Europe Economics Update What to look for in Sunday’s Greek election In this Update, we outline some of the key points to look for in this Sunday’s crucial Greek election. While much is likely to depend on coalition negotiations early next week, we suspect that the... 23rd January 2015 · 1 min read
Global Markets Update Will Greece’s election be more important for EZ bonds than QE? While the ECB’s announcement of a bolder-than-expected programme of quantitative easing (QE) has driven the spreads of troubled sovereign bonds even lower, we are sceptical that this will last given... 23rd January 2015 · 1 min read
Middle East & North Africa Economics Update The implications of King Abdullah’s passing The passing away of Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah has raised concerns about the issue of succession and whether this might lead to disruptions to policymaking in the Kingdom. The key point, though, is... 23rd January 2015 · 1 min read
Japan Data Response Flash Manufacturing PMI (January) The flash manufacturing PMI was virtually unchanged in January, and still points to a solid recovery in the sector. 23rd January 2015 · 1 min read
UK Housing Market Update What impact will the general election have on the housing market? General elections have in the past had no discernable impact on the housing market. While it can be argued that the elevated level of uncertainty surrounding this year’s election will change that... 22nd January 2015 · 1 min read
Global Economic Outlook Oiling the wheels Global growth has slowed in recent months, but we still expect world GDP to expand by just over 3% this year and next. The slump in oil prices should have a positive impact overall, even though it... 21st January 2015 · 1 min read
Europe Economic Outlook Crisis 2.0? The onset of deflation in the euro-zone and the recent developments in Greece have served as powerful reminders of the lasting effects of the region’s debt crisis. The ECB will seek to tackle... 20th January 2015 · 1 min read
Europe Data Response German ZEW & Euro-zone Bank Lending Survey (Jan.) January’s rise in ZEW investor sentiment showed that confidence in the German economy was holding up well despite fears for Greece. But investors may take a dimmer view following this week’s Greek... 20th January 2015 · 1 min read
India Economics Update How are economic reforms progressing? Prime Minister Modi’s use of four executive orders since the end of December has added some impetus to the reform agenda, which has arguably seen the biggest strides made in areas of tax and foreign... 19th January 2015 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Weekly SNB move is a heavy blow for the Swiss economy The sharp appreciation of the franc caused by the Swiss National Bank’s abandonment of its currency ceiling last week led to a substantial drop in the domestic value of the SNB’s foreign currency... 16th January 2015 · 1 min read
Emerging Markets Economics Chart Pack EM central banks shift to easing mode Having been in tightening mode at the end of 2014, a number of EM central banks have surprised markets by loosening monetary policy since the start of the year, with policymakers in Romania, India... 16th January 2015 · 1 min read
Latin America Economics Update Dilma’s second term agenda takes shape The key elements of Brazil’s President Rousseff’s policy agenda for her second term in office have started to emerge over the past month. The central theme is a return to “orthodoxy”, with fiscal and... 14th January 2015 · 1 min read
Japan Data Response Economy Watchers Survey (Dec.) The strong rebound in the Economy Watchers Survey (EWS) in December stands in stark contrast with other business surveys which mostly weakened last month. 13th January 2015 · 1 min read
Global Economics Update How might debt restructuring by Greece affect the IMF? Whether or not Syriza forms its next government, Greece is unlikely to default on its bail-out loans from the IMF. However, if it does so, the political fallout for the IMF itself would be serious. 12th January 2015 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Weekly ECB to focus on deflation, not politics Data last week, including the drop in HICP inflation to -0.2%, heightened the risk of a prolonged bout of deflation in the single currency area. But on the face of it at least, the escalating... 9th January 2015 · 1 min read
Emerging Markets Economic Outlook The Good, the Bad and the Ugly: EMs in an era of low oil prices The sharp fall in oil prices will provide a welcome boost to growth in the majority of emerging economies in 2015, but at the cost of slower growth in much of the Middle East and deepening crises in a... 9th January 2015 · 1 min read
