Canada Chart Pack Leading indicator points to modest GDP growth Canadian economic growth improved to 3.3% annualised in Q4 from 1.8% in Q3. The composite leading indicator points to more modest growth of around 2% annualised over the first-half of this year. Over... 2nd March 2011 · 1 min read
US Housing Market Update Cash won't be king for forever The fact that the recent rebound in existing home sales has been predominantly driven by cash buyers and investors places a question mark over the sustainability of that rebound. The concern is that... 2nd March 2011 · 1 min read
China Economics Update What should we make of the lower growth target? The inclusion of a lower growth target in the new Five-Year Plan is a simple acknowledgement that growth will slow as China’s pool of surplus rural workers dries up. The call for better quality growth... 2nd March 2011 · 1 min read
Latin America Economics Update Bounce in Brazilian industry not a game changer The modest rebound in Brazilian industrial production in January is good news and the surveys suggest that output picked up further over the course of last month too. But the bigger picture remains... 2nd March 2011 · 1 min read
Global Economics Update How does this oil price spike compare with history? The current spike in oil prices has inevitably led to comparisons with other episodes when prices have surged over a relatively short period. The last five such episodes were all followed by global... 2nd March 2011 · 1 min read
Europe Chart Pack Recovery regaining momentum February’s sharp rises in the surveys of euro-zone business sentiment are an encouraging sign that the region’s fiscal squeeze is not yet having a severe impact on business confidence. This, coupled... 2nd March 2011 · 1 min read
Emerging Europe Economics Update NBP pauses as Polish economy slows The National Bank of Poland left interest rates unchanged at 3.75% this lunchtime, as we expected. It was probably a close call and the market is still pricing in further significant hikes in the... 2nd March 2011 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update Australia's mining boom to bring above-trend growth Australia’s economy grew at a faster pace at the end of last year than in Q3, as expected. Recent natural disasters will lower GDP in this quarter but the outlook is positive. Growth should accelerate... 2nd March 2011 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update Bond purchase stand-off bodes ill for grand policy plan The apparent impasse between the ECB and Germany over the purchase of peripheral government bonds not only makes it very likely that Portugal will have to accept a bail-out but also questions the... 2nd March 2011 · 1 min read
UK Commercial Property Data Response CIPS/Markit Construction PMI (Feb) In February, the CIPS/Markit construction PMI hit its highest level since last June, driven primarily by a surge in residential construction activity. However, activity in the commercial property... 2nd March 2011 · 1 min read
UK Economics Update How worrying is the rise in companies' price expectations? Concerns about the knock-on effects of the rise in inflation on inflation expectations tend to focus on the expectations of households and financial markets. But of most direct importance for the... 2nd March 2011 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update Euro-zone Fiscal Monitor (Feb.) Most of the peripheral euro-zone governments made some progress towards getting their public finances under control in 2010. But those economies are set for another painful squeeze this year and... 2nd March 2011 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Focus Can European policymakers rise to the challenge? Well over a year into the euro-zone debt crisis, policymakers still face enormous challenges if they are to prevent the region’s problems from continuing to escalate. On current evidence, it is far... 1st March 2011 · 1 min read
Canada Economics Update Bank of Canada remains cautious The policy statement from the Bank of Canada this morning signalled that it is in no rush to raise interest rates, stressing as before that "any further reduction in monetary policy stimulus would... 1st March 2011 · 1 min read
