Europe Economics Update What would a “hard border” mean for Ireland? A so-called “hard border” between Ireland and the UK could hit the Irish economy pretty hard. But it would also present some opportunities, for example from UK financial firms relocating to Dublin. 29th November 2017 · 1 min read
UK Economics Update N. Ireland border issue unresolved as time runs short Press reports suggest that the UK will increase its financial offer in a bid to move talks on to phase two at the December EU Council meeting. But the Irish border issue remains unresolved with just... 24th November 2017 · 1 min read
Japan Data Response Flash Manufacturing PMI (Nov.) The manufacturing PMI climbed to a fresh high in November and suggests that the expansion accelerated in the final quarter of the year. What’s more, the survey shows that price pressures continue to... 24th November 2017 · 1 min read
China Economics Update GDP targets here to stay Official talk about prioritising the “quality” of economic growth over speed has sparked speculation that the government may stop setting GDP targets. Unfortunately we think they are here to stay. 22nd November 2017 · 3 mins read
India Chart Pack Bank recapitalisation pushes equities to fresh highs The surge in Indian equities since the start of the year has continued over the past month, with the benchmark Sensex stock index hitting an all-time high in early November. The latest leg up has been... 22nd November 2017 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update German political crisis to have modest economic effects We doubt that the German political crisis will seriously damage business or consumer confidence. And given the similarities between the major parties’ economic policies, the ultimate form of the... 21st November 2017 · 1 min read
UK Economics Update Little evidence of progress While the Government is yet to be defeated on the European Union Withdrawal Bill, there was little sign of the negotiations approaching “sufficient progress” this week. Given only two weeks remain for... 17th November 2017 · 1 min read
UK Economics Weekly Is the labour market succumbing to Brexit uncertainty? The strength of the labour market has been a key source of comfort since the Brexit vote. But this week’s labour market figures – which revealed a 14,000 fall in employment in the three months to... 17th November 2017 · 1 min read
Global Economics Update Prospects for world trade quite good, despite Trump Fears that Donald Trump’s election sounded the death knell for globalisation have so far proven wide of the mark. Admittedly, there are still some threats to the outlook, and there is little chance of... 16th November 2017 · 1 min read
Japan Chart Pack Will the Nikkei continue to outperform? The Nikkei is near its highest in 25 years, buoyed by a 200% rise in net profits since PM Abe returned to power five years ago. Looking ahead, we expect the yen to weaken to 120 by the end of next... 16th November 2017 · 1 min read
Global Economics Update Brexit: so far, so good? So far, Brexit has not had the huge adverse effects on the UK which many anticipated, and it has not caused any political upsets in the rest of Europe. It looks like there will be no major changes in... 15th November 2017 · 1 min read
Africa Economics Update How important is Zimbabwe’s economy? The military takeover in Zimbabwe last night has drawn attention to the escalating political crisis in the country. In this Update, we look at the economic angle and explain why the latest... 15th November 2017 · 1 min read
US Economics Update Is the Fed prepared for the challenges ahead? The nomination of the relatively inexperienced Jerome Powell as Fed Chair comes at arguably a bad time as the FOMC has fewer professional economists and less experience than it has had in decades. The... 14th November 2017 · 1 min read
UK Economics Update Two week window for UK to make “clarifications” In the latest round of negotiations the EU hardened its stance on the sequencing of talks and the “clarifications” it needs from the UK – particularly on Northern Ireland – for “sufficient progress”... 10th November 2017 · 1 min read
Global Economics Focus Will high levels of debt weigh on global growth? Although debt-to-GDP ratios in advanced economies remain high by historical standards, they are at least on sustainable trajectories. Accordingly, fiscal austerity and household deleveraging appear to... 10th November 2017 · 1 min read
US Economics Update What have we learnt since the election? In the year since Donald Trump won the Presidential election, events outside of the US have had a bigger impact on the economy, but we doubt that will remain the case. We expect a deficit-financed... 9th November 2017 · 1 min read