China Economics Update Looking ahead to the Five-Year Plan The most closely-watched data release this month will be that for third quarter GDP, due on the 21st. But a more momentous event will take place a few days earlier when the Communist Party leadership... 11th October 2010 · 1 min read
Japan Data Response Economy Watchers Survey (Sep.) Current economic conditions worsened sharply last month, according to the latest Economy Watchers Survey (EWS). An apparent improvement in the outlook provided the thinnest of silver linings... 8th October 2010 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update Can high growth in India survive the state sector problems? India got there just in time and yesterday’s opening ceremony for the Commonwealth Games proved to be a big success. Nevertheless, the poor preparation for the Games does highlight the growing... 4th October 2010 · 1 min read
Emerging Europe Economics Update Another strong showing for the centre-right After recent gains in Slovakia and the Czech Republic, centre-right parties had another strong showing in elections in Hungary and Latvia this weekend. But while Latvia’s ruling coalition has already... 4th October 2010 · 1 min read
Latin America Economics Update Brazil Election Watch: Blow for Dilma as race goes to wire Brazil’s presidential election sprang into life yesterday after Dilma Rousseff failed to gain the 50% of votes needed to secure an outright victory in the first round of voting. She remains the... 4th October 2010 · 1 min read
Europe Data Response Euro-zone EC Survey (Sep.) September’s improvement in the EC business and consumer survey comes as a relief after recent weaker news on the euro-zone. But the survey still points to much slower growth in Q3 than in Q2. 29th September 2010 · 1 min read
Japan Data Response Tankan Survey (Sep.) The Bank of Japan's quarterly Tankan confirmed that business conditions were still improving in the third quarter but will be tougher in the fourth. 29th September 2010 · 1 min read
Japan Data Response Turning more cautious Smaller businesses in Japan took a more downbeat view of the outlook in September as yen strength, domestic political uncertainties, and the spat with China all had an impact. But the survey does not... 28th September 2010 · 1 min read
Latin America Economics Update President Chavez's popularity starts to wane This weekend’s elections provide the strongest evidence yet that Venezuela’s economic woes have begun to dent President Chavez’s popularity. All eyes are now on the 2012 presidential elections and... 27th September 2010 · 1 min read
Japan Economics Weekly Wave of data should support recovery hopes The coming week is packed with key data, the bulk of which should be relatively upbeat. The markets will focus on the Tankan, but the monthly business surveys for September should also be reassuring... 27th September 2010 · 1 min read
Europe Data Response German Ifo Survey (Sep.) September’s small rise in the German Ifo brings hope that the euro-zone’s largest economy is faring very well for now. But with export growth already slowing, we expect the index to follow the PMI... 24th September 2010 · 1 min read
Europe Data Response Euro-zone Flash PMIs (Sep.) September’s plunge in the euro-zone PMI is the strongest sign yet that the eurozone recovery is rapidly losing momentum and that parts of the region may already have fallen back into recession. 23rd September 2010 · 1 min read
China Economics Update The view from the ground - Q3 2010 China’s businesses and banks are increasingly confident about the economic situation, but consumers are downbeat, preferring by a wide margin to save rather than spend. 20th September 2010 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update How reliable is the German ZEW survey? September’s slump in German ZEW investor sentiment was a worrying sign that the recovery is already faltering. Admittedly, it is a less reliable indicator of German GDP than business surveys like the... 15th September 2010 · 1 min read
Europe Data Response German ZEW (Sep.), EZ Ind. Prod'n (Jul.) & Labour Costs (Q2) The drop in German ZEW economic sentiment in September and July’s stagnation in euro-zone industrial production confirm that the euro-zone recovery is slowing again after Q2’s strong expansion. 14th September 2010 · 1 min read
US Economics Weekly Fiscal policy paralysed by bipartisan disagreement The Obama administration has released a flurry of proposals designed to stimulate the flagging economic recovery. However, the chances of any of these proposals being passed by Congress ahead of... 13th September 2010 · 1 min read