Japan Data Response Activity, Wages and Prices (Mar.) Today's rush of data showed no sign of the imminent double-dip in the Japanese economy that some still fear. 30th April 2010 · 1 min read
Asia Chart Pack No worries in Asia about contagion from Greece (Apr 10) The emerging Asia upswing continues to pick up speed, inflation has accelerated, and India has started to lift policy rates. In May, we expect that rates will move up again in Australia and Malaysia... 30th April 2010 · 1 min read
UK Economics Update Macroprudential toolkit could help interest rates stay low While all main parties look set to leave the current inflation-targeting regime in place, all seem agreed on the need for some form of so-called “macroprudential” toolkit. New tools to control asset... 29th April 2010 · 1 min read
ECB Watch Greek turmoil adds to ECB caution Any earlier suspicions that ECB interest rate hikes might have been on the horizon have surely been blown away by the Greek crisis. For now, the recovery in the broader euro-zone economy seems to have... 29th April 2010 · 1 min read
Europe Commercial Property Update RICS survey highlights fragility of Western European occupier markets Today’s Q1 2010 RICS global commercial property survey broadly supports our view that the weak occupier market outlook will drive capital values at least a little lower this year in most Western... 29th April 2010 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update New Zealand set to hike policy rates soon The Reserve Bank of New Zealand (RBNZ) held its cash rate at 2.50% overnight, as expected. In its guidance on future moves, the RBNZ stated that it would tighten in “coming months”, which means either... 29th April 2010 · 1 min read
China Economics Update What should we make of China’s surging copper imports? The surge in China’s copper imports last month has been taken by some as evidence that final demand is booming. But with inventories at unprecedented levels, import demand looks set to tail off again. 29th April 2010 · 1 min read
Bank of Japan Watch Forecasts of end to deflation are premature The Bank of Japan’s Policy Board is almost certain to raise its projections for both economic growth and consumer prices at tomorrow's meeting. Indeed, reliable media reports suggest it will forecast... 29th April 2010 · 1 min read
Europe Data Response Euro-zone EC Survey & German Unemployment (Apr.) April’s improvement in the EC business and consumer survey suggests that, for the time being at least, the euro-zone’s fiscal crisis is not preventing a recovery in the broader economy. 29th April 2010 · 1 min read
UK Economics Update Greek woes underline need for clear fiscal plan The rapid escalation of the Greek fiscal crisis has prompted inevitable questions over whether the UK faces similar dangers. So far, UK markets are probably right to have been sanguine. But that might... 29th April 2010 · 1 min read
Emerging Europe Economics Update Russian policymakers still pushing on a string Today’s 25bp interest rate cut in Russia will do little to spur lending in the real economy. And while policymakers are likely to cut interest rates further in the near-term, there is a good chance... 29th April 2010 · 1 min read
UK Data Response Nationwide House Prices (Apr.) House price inflation returned to double-digit rates in April, for the first time since June 2007. However, with the pressure on household incomes more likely to rise than ease and surveys pointing to... 29th April 2010 · 1 min read
