Japan Economics Update AI boom will only provide small boost to inflation Japan’s economy isn’t benefitting much from the surge in demand related to artificial intelligence. While higher electronics import prices should result in faster price increases for household... 14th July 2026 · 3 mins read
China Rapid Response China Merchandise Trade (Jun. 2026) Trade values took another big leg up in June. This predominantly reflects the recent surge in semiconductor prices on the back of the AI boom. But even putting that aside, foreign demand for Chinese... 14th July 2026 · 6 mins read
Capital Daily US dollar wins again, and Chinese tech stocks’ woes The US dollar is still a beneficiary from US-Iran hostilities, but it won’t necessarily fare as well as it did earlier this year even if the situation worsens. Meanwhile, Chinese tech stocks could... 13th July 2026 · 5 mins read
China Economics Weekly AI fracturing is broadening out Reports that China's Ministry of Commerce has been looking into restricting foreign access to top Chinese AI models are yet another sign that the bifurcation of US and Chinese AI stacks is moving... 10th July 2026 · 8 mins read
Asia Economics Weekly Bank of Korea to kick start tightening cycle A combination of above-target inflation, buoyant growth, a struggling currency, and rising property prices in Seoul all point to the Bank of Korea hiking rates by 25bp to 2.75% next week. We currently... 10th July 2026 · 4 mins read
Japan Economics Weekly GPIF set to come to the bond market’s rescue Finance Minister Katayama’s announcement that the government will encourage pension funds, including the GPIF, to invest more in Japanese financial assets has helped unwind the spike in bond yields... 10th July 2026 · 4 mins read
China Rapid Response China Consumer & Producer Prices (June 2026) The uptick in Chinese inflation caused by the Iran War continued to unwind in June, amid lower prices for oil and many other commodities. The latest escalation in US-Iran tensions could deliver some... 9th July 2026 · 2 mins read
India Economics Update AI, the data centre build out and India’s economy Much of the discourse on the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on India’s economy is framed around the disruption to the services sector, but AI also requires a large amount of investment in... 7th July 2026 · 3 mins read
Asia Economics Update From energy to food: El Niño reshapes inflation risks Despite easing energy-driven inflation pressures, central banks in Asia are unlikely to rush to unwind recent rate hikes given the growing upside risks to food inflation from El Niño. 7th July 2026 · 3 mins read
Japan Rapid Response Japan Labour Cash Earnings (May 2026) The slowdown in wage growth in May is unlikely to deter the Bank of Japan from tightening policy further in the months ahead. 7th July 2026 · 1 min read
Japan Economics Update 10-year JGB yield will climb to 3% before long The latest available data are consistent with our long-held view that Japan’s budget deficit has narrowed far more rapidly than many thought. Nonetheless, with the BoJ set to lift interest rates to 2%... 6th July 2026 · 3 mins read
China Economics Weekly US-China AI competition continues to heat up This week’s reversal of US export controls on Anthropic’s most powerful AI models appears to have been partly motivated by the recent release of GLM-5.2, a highly competitive alternative that is... 3rd July 2026 · 6 mins read
Asia Economics Weekly Strong growth in Vietnam as exports offset oil drag GDP figures published today show that Vietnam has brushed off the impact of the Iran war and the energy price shock, with growth unexpectedly accelerating on the back of strong exports. Although the... 3rd July 2026 · 5 mins read
India Economics Weekly Weak monsoon impact not only limited to agriculture India has just recorded its driest June in over a decade and that may prove a harbinger for the rest of the monsoon season on account of El Niño weather conditions. Deficient rain is already affecting... 3rd July 2026 · 3 mins read
Japan Economics Weekly BoJ will have to respond to stronger inflation The latest Tankan survey showed that output prices hit a record high, driven by the influence of higher energy costs on upstream industries. While higher input costs will be passed on to consumers... 3rd July 2026 · 4 mins read
