Commodities Update What could China's Third Plenum mean for steel? In the short term the economic reform package set out at the end of a meeting of top Chinese government officials, known as the Third Plenum, should have little impact on the prices of steel or... 26th November 2013 · 1 min read
Japan Economics Update Bank of Japan likely to keep its inflation target With even some members of the Bank of Japan’s Policy Board expecting inflation to remain well below the 2% target in FY 2015, there is growing speculation about how and when the Board will respond to... 26th November 2013 · 1 min read
Global Markets Update Does the low valuation of UK equities make them appealing? At first glance the UK stock market still appears to be attractively valued, despite a double-digit price rise so far this year. But its valuation has been flattered by strong earnings growth in... 26th November 2013 · 1 min read
Canada Economics Update Business profits and investment likely to slow The slowdown in third-quarter business profit growth and the more recent pullback in commodity prices suggest that investment growth will remain lacklustre. Accordingly, the Bank of Canada's hopes of... 26th November 2013 · 1 min read
US Data Response Conf. Board Consumer Confidence (Nov.) Despite a strengthening labour market, record-high equity prices and lower gasoline prices, the Conference Board measure of consumer confidence actually fell to a seven-month low of 70.4 in November... 26th November 2013 · 1 min read
Middle East & North Africa Economics Update Dubai equities hit five-year high as World Expo vote looms Dubai’s equity market hit a five-year high this month amid growing optimism surrounding the Emirate’s economic rebound. Confidence may be given an extra boost if, as is widely expected, Dubai wins the... 26th November 2013 · 1 min read
US Housing Market Data Response Case-Shiller Home Prices (Q3 13) National US house prices posted another solid gain in Q3 and are now rising at double-digit rates year-on-year. But this may well mark the peak of annual house price gains. 26th November 2013 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update Asian markets see renewed volatility Continued uncertainty over when the US Federal Reserve will start to taper its asset purchases under QE3 has led to renewed volatility across Asian financial markets over the past month. Currencies... 26th November 2013 · 1 min read
Emerging Europe Economics Update Further modest rate cuts in Hungary may be on the cards Today's cut in Hungarian interest rates is likely to be followed up by one more cut next month, which we currently think will mark the end of the easing cycle. However, the recent sharp fall in... 26th November 2013 · 1 min read
Africa Economics Update South African GDP growth slumps in Q3 The South African economy slumped in Q3 to record its slowest quarterly pace of growth since 2009, and the outlook for the coming quarters remains lacklustre. To compound matters, the weakness of the... 26th November 2013 · 1 min read
UK Economics Update Are small retailers gaining at the expense of large ones? Although small retailers suffered much more than large ones during the economy’s post-2008 weakness, more recently, small retailers have started to outperform their larger competitors. But we doubt... 26th November 2013 · 1 min read
Japan Data Response Small Business Confidence (Nov.) Small business confidence reached a fresh high in November, but will likely worsen once the consumption tax is raised next April. 26th November 2013 · 1 min read
Capital Daily Deal with Iran should eventually help oil prices to fall 26th November 2013 · 1 min read
Global Trade Monitor WTO agreement in the balance The volume of world trade rose in September and surveys suggest that it should rise further over the next few months. However, the growth of international trade is still lacklustre compared to the... 25th November 2013 · 1 min read
US Chart Pack Economic growth grinding higher The pick-up in GDP growth to 2.8% annualised in the third quarter, from 2.5% in the second, suggests that as the fiscal drag fades, the recovery is strengthening. On the whole, the latest monthly data... 25th November 2013 · 1 min read
Commodities Update What could the deal with Iran mean for oil prices? The deal between Iran and the West is unlikely to result in an immediate increase in oil supplies, but it does lay the groundwork for a potentially much more significant agreement next year. We expect... 25th November 2013 · 1 min read
