UK Economics Focus Will unemployment fall sooner than the MPC thinks? There seems to be a general view that the MPC is underestimating how quickly unemployment will fall to the 7% threshold set under forward guidance, helping to explain why markets expect interest rates... 22nd August 2013 · 1 min read
Japan Economics Update Monetary Indicators Monitor (Jul.) The tentative signs of acceleration in the June money supply figures turned out to be a false dawn. In July, most money supply measures expanded at the slowest pace in several months on a m/m basis... 22nd August 2013 · 1 min read
US Economics Update Fed still on course to begin QE taper in September While it's far from a certainty, the minutes from the FOMC meeting in late July appear to support our view that the Fed will begin to slow its monthly asset purchases at the next meeting in mid... 21st August 2013 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update Is the ECB’s forward guidance working? The limited rise in euro-zone market interest rates might suggest that the ECB’s forward guidance is working. But it would be premature to conclude that the central bank can continue to protect the... 21st August 2013 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update Thai rates to stay unchanged in 2013 The Bank of Thailand kept its policy rate at 2.50% today. We continue to expect the central bank to keep rates low for the rest of 2013 before gradually tightening in 2014 as growth prospects improve. 21st August 2013 · 1 min read
Emerging Europe Economics Update Turkey continues to tighten The further hike in Turkish interest rates today merely underlines how vulnerable the economy is to the recent slowdown in capital inflows. Looking ahead, much will depend on how the current EM sell... 20th August 2013 · 1 min read
Latin America Economics Update Brazil: how will policymakers respond to market rout? The sell-off in the Brazilian real over the past month has triggered a sharp upward revision in market expectations for interest rates over the next year. In this month’s Watch we explain why... 20th August 2013 · 1 min read
US Chart Pack Residential investment growth set to slow We expect GDP growth to accelerate over the next few quarters as the Federal fiscal tightening begins to ease although, at the same time, it looks like the economic recovery will receive less support... 19th August 2013 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Weekly Asia’s industrial outperformance to continue Asia’s manufacturers have had a hard time since the global financial crisis, and are currentlystruggling through yet another weak patch. However, they have actually done much betterthan their peers in... 19th August 2013 · 1 min read
US Data Response Uni. of Mich. Consumer Confidence (Aug.) The drop in the University of Michigan's measure of consumer confidence to a four-month low of 80.0 in August, from 85.1, reversed only part of the sharp gains of the previous three months. Since most... 16th August 2013 · 1 min read
US Economics Update Productivity stagnation bodes ill for potential GDP growth After incorporating the revisions to the historical GDP figures, America's recent productivity performance looks even worse. The stagnation in productivity isn't going to have any major impact on Fed... 16th August 2013 · 1 min read
UK Economics Chart Pack Feel-good factor buoys spending The recovery in consumer spending seems to be becoming more entrenched. While better weather has helped support sales, the underlying picture has also strengthened. Both retail sales and non-retail... 16th August 2013 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update Rate hikes likely in Indonesia before year-end Bank Indonesia’s decision to leave interest rates on hold today does not mean the end of the tightening cycle. However, with the recent spike in inflation likely to prove temporary and the economy... 15th August 2013 · 1 min read
UK Data Response Retail Sales (Jul.) July’s rise in sales volumes to a new record high is a further promising sign that a consumer resurgence is in progress. But the pattern of sales suggests the sunny weather played an important role in... 15th August 2013 · 1 min read
UK Data Response MPC Minutes (Aug.) & Labour market (Jun./Jul.) MPC member Martin Weale’s vote against the introduction of forward guidance will hardly help to reassure the markets about the strength of the MPC’s commitment to keep interest rates low. 14th August 2013 · 1 min read
Latin America Economics Update Chilean central bank bides its time over rate move Yesterday’s central bank meeting in Chile revealed that policymakers are taking a cautious approach to changes in interest rates despite evidence of a slowing economy. We remain comfortable with our... 14th August 2013 · 1 min read
