Europe Data Response Euro-zone Industrial Production (Dec.) December’s small fall in euro-zone industrial production was probably down to the unusually severe winter weather and does little to alter the view that the sector remains the key driver behind the... 14th February 2011 · 1 min read
China Data Response Foreign Trade (Jan.) The doubling of import and export growth between December and January seems to reflect not just the usual volatility around Chinese New Year but also confidence among manufacturers about the prospects... 14th February 2011 · 1 min read
Japan Data Response GDP (Q4 Preliminary) The 0.3% q/q (1.1% annualised) contraction in Japan's GDP in the final quarter of2010 was smaller than expected (consensus -0.5%, CE forecast -0.7%). However, the figure for Q4 was made to look less... 14th February 2011 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Weekly Singapore's upswing will stay in good shape Singapore announces its latest budget on Thursday, and we anticipate that the key measures will include supports for low-income groups to cope with higher food and fuel prices. In addition, the budget... 14th February 2011 · 1 min read
US Economics Weekly Unemployment rate lowered by labour force exodus The decline in the unemployment rate doesn't just reflect an improving job market, it is also equally due to a decline in the labour force participation rate. There are roughly one million people who... 14th February 2011 · 1 min read
UK Economics Weekly Will the Inflation Report open the door to a rate hike? This week’s Inflation Report will give us a clearer idea of how close a shave last week’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting was. Although the Committee will probably revise down its forecasts... 14th February 2011 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Weekly A weak end to 2010 On the face of it, recent data suggest that the euro-zone is on track to expand at a pretty healthy pace in Q4. But we suspect that the disruption caused by the bad weather will mean that Q4’s growth... 14th February 2011 · 1 min read
Japan Economics Weekly Investment spending to remain sluggish Hopes that weakness in consumer spending and exports could be at least partly offset by a strong rebound in investment have been further undermined by the latest data on machinery orders and shipments... 14th February 2011 · 1 min read
US Housing Market Chart Pack Prices still sliding The renewed downward trend in house prices continued towards the end of last year, with prices on the 20-City Case-Shiller index falling for the fifth month in a row in November. (See Chart below.)... 11th February 2011 · 1 min read
China Economics Update January loan surge tests new credit policy January’s consumer price inflation figures will be the most closely-watched of China’s upcoming batch of data. But the lending data will also be worth a look for what they tell us about the government... 11th February 2011 · 1 min read
Canada Data Response International Merchandise Trade (Dec.) December's trade data confirm that net exports made a very strong contribution to GDP growth in Q4. We estimate that GDP growth accelerated to 3.5% annualised in the final three months of last year... 11th February 2011 · 1 min read
US Data Response International Trade (Dec.) The prospect of a rebound in imports at the start of this year, most probably linked to the recent strength of consumption, suggests that the external sector is unlikely to provide as large a boost to... 11th February 2011 · 1 min read
UK Commercial Property Update Are current rental value expectations too downbeat? There are grounds to think that the consensus forecasts that IPD all-property rental values will rise by about 1% in 2011 and 2.5% in 2012 are too cautious. First, the recovery in rental values in the... 11th February 2011 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update Korea's central bank bides its time The Bank of Korea (BoK) unexpectedly held its policy rate at 2.75% today. Nonetheless, core inflation has surged and looks set to climb further while GDP growth should pick up too. The upshot is that... 11th February 2011 · 1 min read
Emerging Europe Economics Update Is the Baltic bounce built to last? Today’s strong GDP data from Estonia mean that the economy grew by 3.1% in 2010 as a whole – slightly outpacing even our above-consensus forecast of 3%. But while growth should remain pretty... 11th February 2011 · 1 min read
