Latin America Economics Update 'Currency wars' pose dilemma for Chilean policymakers Chile’s Central Bank faces a difficult balancing act between cooling buoyant domestic demand, which suggests a need for tighter monetary policy, and taming a strong currency, which is already weighing... 15th February 2013 · 1 min read
China Economics Update Hooked on credit Four years after China’s economy was rescued by a huge loan-fuelled stimulus, its economic growth continues to be shored up by an unsustainable dependence on credit. 15th February 2013 · 1 min read
Capital Daily Euro-zone and Japanese economies both shrank again in Q4 15th February 2013 · 1 min read
Emerging Markets Trade Monitor Export split reinforces concerns of “currency wars” The continued weakness of exports from commodity producers in the emerging world will add further fuel to the debate over “currency wars”. By contrast, exports from manufacturing-focused economies in... 15th February 2013 · 1 min read
US Economics Update Sequestration a secondary issue to budget talks The probability is rising that Congress won't act to prevent the sequestration spending cuts taking effect at the start of next month. On paper, that would reduce spending by $110bn per year... 14th February 2013 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Focus Can the ECB follow words with actions? Mario Draghi’s hints that the ECB might respond to the threat posed by the strength of the euro begs the question of just what action it could take. While there are plenty of policy options still... 14th February 2013 · 1 min read
Commodities Update Too soon to call the bottom of the sugar market Even though the global price has already slumped by around a third over the last two years, sugar has been the worst performing of the major agricultural commodities so far in 2013, falling by another... 14th February 2013 · 1 min read
Global Markets Update A squeeze on profit margins could weigh on US equities We suspect that cyclical forces will prompt a further rise in workers’ slice of the US economic pie this year, and that the resulting squeeze on profit margins will weigh on the stock market. 14th February 2013 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update Fall in Indian inflation not enough to prompt further rate cuts Wholesale price inflation in India fell more than expected in January, to 6.6%. But with consumer price inflation rising to 10.8% and the current account deficit heading for a record high this year... 14th February 2013 · 1 min read
Europe Data Response Euro-zone GDP (Q4) Q4’s bigger than expected fall in euro-zone GDP underlined the fact that, while sentiment towards the region has improved, the hard news on the economy remains distinctly weak. 14th February 2013 · 1 min read
Non-Euro Europe Commercial Property Outlook 2013: a softer year ahead for property Our forecasts envisage that European commercial property markets outside of the single currency region will benefit from the recent lull in the euro-crisis. Although the fundamental economic drivers... 14th February 2013 · 1 min read
Europe Commercial Property Outlook Weak occupier fundamentals to drag down property The current lull in the debt crisis has come too late to prevent a marked deterioration in economic and occupier market conditions in most euro-zone property markets. And the slowdown in economic... 14th February 2013 · 1 min read
Global Economics Update Fall in G7 GDP in Q4 was the largest for four years Today’s disappointing GDP figures published by the euro-zone and Japan for the fourth quarter of 2012 underline that, even if activity has picked up at the start of this year, it has done so from a... 14th February 2013 · 1 min read
UK Housing Market Focus The outlook for buy-to-let in 2013 The buy-to-let market will expand modestly over 2013, with the demand for, and supply of, private rented property edging up. But affordability constraints will mean that rental growth will be lower... 14th February 2013 · 1 min read
Middle East & North Africa Economics Update Egypt's capital controls could be a further drag on growth The depreciation of the Egyptian pound has slowed in recent weeks, but only because of a tightening of capital controls. If these remain in place for any length of time, they could present another... 14th February 2013 · 1 min read
Emerging Markets Economics Update EMs right to be wary of rapid capital inflows Behind the rhetoric of global currency wars lies a more fundamental concern that loose monetary policy in the developed economies will lead to rapid and destabilising capital inflows to the emerging... 14th February 2013 · 1 min read
