UK Housing Market Data Response BBA Mortgage Lending (Feb. 13) Mortgage approvals for house purchase declined for a second consecutive month, indicating that the Funding for Lending Scheme is struggling to make a sizeable impact on mortgage lending. 25th March 2013 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update Another rate cut in Vietnam, further loosening likely The central bank in Vietnam today announced the seventh reduction in interest rates in just over a year. The move comes in response to very weak growth and subdued price pressures. With the economy... 25th March 2013 · 1 min read
Latin America Economics Update Mexican peso bucks EM sell-off Latin American assets and currencies have sold off over the past month as a weaker pace of emerging market growth and fears of an escalation of the euro-zone debt crisis have weighed on investor... 25th March 2013 · 1 min read
Japan Economics Weekly Sentiment running well ahead of hard data A slew of data in the coming week will provide a check-up on the health of the Japanese economy as we approach the end of the first quarter. Surveys of consumer and business confidence show no sign... 25th March 2013 · 1 min read
UK Economics Weekly Budget leaves dismal growth outlook unchanged The consensus is that George Osborne made the best of a bad hand last week. Nonetheless, this was not a Budget to get the UK recovery back on track. 25th March 2013 · 1 min read
Canada Economics Weekly Manufacturing still faces considerable headwinds While at some point the latest pick-up in the US economic recovery will translate into stronger Canadian manufacturing sales, we suspect that the weak pulse of the domestic economy will limit any... 25th March 2013 · 1 min read
US Economics Weekly A domestically driven recovery We are heartened by the recent signs that economic growth is being driven by more sustainable domestic forces rather than potentially temporary overseas influences. This leaves the economy well placed... 25th March 2013 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Weekly Plan B won't end Cyprus's problems While the successful formulation of a new plan to avoid bankruptcy in Cyprus remains in the balance, it looks likely that some form of package will be put together in order to ensure the continued... 25th March 2013 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Weekly Will Asia’s export recovery last? Asian exports have strengthened considerably in recent months, providing a boost to regional growth. This Weekly looks at what has been driving the rebound, and explains why a strong and sustained... 25th March 2013 · 1 min read
UK Economics Chart Pack Pick-up in spending will be difficult to sustain While consumer spending has shown some signs of life in the first part of this year, the momentum will be difficult to sustain. Although some of the measures announced by the Chancellor in the Budget... 22nd March 2013 · 1 min read
Global Economics Focus Are policymakers going soft on inflation? Recent and prospective changes in the conduct of monetary policy suggest that policymakers may be willing to take slightly greater risks with inflation than they were previously. But we expect... 22nd March 2013 · 1 min read
Global Markets Focus Market volatility set to rebound There are several possible explanations for the declines in volatility in financial markets over the last year or so. Some have argued that volatility has simply returned to historical norms. Others... 22nd March 2013 · 1 min read
Commodities Update Is this the end of the golden age? Gold has been in and out of favour for well over a year, but its price has been broadly stable rather than collapsed – suggesting that underlying support remains strong. Looking ahead, a revival of... 22nd March 2013 · 1 min read
Emerging Europe Economics Update Weak Polish data dent hopes of a turnaround The raft of weak activity data from Poland dents hopes that the economy turned the corner at the start of this year. With inflation set to remain below target, the National Bank is likely to resume... 22nd March 2013 · 1 min read
UK Commercial Property Data Response Institutional Investment in Property (Q4) UK-based investing institutions made modest net purchases of commercial property in the final few months of 2012, extending the pattern of the past few years. But this has not triggered a wider... 22nd March 2013 · 1 min read
