Asia Economics Update Korea's central bank has more work to do The Bank of Korea (BoK) kept its policy rate at 2.75% today, as was widely expected. Korea’s economic slowdown has bottomed out, but we think growth is unlikely to rebound strongly and that inflation... 13th December 2012 · 1 min read
US Economics Update Fed adopts new thresholds and expands QE3 The Fed's adoption of numerical thresholds is, in practical terms, just a tweak in the framework used to signal how long it expects to leave short-term rates at near-zero. Based on the FOMC's new... 12th December 2012 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update Rate cuts in Sri Lanka are premature We believe today’s unexpected rate cut by the Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) is premature in light of the large external problems still facing the economy. Given the CBSL’s current dovish stance, we... 12th December 2012 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Focus Has the ECB solved the crisis? Recent actions by euro-zone policymakers and the ECB in particular have prompted some commentators to conclude that the region has turned a corner. But we still expect the crisis to deepen again soon... 11th December 2012 · 1 min read
Bank of Japan Watch December's decision finely balanced The decision at the Bank of Japan’s Policy Board meeting next week is likely to be finely balanced. There are several goods reasons to believe the Board will further extend monetary easing, and... 11th December 2012 · 1 min read
Emerging Markets Economics Focus What to expect from emerging markets in 2013 Emerging markets (EMs) will remain a relative bright spot in 2013. But with export demand from the developed world likely to remain subdued and structural problems dragging on growth in many of the... 10th December 2012 · 1 min read
Emerging Europe Economics Update Russia: interest rate "hike" does not alter monetary stance The Central Bank of Russia (CBR) left its benchmark lending rates on hold today, but hiked its overnight deposit rate by 25bps. Given the liquidity shortage in the interbank market and the fact that... 10th December 2012 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Weekly The ECB too gloomy? Not likely. Suggestions that last week’s downgrades to the ECB’s economic projections have left it too gloomy look wide of the mark. Against a background of weak global activity, continued austerity and high and... 10th December 2012 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Weekly Has Vietnam's monetary loosening cycle come to an end? Vietnam’s central bank has been the most aggressive rate-cutter in Asia this year, slashing its policy rate by a cumulative 500bp to 10%. Although inflation has picked up in recent months, we think... 10th December 2012 · 1 min read
Latin America Economics Update Peruvian rates set to remain on hold throughout 2013 Peru kept interest rates on hold at 4.25% last night after a fall in food inflation brought the headline rate down to target for the first time since mid-2011. Looking forward, with the scope for... 7th December 2012 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update ECB on hold despite prospect of long recession At its press conference today, the ECB again refused to make any firm commitments about the amount of support that it might be prepared to offer the Spanish Government if it requested a bailout. And... 6th December 2012 · 1 min read
Middle East & North Africa Economics Update Political turmoil to prevent Egypt from easing Egypt’s deepening political crisis has put paid to any hopes of policy easing, in the very near-term at least. Indeed, if things stay as they are, we wouldn’t be surprised if the central bank is... 6th December 2012 · 1 min read
UK Economics Update More QE still in prospect Although the MPC left its quantitative easing (QE) programme on pause again at today’s meeting, we think that more asset purchases are likely before long. And yesterday’s gloomy Autumn Statement... 6th December 2012 · 1 min read
Emerging Europe Economics Update Polish rates to fall further than most expect For now, the Polish monetary easing cycle is progressing in 25bp steps, but we think the economy is set to slow further over the coming months which, ultimately, could trigger larger rate cuts by... 5th December 2012 · 1 min read
US Fed Watch Fed likely to replace twist with more QE It looks like the Fed will replace its expiring Operation Twist with an expansion of the assets it is purchasing under the QE3 programme. We expect that the Fed will use next week's two-day FOMC... 4th December 2012 · 1 min read
Canada Economics Update Bank of Canada turning more dovish The Bank of Canada is still clinging to the possibility that its policy rate might need to rise from the current 1% because it is too early to tell whether the housing slowdown will be sustained. It... 4th December 2012 · 1 min read
