US Data Response Employment Report (Jan.) We keep trying to tell everyone that the US economy is enjoying a period of unusual strength, maybe now people will believe us. Non-farm payroll employment increased by 257,000 in January and the... 6th February 2015 · 1 min read
UK Housing Market Chart Pack House prices start the year on a stable footing The slowdown in the housing market appears to be bottoming out, helped by record low mortgage rates, rising real earnings and the reform to stamp duty. If banks respond to the increase in demand by... 6th February 2015 · 1 min read
Europe Chart Pack Modest recovery continues despite Greek crisis Euro-zone economic activity has continued to recover despite the troubles in Greece. For now, worries about the crisis seem to have been offset by the benefits of a weaker euro and falling producer... 5th February 2015 · 1 min read
Global Economics Chart Pack Global growth rate set to recover After slowing in the second half of last year, global growth is likely to gather pace again in the coming quarters. Admittedly, the drop in oil prices since last summer has prompted energy companies... 5th February 2015 · 1 min read
UK Economics Chart Pack Economy starts 2015 on a surer footing While the preliminary estimate of Q4 GDP indicated that the recovery lost pace towards the end of 2014, early 2015 appears to have seen a renewed acceleration. Indeed, monthly indicators of output... 4th February 2015 · 1 min read
Japan Data Response Labour Cash Earnings (Dec.) The surge in labour cash earnings in December reflects higher winter bonuses and is unlikely to last. A strong rise in base pay in the upcoming spring wage negotiations will be needed to improve the... 4th February 2015 · 1 min read
US Economics Weekly Big number of small winners > small number of big losers Last week, mixed news on corporate earnings and an unexpected decline in underlying capital goods orders in December renewed fears that recent market moves are somehow a net negative for the US... 30th January 2015 · 1 min read
Europe Data Response Euro-zone Flash CPI (Jan.) & Unemployment (Dec.) January’s drop in core euro-zone inflation to a record low brought further confirmation that deflationary pressures in the currency union go well beyond the effect of falling oil and energy prices. 30th January 2015 · 1 min read
Japan Economics Weekly BoJ pinning hopes on strong Shunto wage deal A strong rise in base pay in the spring wage negotiations (Shunto) would help convince the Bank of Japan that the current weakness in inflation will prove temporary. A tight labour market and strong... 30th January 2015 · 1 min read
Japan Data Response Consumer Prices, Unemployment, Industrial Production & Household Spending (Dec.) The labour market continues to tighten, as the economic recovery is picking up speed. However, the continued slowdown in inflation suggests that the Bank of Japan still has more work to do. 30th January 2015 · 1 min read
US Employment Report Preview A strong employment gain should trigger wages rebound Our econometric model indicates that non-farm payrolls increased by as much as 250,000 in January, which would broadly match the increase in December. As a result, we expect the unemployment rate to... 29th January 2015 · 1 min read
Europe Data Response German Flash CPI & Unemployment (Jan.) January’s drop in German HICP inflation well into negative territory highlights the strength of deflationary pressures in even the euro-zone’s strongest economies. While falls in prices should prove... 29th January 2015 · 1 min read
US Economics Update Wage puzzle not explained by mix of jobs created The lack of any meaningful pick-up in the growth rate of average hourly earnings over the past 12 months, even as the unemployment rate has fallen below 6%, is not because of the poor quality of the... 28th January 2015 · 1 min read
Japan Economics Update Government eases pressure on BoJ to expand stimulus The greater tolerance being shown by Japan’s government towards inflation remaining below target simply reflects the fact that the oil price collapse has made hitting the target all but impossible in... 28th January 2015 · 1 min read
Latin America Chart Pack Brazil’s inflation outlook diverges from the pack Data released over the past month have highlighted the contrasting outlook for inflation in Brazil compared with that of the rest of the region. After a brief period within the central bank’s target... 27th January 2015 · 1 min read
Japan Data Response Small Business Confidence (Jan.) The renewed fall in small business confidence this month underlines the fragility of the economic recovery. 27th January 2015 · 1 min read