Japan Data Response Consumer Prices (national: Apr.; Tokyo: May), Unemployment & Industrial Production (Apr.) Neither the surge in inflation nor the slowdown in industrial production in April came as a surprise, and firms expect output to stabilise in coming months while inflation should moderate. 30th May 2014 · 1 min read
US Employment Report Preview Lower jobless claims highlight labour market strength The fall in weekly initial jobless claims to a seven-year low suggests payroll employment grew by around 230,000 in May. Although this may not prevent the unemployment rate from rebounding to 6.4%... 29th May 2014 · 1 min read
Japan Data Response Flash Manufacturing PMI (May) The inaugural flash manufacturing PMI confirmed that the weakness caused by the consumption tax hike should be short-lived. 22nd May 2014 · 1 min read
UK Data Response Labour Market Data (Mar./Apr 14.) While the economic recovery is creating jobs at a rapid pace, there still appears to be plenty of slack in the labour market which is keeping a lid on pay growth. 14th May 2014 · 1 min read
Canada Data Response Labour Force Survey (Apr.) April's unexpected 28,900 decline in net employment suggests that the economy remained stuck in the slow lane last quarter, hampered by an underperforming export sector and a housing slowdown... 9th May 2014 · 1 min read
UK Economics Chart Pack Recovery robust but housing market concerns build The last month’s data has provided further evidence that the UK economy is enjoying a ‘Goldilocks’ scenario of solid, but not excessive, growth and low inflation. The latest PMI surveys suggest that... 8th May 2014 · 1 min read
Global Economics Chart Pack West outperforming East The US is enjoying a strong rebound after its weather-induced slowdown, the UK has extended its period of rapid growth into Q2 and the recovery in the euro-zone has gained momentum. On the other hand... 7th May 2014 · 1 min read
Europe Chart Pack Have the ECB's contingencies been met? The latest economic data have left the ECB’s two “contingencies” for further policy action – a worsening of the medium-term inflation outlook and an unwarranted tightening of the money markets –... 7th May 2014 · 1 min read
Japan Economics Weekly Signs of success in raising female employment Female employment has risen sharply since Prime Minister Abe returned to office. However, most of the newly-created jobs are part-time or temporary, offering lower pay and fewer opportunities for... 2nd May 2014 · 1 min read
US Data Response Employment Report (Apr.) The above-consensus 288,000 increase in non-farm payrolls in April and the corresponding drop in the unemployment rate to a four-and-a-half-year low of 6.3% underline why the markets and the Fed were... 2nd May 2014 · 1 min read
Europe Data Response Euro-zone Unemployment (Mar.) & Final Manu. PMI (Apr.) March’s euro-zone unemployment figures maintained the picture of a gradual, but painfully slow, improvement in labour market conditions across the currency union. 2nd May 2014 · 1 min read
China Economics Update Would a further slowdown in growth threaten employment? In recent months, Chinese policymakers have stressed repeatedly that employment growth, rather than rapid GDP growth, is their number one priority. This has led to speculation about how fast the... 2nd May 2014 · 1 min read
Japan Data Response Unemployment & Household Spending (Mar.) While the unemployment rate remained unchanged in March, the ongoing rise in job vacancies points to further declines in the jobless rate in coming months. 2nd May 2014 · 1 min read
Japan Data Response Labour Cash Earnings (Mar.) Wage growth picked up last month, but base pay continues to decline and incomes are not expanding fast enough to offset high inflation. While incomes may get some support from the spring wage... 30th April 2014 · 1 min read
Canada Economics Update Low quality jobs and rising prices constrain spending February's payroll figures suggest that nominal wages and salaries growth slowed in the first quarter and discouraging job quality trends suggest that wages might not improve much in this quarter... 29th April 2014 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update Labour market still a constraint on Finland's recovery The prolonged deterioration in Finland’s labour market may finally be coming to an end, according to data published earlier this week. But we suspect that employment will pick up very slowly at best. 25th April 2014 · 1 min read
