Overview – Progress in getting back to central bank targets has slowed in several major economies. In advanced economies, a rebound in energy inflation has offset most of the drag on headline rates from lower non-energy goods inflation, and services …
26th April 2024
Hot inflation data dash hopes for rate cuts anytime soon Will take longer for the Fed to get “greater confidence” about path to 2% inflation. Nevertheless, cuts in 2024 still plausible The recent run of stronger inflation and activity data has …
24th April 2024
Bank will probably revise up its inflation forecasts at upcoming meeting Ueda sounds keen on another rate hike However, window for tightening is closing as underlying inflation set to fall below 2% Governor Ueda sounds keen in tightening policy further …
22nd April 2024
ECB will signal that policymakers expect to cut interest rates in June. A 25bp cut in June is most likely, but a 50bp move is plausible. Policymakers will keep their options open beyond that. Next week, we expect the ECB to signal clearly that as long …
4th April 2024
Clearer downward trend in underlying inflation But stronger GDP growth reduces the urgency to loosen policy New immigration policy could prompt big forecast changes While the recent inflation data have strengthened the case for interest rate cuts, we …
3rd April 2024
MPC to keep repo rate on hold at 6.50% next week Committee to wait until headline inflation reaches 4% before pivoting, probably in Q3 We think rates cuts will be a bit more aggressive this year than consensus forecasts We agree with consensus …
27th March 2024
Interest rates unchanged at 5.25% and BoE to keep hawkish guidance But data not the guidance counts We think rates will fall to 3.00% in 2025 rather than to 4.00% as investors expect At the policy meeting on Thursday 21 st March, the Bank of England will …
14th March 2024
Recent data leave Fed still seeking “greater confidence” that inflation is heading to 2% New SEP likely to be marginally more hawkish We still expect first rate cut in June and 200bp of easing in total Data dependence will remain the order of the day at …
13th March 2024
We’ll be discussing the outlook for inflation, monetary policy and the implications of higher Japanese rates for domestic and global financial markets in a 20-minute online briefing at 8am GMT/4pm SGT on 19th March . (Register here .) Shunto results in …
Inflationary pressures have eased further, while labour market slack has risen Economy not falling off a cliff, but interest rates are biting households As the flow of data remain soft, Bank will pivot to policy easing in August We expect the Reserve Bank …
12th March 2024
ECB will leave its deposit rate at 4.0% again next week. Policymakers will cut growth and headline (but not core) inflation forecasts. We now anticipate 100bp of rate cuts this year starting in June. Next week’s ECB meeting looks set to be a fairly …
1st March 2024
Underlying inflation pressures ease in January But signs of stronger economy reduces risk of maintaining restrictive policy We expect the Bank to cut interest rates in June The Bank will be relieved to see the broad-based easing in core inflation in …
28th February 2024
Elevated inflation and hawkish RBI rhetoric suggest rates to be left on hold next week Policy pivot only likely when headline inflation is closer to 4% Rate cuts will materialise in second half of 2024, much later than in many other EMs We agree with …
2nd February 2024
The RBA will hold its fire at its meeting next week With inflation falling rapidly, the Bank is likely to dial back its hawkish bias Rate cuts will be on the agenda sooner than most anticipate We expect the Reserve Bank of Australia to leave rates on hold …
31st January 2024
We’ll be discussing the outlook for Fed, ECB and Bank of England policy in a 20-minute online briefing at 3pm GMT on Thursday 1 st February. (Register here .) No one to vote for a rate hike and tightening bias to be dropped Bank to push back against …
25th January 2024
March rate cut is data dependent Rate expectations have rebounded Officials need to see more evidence that disinflation will be sustained We think that evidence is coming, paving way for a March rate cut At next week’s FOMC meeting, we don’t expect the …
24th January 2024
Overview – The easiest wins in the disinflation battle are behind us now that base effects from the previous surge in energy prices have run their course. Indeed, we expect energy effects to lift inflation in advanced economies slightly this year. But we …
18th January 2024
Policymakers to acknowledge weak economy and decline in inflation. But not ready to consider rate cuts. We expect first cut to come in Q2. The ECB is certain to keep interest rates unchanged next week, leaving the deposit rate at 4%, and we expect …
CPI-trim and CPI-median are overstating inflation pressures Economy going from bad to worse Bank to start cutting interest rates in April The acceleration in the CPI-trim and CPI-median measures of core inflation in December suggests the Bank of Canada …
17th January 2024
While overall inflation has moderated, services inflation has accelerated Bank will wait for upcoming spring wage negotiations before adjusting policy We expect a rate hike to 0.1% in March, with Yield Curve Control ending by mid-year The Bank of …
16th January 2024
Inflation is slowing and domestic demand is weakening However, price pressures are increasingly broad-based and wage growth is accelerating Bank’s leadership signalling that end of negative rates isn’t far off The Bank of Japan is increasingly keen to …
12th December 2023
Bank of England to keep interest rates unchanged at 5.25% but retain its hawkish bias It won’t risk fuelling bets on earlier rate cuts by watering down its forward guidance We expect Bank Rate to be cut later, but by more than most expect With the Bank …
7th December 2023
Officials not yet willing to fully endorse rate cut bets; tightening bias could be retained New SEP should confirm rates are at the peak but significant downgrades unlikely We expect the first rate cut in March and 175bp of easing in total next year With …
6th December 2023
Note: We’ll be discussing the Fed, ECB and Bank of England December decisions and the policy outlook for 2024 in an online briefing on Thursday, 14 th December . Click here to register for the 20-minute session. ECB will slash its 2024 inflation forecast …
Economic strength and latest jump in food prices suggest no change in policy next week RBI will be reluctant to loosen too quickly given persistent food inflation threat We now think that rate cuts won’t materialise until second half of next year We …
30th November 2023
Economic growth and inflation both weaker than Bank expected Bank likely to tone down, or even drop, its tightening bias Policy rate to be cut by much more than markets expect in 2024 The second consecutive month of muted core inflation pressures in …
29th November 2023
Bullock has continued to sound hawkish, leaving the door open for another rate hike Trimmed mean inflation still stubbornly high, but set to slow further Bank’s next move will be a rate cut, perhaps as early as Q2 next year We expect the Reserve Bank …
Recession still looking likely and labour market weakening as expected Bank will probably signal that inflation will return to 2% target earlier than thought Quicker disinflation opens the door to rate cuts in the second half of next year The labour …
22nd November 2023
RBA will hike by 25bp next week as inflation and labour market continue to run hot But there will be a high bar for additional tightening further down the road As the economy takes a turn for the worse, rate cuts still likely in Q2 2024 With inflation …
31st October 2023
Note: We’ll be discussing the latest Fed, ECB and Bank of England policy decisions in a Drop-In at 3pm GMT on Thursday 2 nd November . (Register here .) A second consecutive hold to all-but confirm that 5.25% is the summit for interest rates Sticky core …
26th October 2023
Fed to hold rates at 5.25%-5.50%, and keep further tightening on the table… …but surging long-term Treasury yields reducing appetite for final hike Sharp decline in core inflation to see rates cut to 3.25%-3.50% by end-2024 We don’t expect a significant …
25th October 2023
Overview – Global headline inflation has fallen sharply from its peak a year ago and, despite a temporary setback due to higher fuel inflation, we expect it to fall a lot further over the coming year. The huge drag from energy inflation is now largely in …
24th October 2023
Board will revise up FY2023 inflation forecasts but signal below-target inflation in 2025 We don’t expect any tweaks to Yield Curve Control but the policy is effectively over Negative rates will end in early-2024, YCC will formally be abandoned by …
The ECB is almost certain to leave interest rates unchanged at next week’s meeting. Emphasis will be on monetary policy staying tight for extended period. Bond market sell-off will persuade policymakers to delay decision to accelerate QT. There is …
19th October 2023
Recession risks rising and inflation falling again Bank to remain on hold but stress too soon to declare victory Bank’s latest analysis implies QT could continue until as late as 2026 The business surveys point to rising recession risks and core inflation …
18th October 2023
MPC to keep rates on hold next week as recent spike in vegetable prices fades But food inflation threat is not over yet Severe El Niño could push back start of easing cycle from early 2024 We agree with consensus expectations that the MPC will keep …
29th September 2023
Activity is holding up better than expected, while disinflation is stalling Another 25bp rate hike now seems more likely than not Policy easing pushed back to mid-2024 Stronger-than-expected GDP and inflation data should cement the case for the RBA to …
27th September 2023
RBNZ to reassert its tightening bias as activity surprises on the upside Given the noise in the recent data, we don’t expect further rate hikes However, policy will remain restrictive for longer, with rate cuts only in Q3 2024 Although economic activity …
26th September 2023
The sustainability of above-target inflation is still in doubt However, Bank seems keen on getting rid of negative interest rates We now expect the Bank to lift its policy rate from -0.1% to +0.1% in January Even though the sustainability of …
18th September 2023
We’ll be discussing September’s Fed, ECB and Bank of England policy decisions in a Drop-In at 3pm BST on Thursday 21 st September. (Register here .) Final 25bps hike to 5.50% to be followed by rates staying at their peak until late in 2024 Bank may …
14th September 2023
Fed to keep rates unchanged at 5.25%-5.50% next week New SEP to show officials less convinced of need for further hikes Rapid decline in inflation will see rates cut to 3.25%-3.50% by end-2024 The Fed is set to keep rates unchanged at 5.25%-5.50% at the …
13th September 2023
Note: We’ll be discussing the ECB September rate decision – along with those of the Fed and the Bank of England – in a ‘Drop-In’ on Thursday, 21 st September. Register here to join the online briefing. We think the ECB is slightly more likely to hike than …
7th September 2023
Higher gasoline prices mean CPI will surprise to the upside of the Bank’s forecasts But GDP growth is slowing and labour market conditions are loosening Bank can afford to wait for more data and is unlikely to hike again Inflation has surprised to the …
30th August 2023
Rapid fall in inflation and weaker-than-expected wage growth mean RBA is done hiking Looming recession should prompt the Bank to ease policy earlier than most expect We’re moving forward our forecast for the first rate cut from Q2 2024 to Q1 All of the …
RBNZ to remain on hold Although inflation and wage growth remain strong, they are showing signs of cooling As recession deepens, rate cuts will be on the table in Q1 2024 With inflation coming off the boil and labour market conditions starting to …
9th August 2023
Jump in food prices makes rate hold next week less of a certainty On balance, we still think the MPC will stand pat but strike a more hawkish tone If food price surge is sustained, loosening may be pushed back from early 2024 The recent surge in food …
2nd August 2023
Fitch gives Haddad a gift The upgrade by Fitch to Brazil’s long-term foreign currency sovereign debt rating this week, from BB- to BB, provides another sign that fiscal concerns in the country are easing. Fitch justified the move on the …
28th July 2023
25bps hike and peak in sight Reverting to a 25bps hike rather than 50bps Rate hikes may come to a halt a bit sooner than most analysts and investors expect After a lengthy pause, rates to fall further than investors expect in late 2024 and in 2025 We’ll …
27th July 2023
Economic activity slowing and inflation weakening faster than anticipated However, labour market still very tight and services inflation still accelerating Bank to hike to 4.35% next week, but September rate hike is a close call With inflation …
26th July 2023
Overview – Global inflation has almost halved since September last year and this trend has further to run. Admittedly, the fall in headline inflation so far mainly reflects the drag from lower energy price inflation, which has almost run its course. But …
25th July 2023
