China Data Response Lending, credit (Mar.) & FX reserves (Q1) Despite a surge in bank loans and relatively loose interbank liquidity conditions in March, today's data show that the credit slowdown is still on track. Meanwhile, although the foreign exchange... 15th April 2014 · 1 min read
Middle East & North Africa Economics Update How sustainable is the Saudi consumer credit boom? There appears to be a growing consensus that improvements in the Saudi Arabian labour market mean that the country can sustain rapid consumer credit growth. While we think there is some justification... 9th April 2014 · 1 min read
UK Housing Market Data Response Bank of England Credit Conditions Survey (Q1 14) In both the residential and commercial property sectors, credit supply and demand are rising. However, those looking to secure a mortgage may find things more difficult over the next few months, with... 3rd April 2014 · 1 min read
UK Commercial Property Data Response Bank of England Credit Conditions Survey (Q1 14) In both the residential and commercial property sectors, credit supply and demand are rising. However, those looking to secure a mortgage may find things more difficult over the next few months, with... 3rd April 2014 · 1 min read
UK Data Response CIPS Report on Services (Mar.) & Credit Con. Survey (Q1.) The further deterioration in the tone of the CIPS/Markit services survey in March shouldn’t ring too many alarm bells about the strength of the economic recovery. 3rd April 2014 · 1 min read
US Economics Weekly No need to stress about the banks While a handful of banks “failed” the Fed’s latest stress tests, the sector as a whole has enough capital to continue lending to domestic businesses and households even if it had to absorb further... 31st March 2014 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update Euro-zone Monetary Indicators Monitor (Feb.) February’s weak euro-zone monetary data will add to pressure on the ECB to ease monetary policy further in the coming months. 27th March 2014 · 1 min read
Middle East & North Africa Economics Focus Is it time to sound the all-clear on the UAE’s banks? Five years on from Dubai’s debt crisis, the UAE’s banking sector appears to be returning to health, which should open the way for an improvement in credit growth. However, the large overhang of debt... 27th March 2014 · 1 min read
Global Economics Update Fed to continue winding down QE steadily As expected, the Fed announced a further reduction in its monthly asset purchases this month meaning it remains on course to end QE in the final quarter of the year. Nonetheless, it will still be... 21st March 2014 · 1 min read
US Economics Update Monetary Indicators Monitor (Feb 14.) The surge in bank lending to businesses in February could be an early sign that small firms are becoming more optimistic. Either way, the growth rate of bank lending will rise further this year as the... 18th March 2014 · 1 min read
Japan Economics Update Is bank lending a reliable gauge of Japan's economy? Bank lending is a widely watched indicator of the health of Japan's economy. However, for a number of reasons, it may be less useful than many think. 18th March 2014 · 1 min read
UK Commercial Property Focus Four reasons to be positive about property lending prospects Data from the Bank of England show that banks and building societies are continuing to scale back their exposure to the property sector at a rapid rate. But a growing body of survey and anecdotal... 13th March 2014 · 1 min read
Japan Economics Update Monetary Indicators Monitor (Feb.) The expansion in the broad money supply ground to a halt in February, and the annual growth rates may well have peaked for now. However, the fundamentals for a further acceleration in bank lending... 12th March 2014 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update Greek bail-out has bigger problems than current dispute Greece and the Troika may resolve the issues that have delayed the latest loan disbursement soon, but this will not resolve the fact that the country’s bail-out rests on unrealistic forecasts. 11th March 2014 · 1 min read
Emerging Europe Economics Update Ukraine’s banks still the economy’s weakest link It looks like Ukraine’s banking sector has withstood the political crisis in better shape than we had feared. Credit conditions are likely to tighten sharply over the coming months, but a messier... 11th March 2014 · 1 min read
China Data Response Bank Lending & Broad Credit (Feb.) Despite looser monetary conditions in China and concerns that the government is adopting a more “pro-growth” stance, today’s data show that credit has continued to slow. 10th March 2014 · 1 min read
