US Data Response Consumer Prices (Mar 14.) The rebound in CPI inflation to 1.5% in March, from 1.1%, is partly due to the reversal of the base effects that pushed it down in February. Nonetheless, more permanent trends will lift both headline... 15th April 2014 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update Indian inflation will prove stubborn from here Indian inflation ticked up in March, ending a downward trend that had raised some hopes that the central bank might be winning its battle with price pressures. There are a number of reasons to think... 15th April 2014 · 1 min read
UK Data Response Consumer Prices & Producer Prices (Mar 14.) The further fall in CPI inflation in March suggested that the six-year squeeze on real wages is finally over and took it a step closer to the 1% figure we think it could reach by the end of the year. 15th April 2014 · 1 min read
Global Economic Outlook West to outperform East The world economy should expand steadily in the coming two years, helped by an increasingly strong recovery in the US. However, while the euro-zone has stabilised, it is not growing fast enough to... 14th April 2014 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update ECB belatedly waking up to deflation dangers Recent speeches from officials suggest that the ECB has finally accepted that the threat of deflation in the euro-zone warrants further policy action. But it is far from clear that any action will be... 14th April 2014 · 1 min read
Japan Economics Weekly How much spare capacity is left? If Japan is to succeed in escaping deflation, growth will have to pick up sufficiently to eliminate the margin of spare capacity - the so-called output gap - that has kept price pressures subdued... 14th April 2014 · 1 min read
China Data Response Consumer & Producer Prices (Mar.) Despite a seasonal pick-up in food inflation, today's data provide further evidence that general price pressures remain subdued. 11th April 2014 · 1 min read
Middle East & North Africa Economics Update Egypt: rate cuts looking unlikely as inflation outlook deteriorates Egyptian inflation has fallen back in recent months as the effects of last year’s sharp depreciation of the pound have started to unwind. But with the economy starting to recover and the outlook for... 10th April 2014 · 1 min read
Europe Economic Outlook Deflation dangers persist The recovery in the European economy appears to have picked up a bit of speed in the early months of 2014. The euro-zone now looks set to expand by 1% or more this year, a significant improvement on... 10th April 2014 · 1 min read
Latin America Economics Update Brazil & Mexico inflation head in opposite directions The latest jump in inflation in Brazil will put pressure on policymakers to raise interest rates further, despite having signalled an end to monetary tightening at last month’s COPOM meeting. In... 9th April 2014 · 1 min read
Global Economics Update What are the prospects for global real interest rates? Continued high savings rates in emerging economies and weak investment in advanced economies suggest that real interest rates will remain low for many years. In addition, policy-makers have a strong... 9th April 2014 · 1 min read
China Economics Update Inflation Monitor (Apr.) Seasonal volatility in food inflation continues to cause swings in consumer price inflation. However, with broader price pressures subdued and little sign of major policy loosening on the horizon, the... 8th April 2014 · 1 min read
Canada Economics Weekly Rising wage growth no threat to the inflation outlook The recent acceleration in wage inflation is an encouraging sign, especially considering the excess slack in labour markets and still uncertain economic outlook. For these and other reasons, however... 7th April 2014 · 1 min read
UK Economics Weekly Productivity cloud should lift in time Figures released last week confirmed that the weakness of productivity growth continues to hang like a cloud of Saharan dust over the medium-term outlook for the economy. Not only has productivity... 7th April 2014 · 1 min read
BoE Watch Rate hikes still a distant prospect With inflation falling faster and slack in the labour market being used up more slowly than the MPC expected in February’s Inflation Report, the decision to leave Bank Rate on hold at this month’s... 4th April 2014 · 1 min read
Global Economics Chart Pack US rebounds but China and Japan slowing The global economy is healing, but the pace of recovery differs markedly between countries. The US is now rebounding from its weather-induced slowdown and the euro-zone is steadily gaining momentum... 4th April 2014 · 1 min read
