UK Economics Update MPC not done with QE yet The MPC’s failure today to announce an extension of its quantitative easing (QE) programme was a little disappointing in light of the continued weakness of the economic outlook. But further policy... 9th July 2009 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update Bank of Korea unlikely to raise rates soon The Bank of Korea (BoK) left its policy rate unchanged today amid signs that the domestic economy is recovering. Some commentators are expecting rate hikes soon, but we believe the significant... 9th July 2009 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update Australian policy rates set to remain low The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) left its policy rate unchanged today while retaining a slight easing bias. Recent domestic data have been better than expected, but we forecast renewed... 7th July 2009 · 1 min read
UK Economics Focus How will the policymakers respond to recovery? The markets have assumed that the initial and main policy response to a recovery in the UK economy will come from higher interest rates, and at a fairly early stage. But there are some good reasons... 6th July 2009 · 1 min read
Latin America Economics Update Nearing the bottom Recent comments from policymakers suggest that, while growth concerns continue to dominate, interest rates are nearing their bottom. Accordingly, attention is starting to turn to when rates might be... 6th July 2009 · 1 min read
BoE Watch Another £25bn on its way soon? We think that the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) will extend its quantitative easing (QE) programme further within the next couple of months. The Committee may prefer to wait until August, to... 2nd July 2009 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update ECB relying heavily on bank lending channel Despite weaker signs of recovery in the euro-zone than elsewhere, the ECB’s policy support remains considerably narrower than other central banks’. President Trichet suggested today that the Bank is... 2nd July 2009 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update Swedish Riksbank not ready to take the next step, yet Despite tentative signs of green shoots appearing, the Swedish Riksbank reduced interest rates to 0.25% and remains committed to keeping them at this rate for a prolonged period. But for now at least... 2nd July 2009 · 1 min read
Nordic & Swiss Economics Update Swedish Riksbank not ready to take the next step, yet Despite tentative signs of green shoots appearing, the Swedish Riksbank reduced interest rates to 0.25% and remains committed to keeping them at this rate for a prolonged period. But for now at least... 2nd July 2009 · 1 min read
ECB Watch Maintaining narrow focus on bank lending The ECB looks almost certain to leave interest rates on hold at 1.0% this month, where we expect them to remain until at least the end of 2010. There is little hope that any new unconventional policy... 25th June 2009 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update Chinese demand no panacea for Taiwan Taiwanese interest rates have probably bottomed out. But despite optimism about improving economic relations with China, weaknesses closer to home are likely to keep rates at their current level for a... 25th June 2009 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update Swiss National Bank still pulling out all the stops The SNB’s pledge to go on purchasing large quantities of corporate bonds while providing generous liquidity to the banking sector and intervening ‘decisively’ in currency markets has left it among the... 18th June 2009 · 1 min read
Nordic & Swiss Economics Update Swiss National Bank still pulling out all the stops The SNB’s pledge to go on purchasing large quantities of corporate bonds while providing generous liquidity to the banking sector and intervening ‘decisively’ in currency markets has left it among the... 18th June 2009 · 1 min read
Emerging Europe Economics Update Market still underestimating scope for rate cuts (Jun 09) Aggressive cuts earlier this year mean that interest rates are nearing their trough in Turkey and the Czech Republic, while concerns over financial stability mean that the pace of easing in Hungary... 17th June 2009 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update Norwegian interest rates may have troughed Norway’s relatively mild downturn should ensure that the latest 25bp interest rate reduction by the Norges Bank is probably the last in the current cycle. But we still think that the Bank will not... 17th June 2009 · 1 min read
