Europe Economics Update ECB "ready to act", but running out of options After leaving interest rates on hold today, ECB President Draghi acknowledged the downturn in the economic outlook and stated that the Bank stood ready to act in future. However, he provided little... 4th April 2013 · 1 min read
Latin America Economics Update What next for Brazilian inflation? Various changes to regulated prices, coupled with general uncertainty over the path of food inflation, mean that it has become increasingly difficult to predict month-to-month changes in Brazilian... 4th April 2013 · 1 min read
UK Economics Chart Pack Still no progress towards rebalancing Any progress the economy was making towards becoming less dependent on unsustainable sources of growth has stalled. Until the euro-zone economy stabilises, an export-led and hence better-balanced... 4th April 2013 · 1 min read
Emerging Europe Economics Update Hungary's "Funding for Growth" scheme lacks punch The “Funding for Growth” scheme announced by the National Bank of Hungary is not quite as radical as it could have been. This helps to explain the relatively muted reaction in the financial markets... 4th April 2013 · 1 min read
UK Economics Update MPC sits on its hands again Although the Monetary Policy Committee left policy on hold again today, we suspect that the decision was still a close one. And while the chances of more asset purchases in May have perhaps declined... 4th April 2013 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update How big a threat is a Slovenia bail-out? Slovenia is indeed different from Cyprus, as its government has been at pains to point out, but the country may nonetheless struggle to overcome its banking crisis without outside help. That said, any... 4th April 2013 · 1 min read
Europe Commercial Property Update French commercial property outlook darkens The latest survey evidence suggests that the French recession deepened in the first quarter. For now, while low economic sentiment seems to be dampening growth in French real estate equity prices... 4th April 2013 · 1 min read
UK Housing Market Data Response RICS Lettings Survey (Jan. 13) The latest RICS Residential Lettings Survey shows tenant demand accelerated in the three months to January. Alongside the recent reduction in mortgage approvals, this provides further evidence that... 4th April 2013 · 1 min read
Japan Economics Update BoJ sets high bar to establish credibility By committing today to meet a 2% inflation target in two years, Governor Kuroda can justifiably claim to have set the Bank of Japan on a new path. But while markets have welcomed the announcement, the... 4th April 2013 · 1 min read
UK Data Response CIPS/Markit Report on Services (Mar. 13) The modest uptick in March’s CIPS/Markit report on services still suggests that GDP did no better than flatline in Q1 and that a triple-dip remains a risk. The faint signs of life in the economy may... 4th April 2013 · 1 min read
Middle East & North Africa Economic Outlook A Gulf in growth The Gulf economies are on course to outperform the rest of the region over the next year or so. Admittedly, weak oil production will act as a drag on growth in 2013. But increased government spending... 4th April 2013 · 1 min read
Capital Daily Spring slowdown in the US economy would be no cause for alarm 4th April 2013 · 1 min read
Commodities Chart Pack Corn leads commodities lower as demand disappoints The collapse in the prices of US grains has received the most attention recently, but commodity prices in general continued to fall in March. The main drivers of this weakness were worries about the... 3rd April 2013 · 1 min read
Africa Economics Update Kenyan markets rally but post-election challenges remain Kenyan financial markets have rallied in the past few days following the Supreme Court’s ruling that the presidential election held in March was legitimate. Nevertheless, with growth appearing to have... 3rd April 2013 · 1 min read
US Economics Focus Will onshoring drive a manufacturing renaissance? The manufacturing sector has added half a million jobs over the past few years, prompting speculation that, after a decade of offshoring production to lower cost countries like China, firms are now... 3rd April 2013 · 1 min read
Europe Chart Pack Recovery already losing steam Recent activity indicators suggest that the euro-zone economy had started to lose some of its momentum even before the recent escalation of the crisis in Cyprus. Admittedly, most survey indicators are... 3rd April 2013 · 1 min read
