Asia Economics Update Sri Lanka’s tightening cycle has further to go The central bank in Sri Lanka (CBSL) today raised its deposit and lending rates by 50bp each in whatwas Indrajit Coomaraswamy’s first monetary policy meeting as governor. With credit growing at... 28th July 2016 · 1 min read
Europe Data Response German Flash CPI (Jul.) July’s rise in German inflation further into positive territory is likely to be followed by continued increases in the coming months. But even in Germany, we do not think that inflation is on track to... 28th July 2016 · 1 min read
RBA Watch Mixed inflation figures won’t prevent cut to 1.50% While the second-quarter inflation figures were somewhat mixed, we still expect that the most likely outcome at the Reserve Bank of Australia’s policy meeting on Tuesday 2nd August is an interest rate... 28th July 2016 · 1 min read
US Economics Update Fed edging toward a September rate hike The Fed was never going to provide a definitive steer on future rate decisions at this week's FOMC meeting, particularly not when Chair Janet Yellen is due to speak at the Jackson Hole symposium in... 27th July 2016 · 1 min read
Japan Data Response Small Business Confidence (Jul.) While small business confidence rose for the second straight month in July, it still suggests that Japan’s economic recovery remains sluggish. 27th July 2016 · 1 min read
Australia & New Zealand Data Response Australia Consumer Prices (Q2) The CPI inflation data for the second quarter makes next Tuesday’s RBA policy meeting a closer call than had looked likely, but we still think the RBA will pull the trigger and cut interest rates to 1... 27th July 2016 · 1 min read
Bank of Japan Watch Fiscal stimulus unlikely to prevent BoJ from easing An imminent shift from fiscal tightening to loosening has reduced the pressure on the Bank of Japan to provide more stimulus. However, the sharp appreciation of the exchange rate since the start of... 26th July 2016 · 1 min read
Africa Economics Update Kenya: Rates on hold, cuts still in the cards The Central Bank of Kenya decided to hold its key rate at 10.50% today, but we expect that the bank will cut rates later this year as inflation remains within target and Kenya’s external... 25th July 2016 · 1 min read
US Chart Pack Surge in real consumption drives Q2 GDP growth Our calculations indicate that second-quarter GDP growth accelerated to 2.5% annualised, thanks primarily to a massive 4.5% surge in real consumption. The latter would mark the biggest quarterly gain... 25th July 2016 · 1 min read
Australia & New Zealand Economics Weekly Two things the RBA could learn from the RBNZ The recent experience of the Reserve Bank of New Zealand provides two lessons for the Reserve Bank of Australia. First, don’t dither when it comes to making decisions otherwise you’ll be punished by a... 22nd July 2016 · 1 min read
Canada Data Response Consumer Prices (Jun.) & Retail Sales (May) The surprisingly resilient 0.2% m/m gain in retail sales in May, which was above the consensus forecast of no change, means that monthly GDP probably only contracted by 0.3% m/m despite the disruption... 22nd July 2016 · 1 min read
Latin America Data Response Mexico Bi-Weekly Consumer Prices (July) We expect the rise in Mexican inflation in the first half of this month, to 2.7% y/y from 2.5% y/y over June as a whole, to be the start of an upward trend that will ultimately force the central bank... 22nd July 2016 · 1 min read
India Chart Pack Capital injections too small to revive banking sector The government’s announcement this week that it will inject more capital into local banks is a positive step, but the amount is still too limited to revive the ailing sector. 22nd July 2016 · 1 min read
Latin America Data Response Brazil IPCA-15 (July) The uptick in Brazilian inflation in the first half of this month was modest but it will reinforce the hawkish tone set by last night’s COPOM statement. Our base case is that interest rate cuts will... 21st July 2016 · 1 min read
Australia & New Zealand Chart Pack Shrugging off global and domestic uncertainty The early evidence suggests that businesses and households in Australia have not been ruffled by the UK’s vote to leave the EU and Australia’s close Federal election result. Admittedly, consumer... 21st July 2016 · 1 min read
Emerging Markets Economics Update What next for EM monetary policy? Most EM central banks look set to maintain a loosening bias over the next couple of years. Nonetheless, there are a handful of emerging economies where inflationary pressures mean that interest rate... 20th July 2016 · 1 min read