India Economics Update External vulnerabilities are still low The rise in India’s current account deficit in Q2 was due in large part to seasonal patterns. The important point from a wider perspective is that the deficit remains small. This, combined with the... 14th September 2015 · 1 min read
Latin America Economics Update Peru rate hike not the start of an aggressive tightening cycle Although the timing of Peru’s decision to raise interest rates by 25bp (to 3.50%) was a surprise, we had been expecting the central bank to shift into tightening mode in the coming quarters... 11th September 2015 · 1 min read
Japan Economics Weekly Consumer spending to remain sluggish With poorly paid non-regular jobs accounting for the bulk of new job creation and the tight labour market not providing the hoped-for boost to wages, we think that the near-term outlook for consumer... 11th September 2015 · 1 min read
Latin America Economics Update Brazil downgraded, fiscal mess deepens There is growing evidence that, even before the latest drop in oil prices, the US shale oil revolution had started to weigh on oil producers in Latin America. Oil exports to the US from three of the... 10th September 2015 · 1 min read
India Economics Update GST deadline unlikely to be met The long-awaited implementation of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) in India could bring significant benefits to the economy. But a decade after it was first proposed, there are still a number of... 9th September 2015 · 1 min read
Middle East & North Africa Economics Update How large is Saudi Arabia’s fiscal buffer? With oil prices still languishing at multi-year lows, Saudi Arabia’s budget position – which looks set to post a shortfall of close to 20% of GDP this year – has come under increasing scrutiny in... 7th September 2015 · 1 min read
Global Economics Chart Pack Advanced economies looking resilient We expect developed economies to weather the fallout from China’s August “devaluation” and the subsequent weakness in world equity markets quite well. Activity in the emerging world has slowed further... 4th September 2015 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Weekly Fragile euro-zone recovery needs more ECB support Despite the better tone to the economic data coming out of the euro-zone in recent weeks, we still expect growth to slow in the second half of the year as the twin tailwinds of the lower oil price and... 4th September 2015 · 1 min read
India Economics Update Fiscal position not a major concern for now The rapid expansion of the government deficit in the early part of this fiscal year has led to some concerns about the Finance Ministry’s ability to meet its budgeted target. These concerns are... 4th September 2015 · 1 min read
Latin America Economics Update Brazil's fiscal mess goes from bad to worse The move by Brazil’s government to yet again lower its fiscal targets for 2016 means that its projections for the public finances are finally starting to look realistic. But at the same time, they... 3rd September 2015 · 1 min read
UK Economics Chart Pack Resurgence in exports unlikely to last The UK economy fired on all cylinders in Q2, with investment and net trade both providing considerable support to GDP growth. However, exports look set for a relapse soon. 3rd September 2015 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update Thailand’s economic struggles to continue Thailand’s economy started the second half of 2015 on a weak note, and while the recently announced fiscal stimulus package should help support demand, it is unlikely to be a game-changer. Rising... 3rd September 2015 · 1 min read
Europe Chart Pack Deflation dangers still lingering While the crisis in Greece appears to have receded at least temporarily, the euro-zone still faces serious challenges in the form of weak growth and persistent deflation risks. As the Chart below... 2nd September 2015 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update Euro-zone Fiscal Monitor (Aug.) The euro-zone’s peripheral economies appear to have strengthened their fiscal positions further at the start of Q3. But this year’s budget targets still look elusive for most. Greece, in particular... 1st September 2015 · 1 min read
Europe Data Response Spanish GDP (Q2 2nd est.) The strong expansion in Spain’s economy in Q2 was powered by domestic demand. But this partly reflected the effects of lower oil prices and looser fiscal policy ahead of the general election. As these... 27th August 2015 · 1 min read
Emerging Markets Economics Update How will policymakers respond to the market rout? China’s interest rate cut has helped to stem the panic that has gripped emerging markets in recent days, but it has also raised the obvious question about whether other EMs may follow suit. We doubt... 25th August 2015 · 1 min read