Commodities Update Fracking to provide small but growing boost to UK gas output The UK’s production of fossil fuels is likely to continue declining for the next few years. However, the prospects for shale gas are looking more positive, even if commercial production is still a... 5th June 2014 · 1 min read
Europe Commercial Property Update Germany's share of total property investment unlikely to fall this year Euro-zone occupier markets stand to benefit as economic growth becomes broader based across the region. Yet while property investment in most countries should increase as a result, over the next year... 5th June 2014 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update ECB finally tackling deflation risks, but needs to do more The ECB unveiled an array of policies to boost bank lending and counter deflationary risks today. But there are uncertainties over how effective these policies will be. And while it is good news that... 5th June 2014 · 1 min read
Global Markets Update ECB falls well short of Bank of Japan’s bold easing The muted market responses to the ECB’s policy announcements today are not necessarily a sign of failure: equity prices, bond yields and the euro itself all edged a little further in the desired... 5th June 2014 · 1 min read
Middle East & North Africa Economics Update Why we’re relatively downbeat on the Saudi economy In its latest Article IV for Saudi, the IMF painted an upbeat picture of the economy. However, as we outline in this Watch, there are good reasons to think that growth may slow over the coming years. 5th June 2014 · 1 min read
UK Housing Market Chart Pack Housing demand cools but prices still under upwards pressure The surge in pent up housing demand released over the past year looks to be losing steam, and the disruption caused by the MMR has brought a, probably temporary, halt to the growth in mortgage lending... 5th June 2014 · 1 min read
Canada Economics Update Slowdown in housing to hit new motor vehicle sales Our fear is that the impressive recovery in new motor vehicle sales since the recession ended, which was driven principally by a surge in light truck sales, will fade as the housing boom falters... 5th June 2014 · 1 min read
Global Economics Chart Pack Growth rebounding in second quarter The world economy slowed significantly in Q1, largely because output contracted in the US and growth weakened in China. But this should be followed by a rebound in the current quarter. Indeed, the... 5th June 2014 · 1 min read
UK Economics Update Still no pressing need to tighten While the strength of the economic recovery may have pushed one or two MPC members closer to voting to raise interest rates at today’s meeting, we still think that the benign inflation outlook and a... 5th June 2014 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update Housing & energy still constraints on Norwegian growth Although we have nudged up our forecasts in light of recent data, Norway’s economy is still set to expand by less than the Norges Bank expects. This may prompt it to delay raising rates until 2016. 5th June 2014 · 1 min read
China Economics Update Inflation Monitor (Jun.14) With both consumer and producer price inflation likely to have risen in May, there are few convincing signs that China is sliding into deflation. This should ease calls for the People’s Bank to roll... 5th June 2014 · 1 min read
Europe Data Response Euro-zone Retail Sales (Apr.) & Ger. Factory Orders (Apr.) April’s retail sales data suggested that euro-zone consumers may be beginning to return to the high-street, although so far this seems to have come at the expense of non-retail spending. 5th June 2014 · 1 min read
Europe Data Response Finland GDP (Q1) Q1 GDP data confirmed that Finland’s economy is still struggling to exit its recession. Indeed, it now seems that 2014 will mark the third straight year of economic contraction for the northernmost... 5th June 2014 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update Can the junta save the Thai economy? Since assuming power, the army has made spurring the flagging Thai economy one of its top priorities. Public spending should receive a boost, but private sector expenditure is likely to remain subdued... 5th June 2014 · 1 min read
UK Housing Market Data Response Halifax House Prices (May 14) The very large rise in house prices reported by the Halifax in May comes after two months of declines, and underlying measures of growth are stable. Even so, expectations of house price gains are... 5th June 2014 · 1 min read
