Japan Data Response Machinery Orders (Jan.) The rebound in machinery orders in January lifted them above their Q4 average. With firms facing severe capacity and staff shortages, business investment will remain a growth driver this year. 14th March 2018 · 1 min read
China Economics Update Government overhauled to strengthen Party control A sweeping overhaul of the structure of China’s government unveiled at the National People’s Congress today could improve financial regulation, reduce red tape for business, and boost productivity in... 13th March 2018 · 1 min read
India Economics Update PNB scandal highlights need for governance reforms The fraud scandal engulfing Punjab National Bank, India’s second largest state-owned bank, is a stark reminder that recent measures to revive the banking sector, including the recapitalisation package... 13th March 2018 · 1 min read
Japan Economics Update PM Abe on the ropes again Prime Minister Abe is once again embroiled in a political scandal that raises the possibility that he could be replaced as head of the LDP, and hence as prime minister. This still seems unlikely but... 12th March 2018 · 1 min read
Latin America Economics Update Colombia: legislative elections pave way for Duque Right and centre-right parties secured the most seats in yesterday’s legislative elections in Colombia, bolstering the chances of an Iván Duque presidency and dealing a blow to left-wing candidates –... 12th March 2018 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update North Korea, Trump and South Korea’s economy Donald Trump’s decision to accept an invitation to visit North Korean leader, Kim Jong-un, represents an extraordinary turn of events, and comes just a few months after the US president was calling... 9th March 2018 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Weekly What would a trade war mean for Asia? Developments in the past couple of weeks point to the risk of trade policy in the US becoming much more protectionist. Given its huge bilateral trade surplus with the US, China is likely to be the... 9th March 2018 · 1 min read
Africa Economics Update South Africa: Land reform fears are overblown Parliamentary discussions on land reform have prompted much breathless commentary. But, while the proposed changes remain unclear, a mushy compromise is more likely than a Zimbabwe-style land grab. 8th March 2018 · 1 min read
Latin America Economics Update Brazil: living on borrowed time We don’t think that the apparent collapse of pension reform in Brazil will have much of a bearing on the economy’s performance over the next 6-12 months. Even so, the current pension system – and by... 7th March 2018 · 1 min read
Global Economics Update After Italy’s election, what happens next? The lengthy political uncertainty that seems likely to follow Italy’s election is unlikely on its own to do much economic damage. But we suspect that the prospect of looser fiscal policy, higher debt... 5th March 2018 · 1 min read
Latin America Economics Update Colombia: notes from the ground We have just returned from a week of meetings with clients and local contacts in Bogotá. In this Update, we summarise four key takeaways from our visit. 5th March 2018 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update After Italy’s election, what happens next? The lengthy political uncertainty that seems likely to follow Italy’s election is unlikely on its own to do much economic damage. But we suspect that the prospect of looser fiscal policy, higher debt... 5th March 2018 · 1 min read
China Economics Update Initial thoughts on the National People’s Congress China’s retention of an “about 6.5%” growth target for GDP in 2018, while expected, undermines the argument that growth is being demoted as a central policy concern. Growth is likely to slow we... 5th March 2018 · 1 min read
UK Economics Update PM’s speech delivers less cake and more realism On the basis of this week’s developments, an agreement on a transition deal by the March European Council meeting hangs in the balance. Meanwhile, the Brexit vision that the Prime Minister set out on... 2nd March 2018 · 1 min read
US Economics Weekly Risk of another Q1 wobble appears to be rising Our long-held belief that a rebound in core inflation and faster economic growth, partly due to fiscal stimulus, would prompt the Fed to hike interest rates four times this year is rapidly becoming... 2nd March 2018 · 1 min read
Middle East & North Africa Economics Update New Saudi bankruptcy law a step in the right direction Saudi Arabia’s new bankruptcy law, which was approved by King Salman last month, will make it easier to deal with the fallout from corporate failures and, through improving access to credit, support... 1st March 2018 · 5 mins read
