Global Markets Update Italy may soon be considered riskier than Greece The spread between the yields of 10-year government bonds in Greece and Italy has fallen sharply following the latest European Parliament elections. We now forecast that it will turn negative... 31st May 2019 · 1 min read
India Economics Update New Finance Minister faces delicate balancing act Nirmala Sitharaman, who has just been selected to replace Arun Jaitley as Finance Minister, faces a delicate balancing act in her new role. On the one hand, she will want to display fiscal rectitude... 31st May 2019 · 1 min read
UK Housing Market Data Response Mortgage Lending (Apr.) April’s strong rise in house purchase mortgage approvals more than reversed March’s fall. But we doubt that signals the start of a sustained recovery in lending. 31st May 2019 · 1 min read
UK Commercial Property Data Response Lending to commercial property (Apr.) April saw a sharp reversal of the large increase in net lending in March. With uncertainty prolonged and yields starting to rise, we think that net lending will be subdued this year. 31st May 2019 · 1 min read
UK Economics Weekly Economy struggles to maintain its pace, race for No. 10 The economic news for Q2 so far has been pretty poor. And we wouldn’t be too surprised if Q1’s expansion is the fastest rate of growth that the economy can muster for some time. Meanwhile, the ever... 31st May 2019 · 1 min read
UK Data Response GfK/NOP Consumer Confidence (May) Consumers appeared unfazed by the political chaos, with the GfK/NOP measure of consumer confidence rising to a fresh eight-month high in May. But with the economic fundamentals of consumer spending... 31st May 2019 · 1 min read
UK Housing Market Data Response Nationwide House Prices (May) Uncertainty and the already high level of prices kept house price inflation subdued in May. Looking ahead, we expect these factors to keep price growth weak to the end of 2019 – at just 1% y/y. 31st May 2019 · 1 min read
Emerging Europe Data Response Turkey GDP (Q1) Turkey’s economy returned to growth in Q1 but the tightening of financial conditions over the past couple of months has probably resulted in a renewed downturn. This reinforces our view that the... 31st May 2019 · 1 min read
Japan Data Response Activity, Labour Market (Apr.) & Tokyo CPI (May) The rebound in industrial output in April coupled with upbeat forecasts for May suggests that the manufacturing sector will return to growth in Q2. However, we still expect the labour market to... 31st May 2019 · 1 min read
Energy Data Response US Weekly Petroleum Status Report After a number of surprising builds in US commercial crude stocks, last week’s small drawdown perhaps signals that a summer fall in stocks may be looming. If we are right, and stocks continue to... 30th May 2019 · 1 min read
US Housing Market Update Fall in rates won’t trigger a surge in mortgage demand The recent fall in the 10-year Treasury yield means the 30-year mortgage rate is set to drop to 1½-year lows over the next few weeks. But we doubt that will trigger another jump in mortgage... 30th May 2019 · 1 min read
Africa Chart Pack Hurdles ahead for Ramaphosa The inclusion of several investor-friendly ministers in South African president Cyril Ramaphosa’s new cabinet has been interpreted as a sign that the government may renew its push for reform. Local... 30th May 2019 · 1 min read
Commodities Update US farm aid could distort production The Trump administration’s latest farm aid package, announced on 23rd May, should provide some short-term relief to the ailing US farming sector. But direct payments to farmers could exacerbate the... 30th May 2019 · 1 min read
Europe Commercial Property Update Rise in Moscow office yields to be short-lived With Russian government bond yields expected to continue falling this year, we think that the rise in Moscow office yields in Q1 will prove temporary and that they will end the year at 9%, down from 9... 30th May 2019 · 1 min read
US Employment Report Preview Say hello to our new payroll model Our new model points to a 190,000 gain in non-farm payrolls in May, although we anticipate a more pronounced slowdown in employment growth over the next few months. The unemployment rate is expected... 30th May 2019 · 1 min read
