Global Markets Update Is quantitative easing so bad for the dollar? The markets’ initial reaction to the Fed’s decision to step up its policy of quantitative easing, including a new plan to buy Treasury securities, has been to sell the dollar. We do not expect this... 19th March 2009 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Focus Will the ECB ever catch up? The Federal Reserve’s decision to embark on an even bolder program of quantitative easing has left the ECB apparently lagging still further behind other central banks in tackling the economic crisis... 19th March 2009 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update Bank of Japan adds to its armoury Today’s announcement that the Bank of Japan is willing to provide subordinated loans to banks continues the drip-feed of unconventional policy measures it has introduced since October. The latest... 17th March 2009 · 1 min read
Emerging Europe Economics Update Rates still set for record lows despite market turmoil (Mar 09) 17th March 2009 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update Swiss National Bank joins the unconventional club The SNB’s decision to cut interest rates to 0.25%, provide more liquidity to the banking sector, intervene in currency markets and purchase bonds from the private sector, pushes it towards the top of... 12th March 2009 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update Have Chinese interest rates bottomed out? A surge in lending might increase the chances that Chinese interest rates remain on hold this year, but if the economy remains weak, as we expect, the People’s Bank will still be forced to cut again. 12th March 2009 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update BoK pauses, but rates still heading towards zero The Bank of Korea left the benchmark rate on hold at a historic low of 2% today. But with the economy so weak, we think the central bank will resume cutting soon. We expect that rates will fall close... 12th March 2009 · 1 min read
Nordic & Swiss Economics Update Swiss National Bank joins the unconventional club The SNB’s decision to cut interest rates to 0.25%, provide more liquidity to the banking sector, intervene in currency markets and purchase bonds from the private sector, pushes it towards the top of... 12th March 2009 · 1 min read
China Economics Update Have Chinese interest rates bottomed out? A surge in lending might increase the chances that Chinese interest rates remain on hold this year, but if the economy remains weak, as we expect, the People’s Bank will still be forced to cut again. 12th March 2009 · 1 min read
UK Economics Update MPC takes a bold step into the unknown Today’s launch of quantitative easing (QE) marked a further significant step in the policymakers’ attempts to prevent the deep recession in the UK economy from turning into something closer to a... 5th March 2009 · 1 min read
UK Economics Update MPC takes a bold step into the unknown Today’s launch of quantitative easing (QE) marked a further significant step in the policymakers’ attempts to prevent the deep recession in the UK economy from turning into something closer to a... 5th March 2009 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update ECB moving towards unconventional policy Following the expected 50bp interest rate cut to 1.5%, the ECB made some broadly encouraging comments about further policy support to come. No plan is in place for quantitative easing, but the Bank... 5th March 2009 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update Indian central bank still has a lot more work to do The Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI) decision to cut the key benchmark rate by 50bp today signals its determination to shore up a flagging economy. But with the key rate still relatively high at 5.0% and... 4th March 2009 · 1 min read