Global Markets Update Is “printing money” so bad for the dollar? It is often assumed that the Fed’s monetary expansion has been unambiguously bad news for the dollar and could eventually lead to a collapse in the US currency. The reality is more complicated. We... 14th December 2009 · 1 min read
Nordic & Swiss Economics Update Swiss National Bank’s exit will be very gradual By announcing an end to its corporate bond purchases, the Swiss National Bank has become the latest to start phasing out its unconventional policy support. But its downbeat forecasts for economic... 10th December 2009 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update Bank of Korea signals policy rate will move up soon The Bank of Korea (BoK) left its policy rate at 2.00% today, as expected. More importantly, the Governor’s press conference commentary was hawkish and suggests that an interest rate hike is not far... 10th December 2009 · 1 min read
UK Economics Update MPC pauses, but may need to do more in the new year The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) never looked likely to take any action today. But even though the Committee has slowed its rate of asset purchases, it might yet have to give the economy more... 10th December 2009 · 1 min read
UK Economics Update MPC pauses, but may need to do more in the new year The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) never looked likely to take any action today. But even though the Committee has slowed its rate of asset purchases, it might yet have to give the economy more... 10th December 2009 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update Swiss National Bank’s exit will be very gradual By announcing an end to its corporate bond purchases, the Swiss National Bank has become the latest to start phasing out its unconventional policy support. But its downbeat forecasts for economic... 10th December 2009 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update New Zealand signals earlier rate hikes The Reserve Bank of New Zealand (RBNZ), as expected, left its cash rate at 2.5%. But it brought forward the first projected hike to mid-2010 after steadfastly insisting up to now that rates would... 10th December 2009 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update ECB starting to phase out unconventional support The ECB confirmed today that it is phasing out its emergency lending to banks, and perhaps a bit more quickly than had been expected. But the Bank is still downbeat about the economic outlook and we... 3rd December 2009 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update Bank Indonesia meanders to the exit Bank Indonesia (BI) left its policy rate at 6.5% today, as expected, and gave no indication that it is thinking about raising rates soon. We believe that the risks to inflation from keeping policy... 3rd December 2009 · 1 min read
BoE Watch MPC mulls alternatives to more QE With the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) likely to wait for February’s Inflation Report before reviewing its asset purchase programme, this week’s meeting should be a non-event. In any case, the... 3rd December 2009 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update Bank of Thailand in no rush to hike The Bank of Thailand (BoT) left its policy interest rate unchanged at 1.25% today, as expected. The economy is recovering but at a far slower pace than the rest of Asia. Thailand is also more reliant... 2nd December 2009 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update Australia likely to pause its tightening cycle The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) raised its cash rate to 3.75% today, as expected. The accompanying policy statement shows that the RBA considers it has already made a “material adjustment” to... 1st December 2009 · 1 min read
Japan Economics Update Bank of Japan’s gesture fails to impress The markets are right to be underwhelmed by the Bank of Japan’s announcement of a fresh injection of liquidity. An even longer period of ultra-loose monetary policy will maintain the downward pressure... 1st December 2009 · 1 min read
US Economics Update End of Fed MBS purchases unlikely to derail housing recovery 30th November 2009 · 1 min read
ECB Watch Treading carefully The ECB will probably confirm at the forthcoming press conference that December’s provision of 12- month bank loans will be the last. Together with possible hints about phasing out 6-month lending... 26th November 2009 · 1 min read
