Global Economics Focus What are the prospects for global growth until 2020? Even when the dust finally settles from the global financial crisis, we doubt that the world will return to the high growth rates achieved before 2008. Slower expansion of the labour force, the... 9th November 2012 · 1 min read
Europe Commercial Property Update Is the RICS survey too gloomy about occupier demand in France? Recent data from RICS showing that occupier demand in France has been falling are consistent with figures showing that office and industrial take-up has weakened significantly. The data also look... 9th November 2012 · 1 min read
China Economics Update Is the October surprise too good to be true? China’s October activity data provide the strongest signs so far of economic recovery. Given that they have been published while the Party Congress is in session, some sceptics have questioned whether... 9th November 2012 · 1 min read
UK Data Response Trade (Sep.) The trade deficit narrowed in September, but the balance has recently been volatile and the underlying picture is one of little improvement. However, there were more encouraging signs in today’s... 9th November 2012 · 1 min read
Latin America Economics Update Peru: further tightening to come via reserve requirements Last night’s central bank meeting in Peru provided further evidence that policymakers are not considering rate hikes despite vigorous domestic demand and credit growth. Instead, concerns over the... 9th November 2012 · 1 min read
Emerging Europe Economics Update Russia signals rates to stay on hold The Central Bank of Russia kept its key interest rates on hold today and the accompanying statement suggests that any change in rates is unlikely in the very near-term. We still think that... 9th November 2012 · 1 min read
Non-Euro Europe Commercial Property Outlook Returns set to weaken in the year ahead If we are right that the euro-zone economy will continue to weaken, the drag on economic activity in non-euro-zone European economies is likely to intensify. As a result, occupier markets in non-euro... 8th November 2012 · 1 min read
Europe Commercial Property Outlook Euro-zone property at a turning point The economic backdrop to euro-zone commercial property markets continues to deteriorate. Our forecasts, that all member states will experience some falls in economic output next year, appear to be on... 8th November 2012 · 1 min read
China Economics Update Are rising wages hurting China's exporters? A further doubling of average incomes this decade, as pledged in the Party Congress today by President Hu Jintao, will probably not undermine China highly-competitive manufacturing sector. 8th November 2012 · 1 min read
Global Markets Focus Should shareholders be worried about the US fiscal cliff? We do not expect the result of the US elections to have a lasting impact on the stock market. Neither the tax hikes on investment income proposed by President Obama nor the tax cuts proposed by his... 8th November 2012 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update Draghi provides very little comfort While the ECB apparently stands ready to buy peripheral governments’ bonds, President Draghi gave little assurance today about when it might start or how many it might purchase. He also ruled out... 8th November 2012 · 1 min read
Latin America Economics Update Bank failures reflect previous financial excesses The recent seizure of a handful of small Brazilian banks and a Colombian brokerage underline the extent of financial excesses in parts of the region in recent years. While there may be additional bank... 8th November 2012 · 1 min read
Canada Data Response International Merchandise Trade (Sep. 12) September's trade report confirms that exports were a major drag on overall third-quarter GDP growth, with net exports subtracting possibly as much as three percentage points. This evidence, combined... 8th November 2012 · 1 min read
US Data Response International Trade (Sep. 12) The unexpected narrowing in the trade deficit in September opens the door to an modest upward revision to third-quarter real GDP growth. The bigger picture is that the weak global backdrop will... 8th November 2012 · 1 min read
Emerging Markets Trade Monitor Export improvement so far limited to Asia There are tentative signs that export performance in some emerging markets has begun to improve. But for now this pick-up seems to have been limited to manufacturing-based economies, mainly in Asia... 8th November 2012 · 1 min read
