UK Economics Update Zero interest rates to squeeze bank profits This week’s Bank of England interest rates data confirmed that banks have so far taken advantage of the cuts in official interest rates to boost their profit margins by cutting savings rates more... 14th January 2009 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update China still suffering hot capital outflows Hot capital continues to flow out of China, although October’s flood has since diminished. This raises the chances of a modest renminbi depreciation against the dollar over the coming year. 13th January 2009 · 1 min read
China Economics Update China still suffering hot capital outflows Hot capital continues to flow out of China, although October’s flood has since diminished. This raises the chances of a modest renminbi depreciation against the dollar over the coming year. 13th January 2009 · 1 min read
UK Economics Focus Life insurers better placed than the banks Now that the Government has stepped in to bail out the UK banks, attention has shifted to which other areas of the financial sector might be in serious trouble. While the insurance sector certainly... 1st December 2008 · 1 min read
UK Economics Update King highlights bank lending risks In today’s testimony to the Treasury Committee, the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) gave little indication of whether it thinks that the fiscal stimulus announced yesterday has reduced the need for... 25th November 2008 · 1 min read
Emerging Europe Economics Focus Will recession in Eastern Europe bring down banks in the West Swedish and Austrian banks look most exposed to the impending recession in parts of Emerging Europe. But lending to the region still accounts for a relatively small share of total bank assets in both... 13th November 2008 · 1 min read
US Economics Focus Further capital losses to restrict US bank lending 11th November 2008 · 1 min read
UK Economics Update Mortgage interest rates heading to 3% Today’s interest rate cut, from 4.5% to 3%, marks only the early stages of a phase of aggressive monetary easing which will ultimately take base rates to an all-time low of 1%. Mortgage interest rates... 6th November 2008 · 1 min read
UK Economics Update Mortgage interest rates heading to 3% Today’s interest rate cut, from 4.5% to 3%, marks only the early stages of a phase of aggressive monetary easing which will ultimately take base rates to an all-time low of 1%. Mortgage interest rates... 6th November 2008 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Focus Is trouble lurking within Japan’s financial system? The Japanese financial system remains in relatively good shape. Despite the erosion of bank capital due to sliding stock markets, a number of factors suggest that there are no major risks to the... 6th November 2008 · 1 min read
Japan Economics Focus Is trouble lurking within Japan’s financial system? The Japanese financial system remains in relatively good shape. Despite the erosion of bank capital due to sliding stock markets, a number of factors suggest that there are no major risks to the... 6th November 2008 · 1 min read
UK Economics Update How much will payment protection insurance cost insurers? Despite the write-downs already made, the financial sector has yet to face billions of pounds of further losses associated with the downturn in the economy. Our forecast that unemployment will... 4th November 2008 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update China abandons credit quotas to support growth The quiet lifting of credit quotas, confirmed in Chinese media over the weekend, is arguably the most significant step taken so far by the authorities as they attempt to limit China’s economic... 4th November 2008 · 1 min read
China Economics Update China abandons credit quotas to support growth The quiet lifting of credit quotas, confirmed in Chinese media over the weekend, is arguably the most significant step taken so far by the authorities as they attempt to limit China’s economic... 4th November 2008 · 1 min read
