Emerging Europe Economics Update BRICs drive pick-up in EM inflation A pick-up in inflation in all four of BRIC economies pushed aggregate EM inflation to an eight-month high last month. However, the bigger picture remains that in most EMs inflation is both low and... 31st March 2015 · 1 min read
Japan Economics Focus “Abenomics” needs a fresh boost Japan’s economic recovery was dealt a severe blow by last year’s sales tax hike, and we think that the immediate outlook for growth is more gloomy than most believe. With inflation well below the 2%... 31st March 2015 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Weekly Euro-zone consumers look ready to start spending Buoyed by falling unemployment, rising equity prices and a boost to their spending power from a lower oil price, euro-zone consumers have become increasingly confident, with the EC’s measure of... 27th March 2015 · 1 min read
UK Economics Weekly Zero inflation doesn’t boost case for rate cut For a country that has spent much of its recent history battling high inflation, last week’s data showing that inflation hit zero in February was something of a watershed moment. However, we don’t... 27th March 2015 · 1 min read
Emerging Markets Economics Focus Shifting sands: why the outlook for the BRICs is starting to diverge The prospects for the four largest emerging economies – Brazil, Russia, India and China – are starting to diverge. The outlook for India is improving and, despite a recent run of poor data, we think... 27th March 2015 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Weekly Deflation of Thailand’s credit bubble has further to run Although credit growth in Thailand has cooled over the past few years, the process of deflating the country’s credit bubble is still far from over. Given this, the Bank of Thailand’s decision earlier... 27th March 2015 · 1 min read
Japan Data Response Retail Sales, Unemployment, Household Spending & Consumer Prices (Feb.) While the labour market remains tight, inflation is moving further away from the Bank of Japan’s 2% target. We continue to expect the Bank to step up the pace of easing at the end of next month. 27th March 2015 · 1 min read
Latin America Chart Pack Currency sell-off puts paid to further policy loosening Currencies in Latin America have regained some ground over the past week, but have still typically fallen by between 10-20% against the dollar over the past six months. The risk that the slide in... 26th March 2015 · 1 min read
Africa Chart Pack Nigerian politics take centre stage All eyes are focused on Nigeria’s election on 28th March, which will almost certainly spark a brief period of political violence when (as seems likely) the losing candidate refuses to accept the... 26th March 2015 · 1 min read
US Chart Pack Slump in productivity growth could be pivotal Fed officials haven't had a lot to say about the slump in productivity growth but, just as the upsurge in productivity growth in the 1990s was crucial in allowing the Fed to leave rates lower for... 25th March 2015 · 1 min read
Emerging Europe Chart Pack Central Europe shaping up well at the start of 2015 Despite concerns about deflation, a recession in Russia and sluggishness in the euro-zone, the latest data out of Central Europe have been surprisingly robust. Industrial production growth has... 25th March 2015 · 1 min read
Middle East & North Africa Chart Pack Saudi Arabia refuses to budge Even though oil prices continue to languish at around $55pb, there is still no sign that Saudi Arabia will give in to pressure from other OPEC members to cut oil output. Oil Minister, Ali al-Naimi... 25th March 2015 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update Currency strength one reason Asian rates will stay low, for now Currency strength in Emerging Asia has been a factor in the region's recent wave of policy loosening. It appears to be undermining export competitiveness and has helped push inflation down further... 25th March 2015 · 1 min read
Asia Chart Pack Exports take a turn for the worse Emerging Asia’s exports have taken a turn for the worse in recent months. Leaving out China, the region’s merchandise exports, measured in US dollar terms, contracted at the sharpest annual rate in... 24th March 2015 · 1 min read
US Data Response Consumer Prices (Feb.) The 0.2% m/m increase in February's consumer prices was enough to pull the US out of deflation after only one month, with the annual inflation rate rebounding from -0.1% to 0.0%. But there is a good... 24th March 2015 · 1 min read
UK Data Response Consumer Prices & Producer Prices (Feb.) With inflation hitting zero in February, the UK is on the cusp of deflation. But a brief period of gently falling prices driven by lower energy prices is nothing to be feared – in the UK, at least... 24th March 2015 · 1 min read
