Australia & New Zealand Economics Update New Zealand - Our key calls for 2018 and some possible shocks 2018 is widely expected to be the year that the Reserve Banks of Australia and New Zealand start to raise interest rates from their record lows. We disagree. In this Update, we outline five of our non... 9th January 2018 · 1 min read
Japan Data Response Labour Cash Earnings (Nov.) Regular earnings probably rose at the fastest pace in two decades last year. Yet the pace of improvement remains woefully slow so the Bank of Japan’s 2% inflation target remains out of reach. 9th January 2018 · 1 min read
Canada Economics Update Businesses shrugging off NAFTA uncertainty The improvement in business sentiment in the fourth quarter of last year, most notably the marked rebound in investment and hiring intentions, suggest that the increased uncertainty around NAFTA isn’t... 8th January 2018 · 1 min read
Latin America Data Response Chile Consumer Prices (Dec.) The rise in Chilean inflation in the final month of 2017, to 2.3% y/y, was driven largely by an increase in food inflation – core inflation rose only marginally and remained below the central bank’s... 8th January 2018 · 1 min read
Nordic & Swiss Data Response Swiss Consumer Prices (Dec.) While Swiss headline inflation was unchanged in December, there was a welcome rise in the core rate. But the big picture is that inflationary pressures remain subdued, so the Swiss National Bank will... 8th January 2018 · 1 min read
US Economics Weekly Investment boom should continue in 2018 Business investment enjoyed a strong resurgence last year, particularly in the second half. Our estimates imply that business investment increased by 7.5% annualised in the fourth quarter, the biggest... 5th January 2018 · 1 min read
Europe Data Response Euro-zone Flash CPI (Dec.) With euro-zone headline inflation falling in December and core inflation still subdued, the ECB will continue to emphasise that interest rate hikes remain a long way off. 5th January 2018 · 1 min read
China Economics Update Inflation set to jump We expect consumer price inflation to surge over the coming months on the back of a spike in food price inflation. However, with core inflation probably close to a peak and producer price inflation... 5th January 2018 · 1 min read
India Economics Update Inflation set to accelerate again We think that consumer price inflation rose again in December, due to an acceleration in both food and fuel inflation. Core price pressures are also continuing to build, which could prompt the Reserve... 5th January 2018 · 1 min read
Nordic & Swiss Economics Update Twenty-fourth time lucky for the Riksbank? After bringing its net asset purchases to a close last month, the Riksbank reiterated that it expects to raise interest rates in September this year. The Bank’s track record suggests that this... 4th January 2018 · 1 min read
Emerging Europe Data Response Turkey CPI (Dec.) The decline in Turkish inflation in December, to 11.9% y/y, from 13.0% y/y in November, will take some pressure off the central bank to follow up last month’s interest rate hike with further... 3rd January 2018 · 1 min read
Japan Economics Update Price pressures strengthening again Japan’s November activity data suggest that the economy recorded an eighth consecutive quarter ofgrowth in Q4. And with the labour market the tightest in at least two decades, underlying... 2nd January 2018 · 1 min read
UK Economics Update Consumer spending resilient While the latest Quarterly National Accounts has raised further questions about the sustainability of consumer spending growth, we think that consumers will continue to ride out the real pay squeeze... 22nd December 2017 · 1 min read
Canada Data Response Consumer Prices (Nov.) The rise in the headline inflation rate to 2.1% in November, from 1.4%, mainly reflects higher energy prices. More importantly, all three core inflation measures remained below the 2.0% target, with... 21st December 2017 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Weekly A vintage year, but is the best yet to come? The euro-zone economy performed better in 2017 than we and most forecasters had anticipated at the year’s outset. Investment growth picked up despite intense political uncertainty. And while a rise in... 21st December 2017 · 1 min read
India Economics Update MPC minutes express inflation and fiscal concerns The minutes of the Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI’s) December policy meeting show that most MPC members are concerned about recent fiscal developments and the inflation outlook. Indeed, with consumer... 21st December 2017 · 1 min read