Africa Economics Update Kenya & Ghana: Tightening cycles both set to reverse Today’s statements from the Ghanaian and Kenyan Central Banks were more dovish than we had anticipated. This supports our view that the Ghanaian authorities will cut rates later this year, and we have... 21st March 2016 · 1 min read
US Housing Market Data Response Existing Home Sales (Feb.) The large 7.1% m/m drop in existing home sales in February is down to chronically low numbers of homes for sale. With limited prospect of the supply situation improving any time soon, existing home... 21st March 2016 · 1 min read
Emerging Europe Data Response Russia Activity Data (Feb.) The improvement in last month’s Russian activity data was flattered by working day effects due to the leap year. But even so, the figures provide further evidence that the economy has passed the worst... 21st March 2016 · 1 min read
UK Data Response CBI Industrial Trends Survey (Mar.) Despite some improvement, March’s CBI Industrial Trends Survey indicates that the manufacturing sector recovery remains sluggish, although there are some reasons for optimism further ahead. 21st March 2016 · 1 min read
Metals Data Response Global Steel Production (Feb.) World Steel Association (WSA) data, released today, show that global steel output fell by 3.3% year on year in February, although this represented an improvement from the January drop of 7.1%. 21st March 2016 · 1 min read
UK Housing Market Update The risk to the UK housing market isn’t Brexit An out vote in June’s EU referendum could lead to some short-term softening in activity levels and price pressures in the housing market. It could also present another medium-term headwind to raising... 21st March 2016 · 1 min read
Commodities Update Weak start to 2016 continues for China’s agricultural imports The detailed Chinese import data for February, released earlier today, indicate that import demand for agricultural commodities continued its generally lacklustre start to the year. 21st March 2016 · 1 min read
Industrial Metals Update China’s metals imports surge at the start of the year Strong growth in China’s metals imports, which started in the final quarter of 2015, continued in January-February. Some of the buying may have been opportunistic, given low prices, but it also points... 21st March 2016 · 1 min read
Precious Metals Update China’s PGM imports soar in February China’s imports of palladium and platinum continued to rise strongly in February. We expect imports to remain buoyant over the coming months as car output trends higher and demand for platinum... 21st March 2016 · 1 min read
India Economics Update Markets regain their poise India's financial markets have rallied over the past couple of weeks following a terrible start to the year. The rupee has strengthened, while local equities have made significant gains. Meanwhile... 21st March 2016 · 1 min read
Middle East & North Africa Data Response Saudi Arabia Consumer Prices (Feb.) Saudi inflation eased in February to 4.2% y/y, although it remained high due to the impact of recent administered price rises. But with economic growth slowing, we think underlying price pressures... 21st March 2016 · 1 min read
Commodities Weekly Fed’s apparent “dovishness” cheers the markets Commodities have benefited in the past week from a continued improvement in investor sentiment, helped by a relatively dovish statement from the US central bank which weakened the dollar further... 18th March 2016 · 1 min read
DM Valuations Monitor What to make of the rebound in inflation compensation? The gap between the nominal yield of 10-year conventional US Treasuries and the real yield of 10-year US TIPS has rebounded over the past month. This increase in inflation compensation could... 18th March 2016 · 1 min read
Global Markets Update Was there a “Shanghai Accord” to weaken the dollar? Speculation that G20 officials came to a tacit deal in Shanghai last month to end the “currency wars” that have boosted the US dollar fits a few of the facts, but overall makes no sense. Neither the... 18th March 2016 · 1 min read
US Economics Weekly Soft patch in consumption only temporary Last week’s weaker than expected data on retail sales and the drop in utilities production in February suggest that real consumption growth has started the year on a softer footing than initially... 18th March 2016 · 1 min read
