Latin America Economics Update Mexico's job recovery yet to feed into higher wages Mexico’s labour market is on the mend. But while employment has picked up and the quality of new jobs seems to be improving, this has yet to translate into a pick-up in pay growth. 10th March 2011 · 1 min read
US Data Response Employment Report (Feb.) The 192,000 increase in non-farm payrolls in February is healthy enough, particularly when we take into account the upward revisions to the preceding two months that added an additional 58,000 jobs... 4th March 2011 · 1 min read
Europe Data Response Euro-zone Flash CPI & Unemployment (Feb./Jan.) The latest data on the euro-zone economy brought mixed news in the form of falling unemployment and rising inflation. 1st March 2011 · 1 min read
Japan Data Response Unemployment (Jan.) The unemployment rate remained relatively high (by Japanese standards) at 4.9% in January. The forward-looking labour market indicators are mostly improving, including vacancies, but employment and... 1st March 2011 · 1 min read
US Employment Report Preview Payrolls to rebound as weather effects are reversed After having been depressed by the unseasonably heavy snowfall in January, we anticipate that payroll employment rebounded by about 250,000 in February. The underlying story, though, is one in which... 24th February 2011 · 1 min read
Emerging Europe Economics Update Polish rate call on a knife edge, but hike now looking less likely Today’s data from Poland were a bit of a disappointment and leave next week’s interest rate decision finely balanced. Meanwhile, recent comments from MPC members have been as contradictory as ever. It... 23rd February 2011 · 1 min read
UK Economics Update Fears of rising pay settlements overdone Tentative evidence of a rise in pay settlements has raised concerns that the much-feared wage-price spiral is kicking off. However, we remain sanguine about the outlook for pay growth and continue to... 21st February 2011 · 1 min read
UK Data Response UK Labour Market Data (Dec./Jan.) The latest UK labour market figures provide further evidence that the jobs recovery has gone into reverse. We continue to think that over the next few years unemployment will climb from its current... 16th February 2011 · 1 min read
Nordic & Swiss Economics Update Swedish Riksbank becoming more hawkish As expected, the Swedish Riksbank responded to the economy’s ongoing robust revival by raising interest rates and revising up its interest rate forecast. Nonetheless, we still think that weaker than... 15th February 2011 · 1 min read
US Economics Weekly Unemployment rate lowered by labour force exodus The decline in the unemployment rate doesn't just reflect an improving job market, it is also equally due to a decline in the labour force participation rate. There are roughly one million people who... 14th February 2011 · 1 min read
Canada Data Response Labour Force Survey (Jan.) Solid increases in employment over the last three months are consistent with the pick-up in economic growth in Q4. However, the unfavourable split between part-time and full-time workers added in... 4th February 2011 · 1 min read
US Data Response Employment Report (Jan.) The severe winter weather that occurred during the sample week appears to explain most of the weakness in January's non-farm payrolls, which increased by only 36,000, compared with a 121,000 gain the... 4th February 2011 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update Singapore on course to tighten policy further Q4 employment data for Singapore, published yesterday, were strong. What’s more, the 2011 budget due in mid-February will probably focus on handouts to low-income groups, measures to lift productivity... 1st February 2011 · 1 min read
Europe Data Response Euro-zone Unemp. (Dec.), Ger. Unemp. & E-Z Manu PMI (Jan.) The latest euro-zone data provide encouraging signs that the economic recovery is filtering through to the labour market and that the industrial sector is still expanding strongly. But large... 1st February 2011 · 1 min read
Japan Data Response Unemployment & Retail Sales (Dec.) The fall in unemployment in December is obviously welcome but the big story is the collapse in retail sales. After the better news on exports yesterday, the risks to our preiiminary forecast of a 0.6%... 28th January 2011 · 1 min read
US Employment Report Preview Has the rebound in payrolls been even weaker? Our econometric model suggests that payroll employment increased by around 125,000 in January. That would be in line with the average gain in the previous three months and suggest that the recent... 27th January 2011 · 1 min read