Asia Economics Update How will Typhoon Haiyan affect the Philippine economy? One of the strongest typhoons ever recorded hit the Philippines on Friday. The disaster is first and foremost a human tragedy, but it will also have economic effects. There is likely to be a short... 12th November 2013 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update Rate hike in Malaysia likely in first half of 2014 Malaysia’s central bank (BNM) kept its policy rate unchanged at 3.0% at its meeting today. As the economy gains a firmer footing on the back of improving export prospects over the next year, we expect... 7th November 2013 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update No rebound in Indonesia’s growth likely soon Data released today showed that the pace of economic growth in Indonesia slowed again in Q3. Looking ahead, high inflation and recent interest rate hikes will weigh on growth over the next year. 6th November 2013 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update Australia’s central bank still likely to cut again next year The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) kept its policy rate on hold at 2.5% today, as expected. However, we still expect further loosening in early 2014, and think that rates will remain very low for the... 5th November 2013 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update October PMIs suggest recovery is becoming entrenched The October PMIs for Emerging Asia were generally upbeat, with headline numbers for most countries rising. New orders were particularly encouraging, which bodes well for the short-term outlook. India... 1st November 2013 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update Taiwan to record gradual recovery in 2014 GDP data for Taiwan released today showed the economy slowed sharply in the second quarter. Looking ahead, we expect things to get better slowly, on the back of continued loose monetary policy and a... 31st October 2013 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update New Zealand to leave first rate hike until mid-2014 The Reserve Bank of New Zealand (RBNZ) kept its policy rate unchanged at 2.5% today. There is little immediate pressure on the central bank to hike rates, but accelerating economic growth and... 31st October 2013 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update India cuts effective policy rate, but also has an eye on inflation India’s central bank has used the scope allowed by continued exchange rate stability to further roll back liquidity tightening measures that were introduced in the summer. However, an increase in the... 29th October 2013 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update Asian markets see small rises Following a rollercoaster couple of months, which saw big falls in financial markets in August, followed by a strong rebound in September, equity markets have recorded small gains this month... 28th October 2013 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update Weaker government spending to weigh on growth in Malaysia With elections over and threats of rating downgrades still casting a shadow, Malaysia’s government opted to tighten fiscal policy in today’s budget. This is a welcome first step to raising the... 25th October 2013 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update Gradual rate hikes in the Philippines next year The central bank in the Philippines (BSP) kept its main policy rate on hold today, against a backdrop of low inflation and continued strong economic growth. Looking ahead, although the central bank is... 24th October 2013 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update No rate changes in Thailand through to mid-2014 The Bank of Thailand kept its policy rate unchanged today at a low of just 2.50% against a backdrop of low inflation and weak growth. Although interest rates hikes are likely to start next year, the... 16th October 2013 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update Singapore's outlook is upbeat, despite Q3 contraction Today’s GDP data showed that Singapore's economy contracted in Q3. Nevertheless, the outlook remains upbeat. As such, the MAS saw no reason to change its policy stance at its meeting today. We do not... 14th October 2013 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update Is Thailand’s current account deficit a problem? Thailand’s current account has slipped from surplus into deficit in the last couple of years. We expect the deficit to stabilise over the coming year and think the chances of a balance of payments... 11th October 2013 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update Where and why do our forecasts differ from the IMF’s? In its latest World Economic Outlook (WEO), the IMF has cut its growth forecasts for most Emerging Asian economies, bringing them more or less into line with our own. However, there are three key... 10th October 2013 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update No rate increases in Korea anytime soon The Bank of Korea’s kept interest rates on hold today amid signs that the economy is slowly improving. Looking ahead, low inflationary pressures mean the central bank will be in no hurry to tighten... 10th October 2013 · 1 min read
