Asia Economics Update Malaysia targets reform ahead of fiscal consolidation The budget plans for 2011 announced in Malaysia late last week aim to ensure that the economic upswing continues and showed once again that the top priority was the implementation of new measures to... 18th October 2010 · 1 min read
US Data Response Prices start to fall back (Oct 10) House prices have started to fall back in response to the plunge in sales seen since the homebuyer tax credit expired in April. Both the Case-Shiller and FHFA indices showed prices fell in July. (See... 18th October 2010 · 1 min read
Emerging Europe Economics Update Turkey steps up its 'exit strategy' (Oct 10) It has been a long time coming, but policymakers in parts of the region are gearing up to begin tightening monetary policy. The Central Bank of Turkey accelerated its so-called ‘exit strategy’ from... 18th October 2010 · 1 min read
US Economics Weekly What could the foreclosure crisis mean? The recent freezing of foreclosure proceedings by some major banks may not necessarily be a disaster. But we are mindful that in its early stages the sub-prime crisis did not look too severe either... 18th October 2010 · 1 min read
Japan Economics Weekly A glimmer of hope The seemingly relentless appreciation of the yen against the dollar has not caused quite the degree of panic in Japan’s equity markets that might have been anticipated. In part this is because the yen... 18th October 2010 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Weekly Bank of Thailand will still probably tighten The Bank of Thailand (BoT) announces its policy rate decision on Wednesday. The repo rate has been hiked at the past two meetings, and we expect another 25bp increase to 2.0%. The surge in the baht... 18th October 2010 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Weekly ECB sitting stubbornly on the sidelines The latest speech by Governing Council member Axel Weber has highlighted the growing divergence between the ECB and more pro-active central banks elsewhere. We hope that the Bank might yet take bolder... 18th October 2010 · 1 min read
US Data Response Consumer Prices & Retail Sales (Sep.) September's consumer prices and retail sales figures will do little to ease the Fed's concerns that inflation is too low and that economic growth is too weak. Indeed, in a speech today Fed Chairman... 15th October 2010 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update Tightening cycle in India nearly over Inflation data published today in India showed that price pressures are still high while the recent weakness in the industrial production figures is probably overstated. We expect that the Reserve... 15th October 2010 · 1 min read
Europe Data Response Euro-zone Trade (Aug.) & CPI (Final, Sep.) August’s euro-zone trade figures suggest that the region is coping with slowing global demand pretty well for now. But with the euro appearing increasingly likely to be a major loser in any global... 15th October 2010 · 1 min read
Latin America Economics Update Chile responds to soaring peso Last night’s decision by the Central Bank of Chile (BCC) to slow the pace of monetary tightening was driven entirely by currency considerations. Fiscal policy will have to play a key role in managing... 15th October 2010 · 1 min read
Latin America Economics Update Higher commodity prices to bring fresh set of policy challenges We have nudged up our near-term projections for commodity prices in response to recent rises and as a result have revisited our forecasts for Latin America. Growth is still likely to slow next year... 14th October 2010 · 1 min read
UK Economics Focus Can the spending cuts actually be achieved? The sheer size of the Government’s planned reductions in public spending and the likely weakness of the economy cast major doubts on whether the cuts can actually be achieved in full. But big cuts are... 14th October 2010 · 1 min read
US Data Response International Trade (Aug.) & PPI (Sep.) The widening in the international trade deficit in August, and in particular the jump in the bilateral deficit with China to a record high, will only fuel growing speculation of a currency war. 14th October 2010 · 1 min read
