Commodities Update LME steel prices set to rally We expect the LME steel price to rise from around $165 per tonne to $270 by the end of 2015 due to the narrowing of differences between LME and other steel prices and the closure of Chinese capacity. 21st August 2013 · 1 min read
US Housing Market Data Response Existing Home Sales (Jul. 13) The increase in existing home sales in July suggests that the rise in mortgage rates prompted some buyers to rush through with a home sale before rates became higher still. This stimulatory effect... 21st August 2013 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update Emerging Asia Markets Monitor (Aug.) Asian currencies and equity markets have been hit hard by the recent sell-off inemerging market assets with India and Indonesia the worst affected in the region.Bond yields have risen, but remain low... 21st August 2013 · 1 min read
Energy Watch Will US energy exports be a game-changer? The surge in US oil and gas production in recent years has fuelled expectations that the country could eventually become a major energy exporter. Indeed, the US already runs trade surpluses in coal... 21st August 2013 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update Is the ECB’s forward guidance working? The limited rise in euro-zone market interest rates might suggest that the ECB’s forward guidance is working. But it would be premature to conclude that the central bank can continue to protect the... 21st August 2013 · 1 min read
Global Markets Update Has the Brazilian bond market gone nuts? We doubt the recent significant underperformance of Brazil’s local currency government bonds will last. A surge in yields has been mainly driven by expectations of much more aggressive monetary... 21st August 2013 · 1 min read
Africa Economics Update South Africa: currency slump is a double-edged sword The renewed slump in the rand has once again cast a spotlight on some of South Africa’s economic vulnerabilities. But while it is likely to put the balance of payments position under pressure and keep... 21st August 2013 · 1 min read
Latin America Economics Update Currencies back in the firing line Latin America has not been spared in the latest emerging market sell-off, with currencies and bonds tumbling over the past few weeks. However, in contrast to May’s sell-off, equity markets have so far... 21st August 2013 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update Malaysia’s 2013 growth to disappoint The Bank of Thailand kept its policy rate at 2.50% today. We continue to expect the central bank to keep rates low for the rest of 2013 before gradually tightening in 2014 as growth prospects improve. 21st August 2013 · 1 min read
China Activity Monitor Broader signs of rebound The latest Capital Economics China Activity Proxy (CAP) suggests that economic conditions have started to thaw across key sectors of the economy. 21st August 2013 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update Italy’s debt dynamics still look ugly Despite the recent upward revision to our forecast for Italian GDP growth, we still think that the Government’s budget deficit and debt forecasts are too sanguine. 21st August 2013 · 1 min read
UK Data Response Public finances (Jul 13.) Despite signs of life in the economy, July’s public finances data suggest that these are being slow to support the fiscal figures. Admittedly, the impact of the economic recovery on the public purse... 21st August 2013 · 1 min read
UK Housing Market Update Will forward guidance provide a further boost to the housing market? By reducing households’ concerns that mortgage rates will increase in the near future, forward guidance has the potential to provide a further boost to housing demand. But while the policy can’t harm... 21st August 2013 · 1 min read
Africa Economics Update Weak rand to push South African inflation higher South African inflation breached the upper bound of the SARB’s target range in July, and the effects of a weak rand means it is likely to accelerate a little further in the coming months. This will... 21st August 2013 · 1 min read
Emerging Europe Economics Update Coming through the EM sell-off relatively unscathed Emerging European currencies have generally withstood the recent EM financial market sell-off relatively well. Meanwhile, equities in Central Europe have made strong gains over the past month. 21st August 2013 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update Thai rates to stay unchanged in 2013 The Bank of Thailand kept its policy rate at 2.50% today. We continue to expect the central bank to keep rates low for the rest of 2013 before gradually tightening in 2014 as growth prospects improve. 21st August 2013 · 1 min read
