Latin America Economics Update Argentina Activity Indicator (Apr.) Our Argentina Activity Indicator (AAI) suggests that conditions in the economy have stabilised following sharp falls in output last year, but the best we can say is that GDP is stagnating – there is... 23rd April 2015 · 1 min read
Precious Metals Update Light at the end of the tunnel for platinum prices The latest data show a surge in China’s platinum imports in March, suggesting that historically low prices are finally stimulating buying interest. We think higher Chinese import volumes can be... 23rd April 2015 · 1 min read
Middle East & North Africa Chart Pack Region’s politics take another twist The conflict in Yemen and an outline nuclear agreement between Iran and the West has thrust the region’s politics back into the spotlight. Although it looks like problems in Yemen are likely to drag... 23rd April 2015 · 1 min read
UK Commercial Property Data Response RICS Construction Survey (Q1) At face value, the RICS construction survey appears to show that commercial property development is expanding strongly, even if it did moderate a touch during the first quarter. Yet the improvement is... 23rd April 2015 · 1 min read
Africa Economics Update Asia Africa Conference irrelevant, but economic ties strengthening This week’s high-profile meeting of African and Asian leaders in Indonesia is unlikely to lead to any concrete measures to boost trade or investment between the two continents. Even so, the crucially... 23rd April 2015 · 1 min read
UK Data Response Public Finances & Retail Sales (Mar.) The last public finances figures before the general election brought some good news for the incumbent coalition. However, weak retail sales figures for March increase the chances that next Tuesday’s... 23rd April 2015 · 1 min read
Europe Data Response Euro-zone Flash PMIs (Apr.) April’s fall in the euro-zone composite PMI suggested that fears over Greece might already be starting to dampen economic growth in the region, offsetting any boost from loose monetary policy and the... 23rd April 2015 · 1 min read
Emerging Markets Economics Chart Pack EM growth sinks as BRICs woes deepen EM growth appears to have sunk to a post-crisis low of around 4% y/y in the first quarter of this year, driven in large part by a deepening downturn in the BRICs. China has grabbed most of the... 23rd April 2015 · 1 min read
China Data Response HSBC/Markit Flash Manufacturing PMI (Apr.) China’s flash PMI remains subdued, but not substantially weaker than over the past six months. Today’s reading for April does not support the view that activity is plunging. 23rd April 2015 · 1 min read
Japan Data Response Flash Manufacturing PMI (Apr.) The third straight fall in the manufacturing PMI confirms that the plunge in energy prices has failed to reinvigorate Japan's economy. 23rd April 2015 · 1 min read
Asia Data Response Korea GDP (Q1 Preliminary) The healthy pick-up in Korean growth in the first quarter should lift some of the gloom that has settled over the economy in recent months. What's more, we think growth will strengthen further in the... 23rd April 2015 · 1 min read
Australia & New Zealand Data Response Australia Consumer Prices (Q1) The stability of the various measures of underlying inflation in the first quarter suggest that price pressures aren't as weak as we thought. Nonetheless, this is unlikely to prompt the Reserve Bank... 22nd April 2015 · 1 min read
Japan Economics Update What explains the plunge in import volumes last month? The plunge in import volumes in March likely reflects seasonal distortions rather than a sudden collapse in domestic demand. The upshot is that imports should rebound in April and the trade balance... 22nd April 2015 · 1 min read
UK Markets Chart Pack Markets underestimating potential election impact On the whole, the consensus view in the markets still appears to be that the result of the general election will not have major consequences for UK asset prices. If markets had become concerned, then... 22nd April 2015 · 1 min read
Global Markets Update Will the rally in emerging market equities continue? Since the end of Q1, the return from the MSCI Emerging Markets Index has been impressive and eclipsed that from the MSCI World Index of developed market equities. Such outperformance has been a rare... 22nd April 2015 · 1 min read
Energy Data Response US Weekly Petroleum Status Report Today’s data provide more evidence that US oil production is beginning to decline in response to lower prices rather than weather-related blips. 22nd April 2015 · 1 min read
