US Housing Market Data Response Mortgage Applications (Apr.) The rise in mortgage rates to a seven-year high of 4.8% over April has had contrasting impacts on refinancing and home purchase applications. Refinancing applications fell, approaching a 10-year low... 2nd May 2018 · 1 min read
Latin America Economics Focus Life still left in Brazil’s recovery Brazil’s economy has been losing momentum for several quarters, but it’s premature to think that the recovery is now over. Indeed, the conditions seem to be in place for growth to strengthen again in... 2nd May 2018 · 1 min read
Global Economics Update Synchronised slowdown probably just temporary The fact that the slowdown in advanced economies has been so broad-based raises the question whether it is more than just a blip. However, strong business surveys and fundamentals suggest that... 2nd May 2018 · 1 min read
Middle East & North Africa Economics Update Saudi economy pulling out of recession The Saudi economy appears to have returned to positive growth in the first few months of this year as a fading drag from the oil sector has more than offset a modest slowdown in the rest of the... 2nd May 2018 · 1 min read
Global Markets Update How will the end of ECB QE affect bond yields? We think that after the ECB has ended its asset purchases, bond yields will generally rise only slowly. The biggest increases are likely to come in the periphery, with Italy most at risk of a sharp... 2nd May 2018 · 1 min read
UK Commercial Property Data Response CIPS/Markit Construction PMI (Apr.) Following the Q1 weather disruptions, the CIPS/Markit Construction PMI suggests that there was a recovery in construction activity in April across all sub-sectors. Yet, the improvement was more... 2nd May 2018 · 1 min read
Europe Data Response Euro-zone GDP (Q1) & Unemployment (Mar.) Temporary factors explain some of the slowdown in euro-zone GDP growth in Q1. We doubt that the economy will regain all of its lost momentum, but surveys suggest that growth will pick back up. 2nd May 2018 · 1 min read
Commodities Update China’s April PMIs point to stability China’s unofficial and official manufacturing PMIs for April painted a relatively stable picture. It seems likely that the return of industrial capacity, after anti-pollution measures closed plants... 2nd May 2018 · 1 min read
Africa Data Response South Africa Manufacturing PMI (Apr.) Today’s strong PMI reading – which recovered to 50.9 – may not tell us much; the measure has been highly volatile lately. Other indicators, however, also point to growing confidence in the economy. 2nd May 2018 · 1 min read
Nordic & Swiss Economics Update Will Swiss and Nordic currencies recoup their losses? The Swiss franc and Nordic currencies have come under pressure this year. While we think that the franc and the Norwegian krone have further to fall, we suspect that the Swedish krona will rebound. 2nd May 2018 · 1 min read
Emerging Europe Data Response Manufacturing PMIs (Apr.) Last month’s manufacturing PMIs fell in most of Emerging Europe, supporting our view that regional growth has now peaked. The PMI dropped particularly sharply in Turkey, suggesting that a fairly... 2nd May 2018 · 1 min read
Nordic & Swiss Data Response Manufacturing PMIs (Apr.) April’s manufacturing PMIs provide some reassurance that the Swiss and Norwegian economies bounced back after making slow starts to the year. Sweden’s PMI was quite weak, but other survey indicators... 2nd May 2018 · 1 min read
Australia & New Zealand Chart Pack Inflation outlook remains subdued Inflationary pressures picked up in the first quarter in Australia, with underlying inflation rising to the bottom of the RBA’s 2-3% target for the first time in two years. In contrast, core inflation... 2nd May 2018 · 1 min read
Australia & New Zealand Economics Update What next for the Aussie and kiwi dollars? The recent weakening in the Australian and New Zealand dollars probably has a bit further to go and the big risks still lie on the downside. That said, a shift in interest rate differentials next year... 2nd May 2018 · 1 min read
Australia & New Zealand Data Response New Zealand - Labour Market (Q1) The labour market continued to strengthen in the first quarter, with employment posting another decent rise and the unemployment rate falling to its lowest level in almost a decade. And although wage... 2nd May 2018 · 1 min read
Commodities Chart Pack Geopolitics trump fundamentals Commodity price indices surged in April despite a jump in the US dollar. Fading fears of a global trade war gave a lift to riskier assets more generally, while escalating tensions in the Middle East... 1st May 2018 · 1 min read
