EM Valuations Monitor Should we worry about low EM credit spreads? Following a long-lasting decline, emerging market (EM) credit spreads have rarely been much lower than they are now since the financial crisis. This does not mean that they are bound to pick up any... 4th July 2017 · 1 min read
UK Economics Update Consumer spending reliant on saving less While the latest Quarterly National Accounts has raised further questions about the sustainability of consumer spending growth, we don’t think that a dramatic slowdown is in prospect. 30th June 2017 · 1 min read
Global Economics Update Should we still worry about the banks? Recent developments have underlined that the banking sector is far better capitalised in the US than in the euro-zone. But the more important point is that the financial sector has strengthened in... 29th June 2017 · 1 min read
UK Economics Update Household Borrowing Monitor (May) May’s household borrowing figures provide another reason to think that consumer spending growth may have picked up pace in Q2, after a disappointing performance in Q1. But the figures will clearly add... 29th June 2017 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update Euro-zone Monetary Indicators Monitor (May) May’s euro-zone money and credit data point to continued steady economic growth. But problems in Italian banks have seen lending there continue to contract. 28th June 2017 · 1 min read
India Economics Update State profligacy is undermining centre’s gains Discussions on the health of India’s public finances often focus exclusively on the national level, where relatively good progress has been made reining in the budget deficit in recent years. Less... 28th June 2017 · 1 min read
UK Economics Update Consumer credit in the FPC’s sights The publication today of the Financial Stability Report revealed that while the Bank of England’s Financial Policy Committee is fairly sanguine about the resilience of the financial system as a whole... 27th June 2017 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update Italian bank rescue raises long-term concerns While the state aid granted to two regional Italian lenders over the weekend has reduced the risks to the Italian economy in the near term, it shows that the so-called “doom loop” between the banking... 27th June 2017 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update Will Portugal continue to outperform Italy? Portugal’s economy has outperformed Italy’s in recent years as easing austerity, progress with labour reforms and improvements in competitiveness have all borne fruit. We expect this to continue. 22nd June 2017 · 1 min read
India Chart Pack RBI wields new powers The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has started to put to use its new powers to clean up the banking sector. Earlier this month it instructed several commercial banks to begin insolvency proceedings... 22nd June 2017 · 1 min read
UK Economics Update Should we worry about consumer credit? Consumers still appear confident enough to borrow in order to sustain spending growth in the face of higher inflation. But how worried should we be that higher household borrowing and debt will... 20th June 2017 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update Little scope for German spending boost from lower savings Structural factors have pushed the German household saving rate higher in recent years. So we doubt that a fall in the saving rate will see consumer spending growth gain much pace in the months ahead. 20th June 2017 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update Greek crisis averted for another year The deal at yesterday’s Eurogroup meeting should see Greece receive the next tranche of its bailout soon, allowing it to meet July’s debt repayments with a little time and cash to spare. Debt relief... 16th June 2017 · 1 min read
China Chart Pack China awaits damp squib of MSCI inclusion MSCI will announce on Tuesday whether it will include China’s domestically-listed A-shares in its benchmark indices. It has chosen not to in the past on concerns over market access and official... 16th June 2017 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Weekly No need to panic over rapid credit growth in the Philippines The recent acceleration in credit growth in the Philippines is unlikely to lead the central bank (BSP) to hike interest rates at its meeting on Thursday. However, it could prompt the BSP to introduce... 16th June 2017 · 1 min read
