Emerging Markets Economics Focus Assessing the inflation threat from EM labour markets Labour markets look very tight in Central Europe and a handful of other EMs (particularly in Latin America), and we think that wage growth is unlikely to fall far enough in these countries to bring... 2nd March 2023 · 19 mins read
Europe Data Response Euro-zone Flash HICP (Feb.) February’s increase in core inflation will reinforce ECB policymakers’ conviction that significant rate increases are needed. For some time we have been forecasting a 50bp hike at the meeting in two... 2nd March 2023 · 3 mins read
Global Economics Update PMIs: Industry struggling but possibly past the worst The broad-based improvement in the output components of February’s manufacturing PMIs suggests that the worst of the global industrial downturn is already in the rear-view mirror. That said, it is too... 1st March 2023 · 3 mins read
Nordic & Swiss Economics Update Strong franc is not the key to low Swiss inflation In our view, the Chairman of the SNB has over-stated the role of the exchange rate in explaining why inflation has remained so comparatively low in Switzerland in the past two years. However... 1st March 2023 · 4 mins read
Europe Data Response Germany Flash Inflation (February) The renewed rise in headline inflation in Germany, France and Spain in February suggests euro-zone inflation edged up this month, rather than falling as had been expected. With signs that underlying... 1st March 2023 · 2 mins read
Australia & New Zealand Data Response Australia GDP (Q4 22) & CPI Indicator (Jan. 23) GDP growth softened last quarter and inflation slowed sharply in January. But with inflation still very high, that won’t prevent the RBA from hiking the cash rate to a peak of 4.1% in May. 1st March 2023 · 3 mins read
Australia & New Zealand Rapid Response Australia GDP (Q4 22) & Monthly CPI Indicator (Jan. 23) 1st March 2023 · 2 mins read
Emerging Europe Economics Update MNB getting close to phasing out its stabilisation tools Hungary’s central bank (MNB) reiterated the message that it’s unlikely to cut its base rate anytime soon, when it left that rate on hold again today (at 13.00%). That said, the MNB offered some signs... 28th February 2023 · 3 mins read
China Chart Pack A near-term fiscal boost Local governments have stepped up their borrowing since the start of the year. They issued RMB860bn in special bonds over the course of January and February, up from an average of RMB105bn per month... 28th February 2023 · 12 mins read
UK Economics Update Profit margins another potential threat to inflation outlook A widening in profit margins could mean that inflation is slower to fall back to the Bank of England’s 2.0% target than we expect. That would cause the Bank to raise interest rates even further than... 28th February 2023 · 5 mins read
Asia Chart Pack How will central banks respond to the latest currency falls? Asian currencies have dropped back over the past few weeks against the US dollar, with the two worst hit currencies (the Thai baht and the Korean won) down around 6% against the greenback since the... 27th February 2023 · 15 mins read
Africa Chart Pack Politics and the public finances Sub-Saharan Africa’s two biggest economies, Nigeria and South Africa, are both facing slow-burning debt problems. In Nigeria at least, elections on Saturday offer an opportunity to shift towards... 24th February 2023 · 12 mins read
Capital Daily Markets and Russia’s invasion, one year on Despite first appearances, financial markets haven’t shrugged off the effects of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and we think the ramifications could continue to be important to investors. 24th February 2023 · 7 mins read
Latin America Economics Weekly Argentina & the IMF, Banxico hawks Argentina is closing in on the next disbursement of IMF funding but, while the economy met many of last year’s performance criteria, the deal is likely to become rockier this year. Elsewhere, the... 24th February 2023 · 7 mins read
Canada Economics Weekly Fall in inflation partly due to one-off effects The larger-than-expected fall in CPI inflation in January was partly due to one-off effects, but still reduces the chance that the Bank of Canada will be forced to resume raising interest rates... 24th February 2023 · 5 mins read