US Economics Weekly Fed to accelerate pace of policy tightening After the Fed’s co-ordinated attempts to prepare markets for another interest rate hike at this week’s FOMC meeting, which concludes on Wednesday, another 25 basis point hike is fully priced into... 10th March 2017 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Weekly Will the ECB change course if growth stays strong? ECB President Mario Draghi last week reiterated the plan to buy assets throughout this year and keep interest rates at or below current levels for an extended period. But he also explained that... 10th March 2017 · 1 min read
China Economics Update PBOC relaxed about RMB, signals monetary tightening In his annual outing before the press at the National People’s Congress today, People’s Bank Governor Zhou Xiaochuan made a strong case that policy support for the renminbi can be sustained in the... 10th March 2017 · 1 min read
Latin America Economics Update Peruvian interest rates on hold, next move still likely to be up Peru’s central bank kept interest rates on hold once again at 4.25% and, while the economic outlook has deteriorated in recent months, stubbornly above-target inflation means the next move in the... 10th March 2017 · 1 min read
Australia & New Zealand Economics Weekly What would make the RBA raise rates? Although we still believe that the next move in interest rates in Australia will be down, it is useful to consider what would need to happen to prompt the RBA to raise rates. Two scenarios stand out... 10th March 2017 · 1 min read
Nordic & Swiss Central Bank Watch Inflation rise won’t stop SNB fighting strong franc The Swiss National Bank will reiterate after its meeting on 16th March that it remains fully prepared to act to prevent any significant appreciation of the Swiss franc in the coming months. Although... 9th March 2017 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update ECB committed to loose policy despite healthy growth The ECB today reiterated its commitment to buying assets throughout this year and keeping interest rates at current or lower levels for an extended period. While the Bank believes that downside risks... 9th March 2017 · 1 min read
BoE Watch Softer data to keep the hawks at bay It may not be long before one or two Monetary Policy Committee members vote for a rise in Bank Rate. But with signs that the economic data have taken a bit of a softer turn since February’s Inflation... 9th March 2017 · 1 min read
Nordic & Swiss Central Bank Watch Icelandic rates to be cut soon despite strong economy Ahead of the Central Bank of Iceland’s meeting next week, today’s data revealed that Icelandic GDP expanded by a strong 2.6% in Q4. Despite the strength of the economy, the recent appreciation of the... 9th March 2017 · 1 min read
Emerging Europe Economics Update Dovish Polish MPC suggests that tightening is long way off The dovish stance taken by the Polish MPC in its post-meeting press conference reinforces our view that, despite the recent rise in inflation, monetary policy will remain loose over the next couple of... 8th March 2017 · 1 min read
US Fed Watch Fed signals an acceleration in the pace of tightening Last week Fed officials acted on a clearly preconceived plan to prepare markets for another interest rate hike at the upcoming FOMC meeting, which finishes on Wednesday 15th March. Buoyed by the post... 8th March 2017 · 1 min read
Nordic & Swiss Data Response Swiss Consumer Prices (Feb.) Switzerland’s consumer prices data for February revealed that prices are finally rising again. But with the franc likely to strengthen this year, underlying price pressures are set to remain subdued. 8th March 2017 · 1 min read
Latin America Economics Update Strike at major copper mine leaves Chile flirting with recession There is a good chance that a strike at Chile’s largest copper mine will tip the economy into a technical recession in Q1. While growth should return in Q2, the weakness of the non-mining sector means... 7th March 2017 · 1 min read
Emerging Europe Economics Update Turkish central bank’s bond purchases are not backdoor QE The recent rise in the Turkish central bank’s holdings of government debt doesn’t appear to be the backdoor effort to ease monetary policy that some fear. Even so, the concerns this has raised... 7th March 2017 · 1 min read
Japan Economics Focus Will the Bank of Japan have to start tightening soon? Japan’s economy has performed well recently and inflation is set to rise sharply soon. But the spike in inflation won’t last and, with inflation expectations no higher now than when the Bank of Japan... 7th March 2017 · 1 min read
Australia & New Zealand Economics Update RBA remains more optimistic than most The statement released after the Reserve Bank of Australia today left interest rates at 1.5% remained fairly balanced, but recent speeches have made it clear that the RBA doesn’t intend to cut... 7th March 2017 · 1 min read
