Frontier Markets Wrap Which frontier market peg could be the next to go? The recent devaluation of China’s renminbi and the slump in commodity prices were the two key factors behind Vietnam’s decision last week to widen the dong trading band with the dollar and the... 24th August 2015 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Weekly Why comparisons with the Asian financial crisis are wrong The recent tumble in Asian currencies has given rise to concerns that the region could be onthe brink of a repeat of the Asian financial crisis. In general, these suggestions are over the top.There... 21st August 2015 · 1 min read
India Chart Pack A missed opportunity The monsoon session of parliament, which concluded last week, has ended up being one of the biggest disappointments of Prime Minister Modi’s tenure so far, with virtually no progress made on pushing... 21st August 2015 · 1 min read
Emerging Markets Economics Chart Pack EM currencies take a beating on China worries The impact of China’s renminbi devaluation is continuing to be felt across emerging markets. The Kazakh central bank today scrapped its trading band for the tenge, which subsequently fell by over 20%... 20th August 2015 · 1 min read
Global Markets Update Still room for revision of rate expectations in EM bond market Local currency government bonds have been a port in the emerging market (EM) storm during the past year, as investors have revised down their expectations for policy rates. While they are now... 20th August 2015 · 1 min read
Global Markets Update How at risk are equities in Japan to events in emerging Asia? Although the yen has stayed weak against the US dollar, it has appreciated in trade-weighted terms in response to a slump in some emerging Asian currencies. Still, the yen’s real effective exchange... 19th August 2015 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update Dong devaluation not part of Asian currency war Although today’s decision by the State Bank of Vietnam (SBV) to devalue the dong by a further 1% against the US dollar and widen the trading band was in part linked to China’s devaluation of the... 19th August 2015 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update Bombings add to Thailand’s economic and political concerns The bombings in Thailand’s capital present a new downside risk to the country’s economic outlook. Not only are the attacks a blow to the important tourism sector, they also add to concerns about... 19th August 2015 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Focus Will ASEAN take China’s place as the workshop of the world? We see little prospect of ASEAN transforming itself into the kind of single market and production base that would allow it to challenge China as the manufacturing workshop of the world. Nevertheless... 19th August 2015 · 1 min read
Emerging Markets Economics Update After the falls: where next for EM currencies? The most recent declines in emerging market currencies have been driven by renewed falls in global commodity prices, China’s ‘devaluation’ of the renminbi, and worries about the prospect of monetary... 18th August 2015 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update Sri Lanka’s elections unlikely to end political uncertainty Financial markets are likely to welcome the re-election of Ranil Wickremasinghe as Sri Lanka’s prime minister. However, with the new prime minister likely to have to govern as part of a coalition... 18th August 2015 · 1 min read
Global Markets Update Why this is not the Asian Financial Crisis MK2 The recent depreciation of the Indonesian rupiah and Malaysian ringgit against the dollar has left both currencies at levels not seen since 1998, but suggestions that this signals a re-run of the... 18th August 2015 · 1 min read
India Economics Update Has bank lending turned a corner? The sharp slowdown in bank lending to the private sector over the past four years appears to have bottomed out, as cuts to policy rates gradually feed through to commercial banks’ lending rates. But... 18th August 2015 · 1 min read
Asia Data Response Thailand GDP (Q2) Thailand's economy expanded by 2.8% y/y in the second quarter, down from 3.0% the quarter before, reflecting weaker private consumption and investment growth. Against a backdrop of high household debt... 17th August 2015 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Weekly Another look at Asia’s exposure to China The last week has been dominated by concerns that the People’s Bank of China was embarking on a competitive devaluation of the renminbi and fears that the Chinese economy might be heading for a “hard... 17th August 2015 · 1 min read
India Data Response Wholesale Prices (Jul.) Wholesale price inflation dropped sharply in July to its lowest rate since the series began. This substantially increases the chance of the Reserve Bank of India cutting interest rates in another... 14th August 2015 · 1 min read
