China Activity Monitor CAP: Fiscal boost drives new year recovery Our China Activity Proxy suggests that economic activity picked up at the start of the year on the back of stronger fiscal spending and export growth. But the Budget for this year implies that the... 27th March 2026 · 2 mins read
Commodities Update Q&A: the oil supply chain from the Middle East This Update considers the broader implications of the Middle East war on the crude oil and petroleum product supply chain from the Middle East onwards. At the very end of the supply chain, Oceania and... 27th March 2026 · 3 mins read
China Economics Weekly Economic hit from Iran War has been limited so far Early evidence supports our view that China’s economy will be resilient to higher global energy prices. Regulators have moved to shield most firms and households from the brunt of the increase in... 27th March 2026 · 5 mins read
India Economics Weekly Government steps up response, inflation target retained After initially moving quite slowly, India’s government has stepped up its response to the impact of the Middle East conflict over the past few days. Excise duties on fuel exports have been hiked to... 27th March 2026 · 3 mins read
Asia Economics Weekly Challenging inheritance for new Bank of Korea governor Incoming Bank of Korea Governor Shin Hyun-song brings formidable credentials and his appointment will reassure investors unsettled by high debt levels in Korea and the jump in property prices in Seoul... 27th March 2026 · 5 mins read
Japan Economics Weekly Quantifying the hit from higher energy prices In our baseline scenario, the hit to Japan’s economy from the energy shock will be limited as energy import prices won’t rise nearly as much as in 2022 and the government is once again capping prices... 27th March 2026 · 6 mins read
Asia Economics Update The Philippines: unpacking the hit from the Iran war The state of emergency now in place in the Philippines gives the government powers to address the most acute strains in access to essential inputs, but it won’t prevent an economic shock. The central... 26th March 2026 · 5 mins read
Japan Chart Pack Japan Chart Pack (March 2026) Our Japan Chart Pack has been updated with the latest data and our analysis of recent developments. The government’s decision to cap gasoline prices means that inflation won’t rise far above the BoJ’s... 26th March 2026 · 1 min read
Japan Rapid Response Japan Consumer Prices (Feb. 2026) Inflationary pressures are more entrenched than the weak headline result would for February would suggest. Indeed, we believe that the Bank of Japan’s preferred measure of core inflation will remain... 23rd March 2026 · 2 mins read
Japan Economics Update Strong Shunto results will prompt more BoJ rate hikes This year’s spring wage negotiations (Shunto) delivered strong pay hikes for the third consecutive year, which will convince the Bank of Japan to tighten policy further this year. And while softer... 23rd March 2026 · 4 mins read
China Economics Weekly Fewer rate cuts but fiscal easing won’t come to the rescue China's central bank left the loan prime rates on hold today. With higher oil prices set to keep the economy out of deflationary territory, we're now only expecting the central bank to deliver one... 20th March 2026 · 6 mins read
Commodities Update Refined oil products caught in the maelstrom The surge in the prices of refined oil products is amplifying the economic impact of the energy crisis. Countries in Africa that ordinarily source oil products from the Middle East have been most... 20th March 2026 · 3 mins read
India Economics Weekly Energy shortages rather than prices the imminent threat for India Regulated prices insulate consumers in India from surges in global energy prices but they are no protection against – and, indeed, they contribute to – shortages of fuels and related products. We’ve... 20th March 2026 · 5 mins read
Asia Economics Weekly Energy shockwaves: Asia first in the line of fire We have revised our forecasts to incorporate higher energy prices, assuming Brent averages close to US$100 per barrel in Q2 before easing to around US$80 by year-end. Given Asia’s heavy reliance on... 20th March 2026 · 7 mins read
Japan Economics Weekly Industry starting to suffer from Middle East conflict Shortages of naphtha resulting from the conflict in the Middle East are evoking the image of severe disruptions in Japan’s manufacturing sector as happened during the pandemic. With some countries in... 20th March 2026 · 7 mins read
