Commodities Update China can’t bail out the global oil market forever The sharp reduction in China’s crude imports has been a key factor keeping a lid on global oil prices, and we suspect that it can sustain historically low imports for many more months. However, this... 23rd July 2026 · 4 mins read
Global Economics Update Key lessons from the Iran war so far The Iran war has (already) lasted longer than we initially assumed in our base case but the disruption to energy markets and hit to the global economy have been more limited. This resilience will be... 21st July 2026 · 8 mins read
Asset Allocation Update Gold still has some value as a hedge Gold has arguably behaved more like a “risky” asset than a “safe” one lately, but we think it could still be a useful hedge against falls in equity prices under important, if limited, circumstances... 20th July 2026 · 5 mins read
Canada Economics Weekly Venezuela not yet eating Canada’s oil lunch The renewed rise in oil prices is positive news for Canada’s oil sector, but the latest US import data highlight the longer-term risks from greater Venezuelan production. 17th July 2026 · 5 mins read
Africa Economics Weekly South Africa and Nigeria rate meetings, Angola’s large cut South Africa’s central bank is likely to hike rates again next week, but with inflation stabilising and underlying pressures relatively soft, we think this will be the last in the cycle. Nigeria... 17th July 2026 · 5 mins read
Europe Economics Update Indirect effects of energy prices still absent The rise in energy prices this month means that, rather than falling in July as seemed likely a fortnight ago, euro-zone inflation now looks set to remain unchanged at 2.8%. But the absence so far of... 17th July 2026 · 3 mins read
Commodities Weekly Back to square one in the oil market At this stage, we still consider that the escalation in the war between the US and Iran is consistent with our baseline view that the recovery in oil flows would be bumpy and punctuated by flare-ups... 17th July 2026 · 4 mins read
Australia & New Zealand Economics Weekly Data centre boom a mixed blessing for mining sector Strong electricity demand resulting from the rollout of data centres is a mixed blessing for Australia’s mining sector. It could boost demand for lithium to produce storage batteries and demand for... 17th July 2026 · 6 mins read
Global Economics Update What are the potential implications of Houthi attacks? Given reports of Houthi threats to close the Bab el-Mandeb passage to the Red Sea and to attack Saudi oil infrastructure, we are publishing an updated version of this note originally sent on 31st... 16th July 2026 · 4 mins read
Middle East & North Africa Economics Weekly Back to the future The renewed attacks by the US and Iran risk prolonging the Gulf economies' downturns by pushing back recoveries in oil output and in non-oil sectors. On top of this, the risk of disruptions to... 16th July 2026 · 6 mins read
Global Economics Update The implications of a renewed closure of the Strait The global economy has so far weathered the energy shock created by the war in Iran, but a sharp drawdown in oil inventories has left stocks close to critically low levels. The oil market therefore... 16th July 2026 · 5 mins read
Europe Economics Update The euro-zone’s “K-shaped” industry Industrial production has held up well since the Iran war began and output in the most energy-intensive sectors has risen. The bigger picture is that industry is in structural decline, but its... 15th July 2026 · 2 mins read
Commodities Update Oil market investors stuck in limbo again The escalation of the US-Iran war over the last week has caused investors to rapidly adjust their views of the upside risks in the oil market. If conditions continue to deteriorate, the lesson from... 14th July 2026 · 3 mins read
Commodities Update Five key questions on the “Battle of Hormuz” The announcement of a new US naval blockade on Iranian oil – and the suggestion that the US will charge a toll on shipping through the Strait – has upended the MoU and poses risks to our view that... 14th July 2026 · 4 mins read
Emerging Europe Economics Weekly Soft CEE inflation, Russia under more strain Inflation data released this week for Czechia and Hungary surprised again to the downside, which supports our view that the Czech central bank’s tightening cycle will be short and that the easing... 10th July 2026 · 6 mins read
Commodities Weekly A recipe for oil (and fuel) price volatility While the flare up in military activity in the Middle East does not change our forecast for oil prices to trend lower next year, the latest developments support our view that energy prices will... 10th July 2026 · 4 mins read
