded losses. Investor sentiment... 30th September 2015 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update Taiwan cuts rates, further loosening unlikely A sharp slowdown in growth and very weak price pressures were the two key factors behind the decision of Taiwan’s central bank (CBC) to cut interest rates by 12.5 basis points to 1.75% at its meeting... 24th September 2015 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update Indonesia rate cut likely by end of the year With the Fed possibly poised to hike interest rates later in the day, Bank Indonesia’s (BI) decision to keep its key policy rate on hold at 7.5% was no great surprise. Going forward, with inflation... 17th September 2015 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update Further easing in Thailand can’t be ruled out yet The Bank of Thailand (BoT) kept its policy rate on hold at 1.5% today, undoubtedly with an eye on the US Fed’s rate meeting this week. But with the economy still in deflation and struggling for... 16th September 2015 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update Will Asia follow the Fed? The first rate hike in the US looks set to take place sooner rather than later. But local factors, not theactions of the US Federal Reserve, will determine the next moves by Asia’s central banks. 15th September 2015 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update Pakistan’s central bank has lost sight of the medium term The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) responded to the latest fall in headline inflation by cutting interest rates again over the weekend. The SBP’s aggressive series of rate cuts during the last year... 14th September 2015 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update Malaysia to hold rates amid balancing act The decision to keep interest rates on hold today at 3.25% reflects the difficult balancing act facing the Malaysian central bank (BNM) as it continues to grapple with the problems caused by slowing... 11th September 2015 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update Financial stability risks to keep Bank of Korea on hold The Bank of Korea (BoK) kept its policy rate unchanged at a record low of 1.50% today as fears over the possible implications of Fed tightening offset worries about the recent weakness of the economy... 11th September 2015 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update Thailand’s economic struggles to continue Thailand’s economy started the second half of 2015 on a weak note, and while the recently announced fiscal stimulus package should help support demand, it is unlikely to be a game-changer. Rising... 3rd September 2015 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update Is Bank Indonesia too soft on inflation? Bank Indonesia’s poor record in meeting its inflation target has led to claims that it is being too soft on inflation. We believe such claims are wrong, and continue to think inflation will drop back... 1st September 2015 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update Asian markets bear brunt of China-led sell-off Asian financial markets have been at the centre of the recent financial market turmoil that was triggered by fears about the health of the Chinese economy. The sell-off has raised concerns that a... 31st August 2015 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update 1MDB scandal highlights problems that hold Malaysia back The scandal over 1MDB is not the biggest threat to Malaysia’s short-term economic outlook or the main cause of the recent collapse in the ringgit. However, it does shine a light on institutional... 25th August 2015 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update Five questions and answers about the market sell-off A sense of panic gripped Asian markets today, creating concerns over the outlook for the region’s economies. In this Update we answer five questions that have been raised by the market moves. 24th August 2015 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update Dong devaluation not part of Asian currency war Although today’s decision by the State Bank of Vietnam (SBV) to devalue the dong by a further 1% against the US dollar and widen the trading band was in part linked to China’s devaluation of the... 19th August 2015 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update Bombings add to Thailand’s economic and political concerns The bombings in Thailand’s capital present a new downside risk to the country’s economic outlook. Not only are the attacks a blow to the important tourism sector, they also add to concerns about... 19th August 2015 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update Sri Lanka’s elections unlikely to end political uncertainty Financial markets are likely to welcome the re-election of Ranil Wickremasinghe as Sri Lanka’s prime minister. However, with the new prime minister likely to have to govern as part of a coalition... 18th August 2015 · 1 min read
