China Economics Update False dawn for property Some commentators have turned optimistic about the outlook for Chinese residential property. We remain of the view that, with inventories still high, a big pick-up in property investment is unlikely... 25th October 2012 · 1 min read
China Economics Update Economy stabilising, on course for weak recovery Today’s data releases provide the strongest signs yet that China’s economy stabilised in Q3, along with glimmers of hope that a recovery began towards the end of the quarter. But we are sceptical that... 18th October 2012 · 1 min read
China Economics Update Pain of China’s slowdown is spread unevenly Debates over whether China is facing a “hard landing” generally miss the point that an economic slowdown can affect different groups in different ways. Right now, Chinese policymakers seem not too... 17th October 2012 · 1 min read
China Economics Update Imports point to continued weakness at end-Q3 The September import data suggest China’s economy was still weak at the end of Q3. By contrast, last month’s exports were unexpectedly strong, as they were for both Korea and Taiwan, with demand from... 15th October 2012 · 1 min read
China Economics Update Consumption-led rebound remains wishful thinking The apparent strength of tourism and spending during October’s “golden-week” holiday has revived hopes that China could experience a consumer-led rebound. But there is little convincing evidence that... 15th October 2012 · 1 min read
China Economics Update Inflation Monitor (Sep.) Inflation in consumer prices was probably little changed in September. But the outlook is for higher inflation over coming months, which will make policymakers more cautious about further stimulus. 4th October 2012 · 1 min read
China Economics Update Is slower growth here to stay? China’s economic slowdown is the result of policy tightening and weak global demand but it also reflects structural shifts in China’s economy. As a result, expectations for a strong and sustained... 27th September 2012 · 1 min read
China Economics Update Is the stimulus real? We can see no sign of a fresh stimulus in the government’s recent announcements that it has approved a large number of infrastructure projects. Most were already expected to go ahead and, while the... 12th September 2012 · 1 min read
China Economics Update Hong Kong property still heading for a crash The Hong Kong government has introduced a number of measures to improve housing affordability. We don’t believe these measures will have their intended effect, and that in the short-term property... 11th September 2012 · 1 min read
China Economics Update Growth expectations edge down The continued weakness in China’s monthly data has prompted us to knock down our forecast for GDP growth this year. Next year is likely to be disappointing too. 10th September 2012 · 1 min read
China Economics Update Inflation Monitor (Aug.) Consumer price inflation probably picked up slightly last month. It is likely to rise further in coming months, constraining policymakers’ ability to support the economy. 7th September 2012 · 1 min read
China Economics Update Glimmers of reform ahead of leadership handover China will unveil a new group of leaders in the next few weeks. There are tentative signs that they will finally start to grapple with the structural challenges facing the economy. 6th September 2012 · 1 min read
China Economics Update Can the economy recover without a rebound in property? When the global financial crisis hit, a surge in real estate investment helped China’s economy escape the slump. The government in Beijing is trying to engineer a recovery from the current downturn... 29th August 2012 · 1 min read
China Economics Update Further reserve requirement cuts still likely The People’s Bank of China has this week conducted the most aggressive open market operations of the year, leading to questions over whether it is shifting away from its reliance on the required... 24th August 2012 · 1 min read
China Economics Update Why is investment not rebounding? Months after policy was loosened, investment growth has barely responded. State-directed investment is picking up but not by enough to offset the reluctance of real estate developers and the rest of... 16th August 2012 · 1 min read
China Economics Update Hong Kong economy unlikely to rebound anytime soon Hong Kong’s economy contracted in Q2. With global growth set to disappoint over the next couple of years, we expect Hong Kong’s trade-dependent economy to continue to struggle in the coming quarters. 10th August 2012 · 1 min read
