Global Economic Outlook Oiling the wheels Global growth has slowed in recent months, but we still expect world GDP to expand by just over 3% this year and next. The slump in oil prices should have a positive impact overall, even though it... 21st January 2015 · 1 min read
Africa Data Response South Africa Consumer Prices (Dec.) The sharp slowdown in South African inflation, to 5.3% y/y, in December was driven almost entirely by the impact of lower oil prices on petrol inflation. Core price pressures remain strong. But with... 21st January 2015 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update New Zealand rate hikes looking more and more distant The recent drop in oil prices is not the only reason to think that consumer price inflation will remain low in New Zealand over the next couple of years. Domestic price pressures are also fading. We... 21st January 2015 · 1 min read
Global Economics Update IMF’s latest forecasts are still too optimistic The IMF’s latest forecasts for the world economy contain little new news because most of the changes reflect the Fund catching up with other forecasters since its last update in October. Although we... 20th January 2015 · 1 min read
Europe Economic Outlook Crisis 2.0? The onset of deflation in the euro-zone and the recent developments in Greece have served as powerful reminders of the lasting effects of the region’s debt crisis. The ECB will seek to tackle... 20th January 2015 · 1 min read
Latin America Economics Update Where do we stand relative to the consensus? We have revised down many of our forecasts in recent weeks and, on the whole, expect GDP growth and inflation in Latin America to be lower than the consensus forecasts this year. As a result... 20th January 2015 · 1 min read
Japan Data Response Consumer Confidence (Dec.) The first rise in consumer confidence since July should be followed by a further improvement as falling energy prices improve households’ purchasing power. 19th January 2015 · 1 min read
US Data Response Consumer Prices & Industrial Production (Dec.) Even though headline inflation will spend most of this year in negative territory, if we’re right in thinking that core inflation is unlikely to fall much further, the Fed will still raise interest... 16th January 2015 · 1 min read
Emerging Markets Economics Chart Pack EM central banks shift to easing mode Having been in tightening mode at the end of 2014, a number of EM central banks have surprised markets by loosening monetary policy since the start of the year, with policymakers in Romania, India... 16th January 2015 · 1 min read
UK Economics Weekly Deflation should be briefer in the UK than overseas With E.On’s cut in gas prices probably kicking off a more widespread round of utility price cuts and oil prices falling even further last week, a brief dip into outright deflation now seems more... 16th January 2015 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Weekly Will falling oil prices push Emerging Asia into deflation? Sharp falls in oil prices in recent months will put downward pressure on inflation across Emerging Asia, with a number of countries likely to see inflation turn negative in early 2015. On the whole... 16th January 2015 · 1 min read
ECB Watch QE may disappoint high expectations It is virtually certain that the ECB will announce some form of quantitative easing (QE) at its Governing Council meeting on January 22nd. But given the ECB’s natural caution and Germany’s objections... 15th January 2015 · 1 min read
UK Markets Chart Pack Gilt yields hit new lows on growth, not deflation, concerns The decline in UK government bond yields – to record lows at the long end of the curve – appears to have largely reflected building concerns about growth, rather than deflation. While they have fallen... 15th January 2015 · 1 min read
Emerging Europe Data Response Poland Consumer Prices (Dec.) December’s Polish CPI data, which confirmed that the economy fell deeper into deflation, add to the evidence supporting a loosening of monetary policy over the coming months. However, the sharp rise... 15th January 2015 · 1 min read
Middle East & North Africa Data Response Saudi Arabia Consumer Prices (Dec.) Saudi Arabia’s inflation rate fell to an eight-year low of 2.4% y/y in December. But we suspect that the big fall in inflation is now behind us and the headline rate may even edge up over the coming... 15th January 2015 · 1 min read
Nordic & Swiss Economics Update Sustained franc strength will hit Swiss economy hard The Swiss National Bank’s (SNB) shock decision to abandon its ceiling for the franc reflected its judgement that the policy was just not sustainable. Unless it can reverse the franc’s appreciation... 15th January 2015 · 1 min read
