Middle East & North Africa Chart Pack Egypt back in the spotlight Investors have lost even more confidence in Egypt over the past month. The equity market has tumbled and, while this could in part be related to signals by the US Fed that it will begin to taper QE3... 24th June 2013 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update Is another Greek election in the offing? While the withdrawal of the smallest party from the Greek coalition is certainly an unwelcome development, for now at least, the Government should be able to limp on. But if the Troika forces it to... 24th June 2013 · 1 min read
Europe Data Response German Ifo Survey (Jun.) June’s German Ifo survey echoed the slightly firmer tone of other recent indicators. But it certainly did not suggest that the euro-zone’s biggest economy is embarking on a spectacular recovery. 24th June 2013 · 1 min read
Africa Economics Update What next for monetary policy? Monetary policy in sub-Saharan Africa has all of a sudden become interesting. Ghana surprised expectations by hiking interest rates last month, while countries in East Africa have continued to cut... 24th June 2013 · 1 min read
Japan Economics Weekly Market forecast revisions (mostly for the better) The focus in the past week has been the impact on Japanese financial markets of potential changes to US monetary policy. We have revised our forecasts in the wake of the latest volatility, but the... 24th June 2013 · 1 min read
Canada Economics Weekly Household sector sensitive to higher long-term rates The recent improvement in the global economic outlook and changing prospects for US monetary policy in particular have prompted us to revise our global bond yield forecasts moderately higher... 24th June 2013 · 1 min read
US Economics Weekly The Fed’s tapering and rate hike timetable The markets may have overreacted a bit to the details of the Fed’s QE3 tapering timetable and the prospect of the first interest rate hike taking place in two years’ time. Nonetheless, the growing... 24th June 2013 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Weekly What does Abenomics mean for the rest of Asia? Hopes that the policies of Prime Minister Abe’s new government will transform the outlook for Japan’s economy have lifted sentiment in the country. This Weekly takes a look at the implications of... 24th June 2013 · 1 min read
UK Economics Weekly Rise in gilt yields supports case for more QE With gilt yields now at their highest level since early 2012, the growing expectation that the Fed will taper its asset purchases could boost the chances of the MPC expanding its own purchases. 24th June 2013 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Weekly The periphery is still uncompetitive Labour cost data released last week provided further evidence that the competitiveness gap between the euro-zone periphery and core may be narrowing. While labour costs were little unchanged or lower... 24th June 2013 · 1 min read
Canada Data Response Consumer Price Index (May) & Retail Sales (Apr.) With the official core inflation measure unchanged at a worryingly low 1.1% in May, the output gap would appear to be larger than the Bank of Canada is willing to admit. If, as we expect, economic... 21st June 2013 · 1 min read
China Economics Update The view from the ground - Q2 2013 Businesses remain relatively confident about the economy overall but, when it comes to their own situation, they have recently turned much more downbeat. Meanwhile, Chinese households are as reluctant... 21st June 2013 · 1 min read
UK Economics Chart Pack Sharing in the recovery After losing momentum in March and April, consumer spending appears to have regained some oomph as the second quarter has progressed. 21st June 2013 · 1 min read
Emerging Europe Economics Update Russia: is fiscal policy really impotent? The debate over the role of policy stimulus in reviving Russia’s flagging economy has been given extra impetus over the past week by the release of the IMF’s latest Article IV report, which argues... 21st June 2013 · 1 min read
UK Data Response Public finances (Jun.) The improvement in the public finances in May was due to temporary factors. In any case, with borrowing still so high, the big picture is that years of austerity still lie ahead, as will be underlined... 21st June 2013 · 1 min read