Middle East & North Africa Economics Update Our first thoughts on Saudi Arabia’s ministerial reshuffle Yesterday’s ministerial reshuffle in Saudi Arabia reflects the fact that previous administrations have fallen well short of the targets for growth and employment set out in the recent National... 14th December 2011 · 1 min read
China Economics Update Global slowdown will expose failure to boost consumption China’s 2008 stimulus was intended to buy time while the economy made the transition to sustainable, consumer-led growth. It hasn’t worked out as planned. The next few weeks are likely to reveal how... 14th December 2011 · 1 min read
China Economics Update Policymakers embrace pro-growth stance It takes some reading between the lines in today’s statement on policy priorities for 2012 to find evidence that the policy setting has changed. Nonetheless, the shift is real. 14th December 2011 · 1 min read
UK Economics Update How will "splendid isolation" affect the UK? David Cameron’s decision to pull away from Europe has called into question the UK’s entire future in the European Union. But when it comes to the UK’s near-term growth prospects, the debate over... 12th December 2011 · 1 min read
Emerging Europe Economics Update Russia: banking squeeze intensifies amidst political unrest The Central Bank of Russia (CBR) has cut the amount of funds it provides via its overnight repo auctions to the lowest level in almost two months in an attempt to shore up the ruble against a backdrop... 12th December 2011 · 1 min read
Emerging Europe Economics Update Will the fall in Putin’s popularity trigger reform? The blow to United Russia in the parliamentary elections means that Putin’s absolute control over Russian politics has weakened. The question now is whether this can act as a trigger for reform as Mr... 5th December 2011 · 1 min read
China Economics Update What would a euro-zone break-up mean for China’s markets? Policy stimulus is usually positive for Chinese equities but if it comes against a backdrop of a euro-zone break-up, gains are likely to be relatively low. In these circumstances, we would also expect... 2nd December 2011 · 1 min read
Middle East & North Africa Economics Update Financing risk, not Islamist win, is the greatest threat in Egypt Although the official results from Egypt’s first round of elections have not yet been released, it is almost certain that the Freedom and Justice party (the political arm of the Muslim Brotherhood)... 1st December 2011 · 1 min read
Middle East & North Africa Economics Update Political tensions in Kuwait could accelerate reforms On the face of it, the resignation of the Kuwaiti government adds to the general sense that political risks in the Arab world are escalating once again. However, given that Kuwait is much wealthier... 28th November 2011 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Focus How and when will the euro-zone break up? The continued escalation of the euro-zone debt crisis suggests that some form of break-up of the currency union is now likely to come sooner rather than later. We expect Greece to leave the euro in... 28th November 2011 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Weekly Break-up worries finally hitting the euro Last week’s rise in German bund yields might have reflected expectations that Germany has finally accepted the need to shoulder more of the peripheral economies’ fiscal risk. After all, German... 28th November 2011 · 1 min read
US Data Response Durable Goods Orders & Personal Spending (Oct.) October's weaker than expected personal spending and durable goods orders data suggest that annualised fourth-quarter GDP growth may be closer to 2.5% rather than the 3.0% that previously looked... 23rd November 2011 · 1 min read
US Economics Update Super committee failure not a disaster The apparent failure of the congressional deficit reduction super committee to reach any agreement is not the disaster it is being portrayed as by some commentators. As we argued in our most recent US... 21st November 2011 · 1 min read
Middle East & North Africa Economics Update Egypt election concerns add to already high financing risks The ruling Supreme Council of the Armed Forces’ (SCAF) dithering over securing external financial assistance has left Egypt teetering on the edge of a full-blown economic crisis. The central bank’s... 21st November 2011 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Weekly Recent free-trade initiatives are over-hyped The goal of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) of establishing a fully-integrated economic community by 2015, with complete free flow of goods, services and investment, is likely to... 21st November 2011 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update Will the new Spanish Government steady the ship? Although Spain is in a rather better position than its Southern European counterparts, the next Government still faces huge challenges and is unlikely to overcome them without outside help. 16th November 2011 · 1 min read
