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
Latin America Data Response Chile GDP & Current Account (Q2) The small fall in Chile’s GDP in the second quarter was partly the result of floods in the north of the country, but not entirely. All components of domestic demand contracted, suggesting that the... 18th August 2015 · 1 min read
Emerging Europe Economics Update Turkish MPC strikes hawkish note, unveils new policy plans The Turkish central bank (CBRT) kept its benchmark rates on hold today, but the accompanying statement struck a hawkish note in response to the latest fall in the lira. In addition, the Bank’s... 18th August 2015 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Focus How fast can Spain grow? The relief rally in Chinese equities prompted by additional policy stimulus has turned global sentiment around, but a sustained recovery in commodity prices will probably require hard evidence that... 18th August 2015 · 1 min read
UK Commercial Property Outlook No sign yet of a peak for capital values Investor demand for UK property shows few signs of waning. So with yields edging lower and occupier market fundamentals strong, the market is unlikely to slow materially in the second half of this... 18th August 2015 · 1 min read
UK Data Response Consumer Prices & Producer Prices (Jul.) The small rise in CPI inflation from 0% to 0.1% in July merely reflected the slightly earlier conclusion of summer discounting of clothing this year compared to last and so has little bearing on 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
Middle East & North Africa Economics Update Buoyant oil sector supports strong growth in Saudi Arabia Our GDP Tracker suggests that Saudi Arabia’s economy continued to grow by over 5% y/y at the end of Q2, supported by strong growth in the oil sector. However, with Iranian oil set to return to the... 18th August 2015 · 1 min read
US Economics Update Inventories are the wildcard for third-quarter GDP growth After an unexpected surge at the end of the second quarter, inventories are shaping up to be the big wildcard in third-quarter GDP growth. We expect inventories to subtract 0.5% points, with third... 17th August 2015 · 1 min read
Commodities Update No respite for commodities yet Commodity prices have continued their decline over the past month, with both the GSCI and Bloomberg commodity indices falling to levels last seen in mid-2009. As a result, the gulf between returns... 17th August 2015 · 1 min read
Latin America Economics Update Mexico: rate hike next month not yet a done deal We appreciate that we’re going out on a limb in saying this, but we don’t think that an interest rate hike next month in Mexico is necessarily the done deal that many now seem to assume. Indeed, a... 17th August 2015 · 1 min read
UK Commercial Property Data Response Commercial property investment (Jul) The slump in investment market activity in July was largely seasonal and needs to beseen in the context of June’s exceptional strength. As a result, there is little in thedata to suggest that the... 17th August 2015 · 1 min read
Europe Data Response Euro-zone Trade (Jun.) June’s euro-zone goods trade data suggested that net trade boosted GDP growth in Q2. But as the effects of the weaker euro fade, export growth might soon slow again. 17th August 2015 · 1 min read
Africa Economics Update Defending currencies ultimately futile Many African central banks are running down scarce foreign exchange reserves in a doomed effort to defend overvalued currencies from painful adjustments. But with commodity prices likely to remain... 17th August 2015 · 1 min read
