EM Valuations Monitor Has the rally in “junk” bonds gone too far? The strong performance of non-investment grade (or “junk”) dollar-denominated government bonds in recent weeks has driven the yield premium over investment grade bonds down to 360bp, a level rarely... 4th May 2016 · 1 min read
Europe Data Response Euro-zone Retail Sales (Mar.) & Final PMIs (Apr.) March’s euro-zone retail sales data appear to confirm that strong consumer spending supported growth in Q1, but we doubt that this will be sustained. Indeed, April’s Composite PMI points to a slight... 4th May 2016 · 1 min read
UK Commercial Property Data Response CIPS/Markit Construction PMI (Apr.) Today’s commercial construction PMI data provided further evidence to expect a slowdown in rental value growth during 2016. However, for now, today’s data give no indication that rents are due to move... 4th May 2016 · 1 min read
Middle East & North Africa Economics Update Egypt: pressures on pound build, further devaluation on the cards Since March’s devaluation, Egypt’s central bank has been hesitant to let the pound fall further, but pressures are building and we think a further devaluation is on the cards. We expect the pound to... 4th May 2016 · 1 min read
US Economics Update Monetary Indicators Monitor (Mar.) Although the annual growth rate of our own M3 measure was a still muted 3.8% in March, the strength of M2 growth, at 6.2%, and bank loan growth, at 7.8%, underscores that there is nothing in the... 4th May 2016 · 1 min read
Asia Data Response Indonesia GDP (Q1) The slowdown in Indonesia's economy last quarter reflects significant headwinds that we think will keep growth stuck at around 5% for the next couple of years. 4th May 2016 · 1 min read
Australia & New Zealand Data Response New Zealand Labour Market (Q1) The sharper-than-expected rise in the unemployment rate in the first quarter reversed half of the large decline at the end of last year and suggests that the previous improvement was more a mirage... 4th May 2016 · 1 min read
Emerging Markets Economics Update EM industry still in better shape than at start of the year There were sharp drops in the manufacturing PMIs in Brazil and India last month, which pulled down the aggregate EM figure. That said, in both countries this seems to reflect survey data catching up... 3rd May 2016 · 1 min read
Commodities Chart Pack It’s all about the dollar Commodity prices rose again in April on a combination of persistent weakness in the US dollar and investor optimism about a recovery in Chinese demand. While our long-held view has been that... 3rd May 2016 · 1 min read
Global Economics Update Global Manufacturing PMI (Apr.) Manufacturing activity seems to have remained weak across the board at the start of the second quarter. Markit’s global manufacturing PMI, released today, slipped from 50.6 in March to 50.1 in April... 3rd May 2016 · 1 min read
UK Data Response Markit/CIPS Report on Manuf. (Apr.) The latest Markit/CIPS manufacturing survey suggested that the sector began Q2 on a poor footing and will increase fears that the economic recovery will slow further inQ2 as the EU referendum nears... 3rd May 2016 · 1 min read
Australia & New Zealand Economics Focus Pre-election Budget postpones fiscal pain While the Budget has been badged as focusing on “jobs and growth”, Treasurer Scott Morrison was clearly thinking about his own job and the probable Federal election on 2nd July when he crafted it... 3rd May 2016 · 1 min read
UK Economics Update What to expect on EU referendum day and shortly after The latest Markit/CIPS manufacturing survey suggested that the sector began Q2 on a poor footing and will increase fears that the economic recovery will slow further inQ2 as the EU referendum nears... 3rd May 2016 · 1 min read
Latin America Economics Update Colombia: Tightening cycle close to an end A larger-than-expected hike in interest rates last week, coupled with the fact that inflation should soon peak, means that we suspect that Colombia’s tightening cycle is now nearing an end. We are... 3rd May 2016 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update Are Portugal’s fiscal problems over? Last week’s decision by DBRS to maintain its investment grade credit rating for Portugal has brought short-term relief. But with the economic recovery likely to slow this year and the public finances... 3rd May 2016 · 1 min read
