UK Economics Focus Can consumers continue to shoulder the recovery? Yesterday’s GDP figures showed that growth in Q4 was entirely driven by the services sector, suggesting that consumer spending continued to shoulder the economic recovery at the end of last year. And... 29th January 2016 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update Euro-zone Monetary Indicators Monitor (Dec.) December’s euro-zone monetary data suggested that money and lending growth in the currency union has peaked, adding to the case for the ECB to loosen monetary policy significantly in March. 29th January 2016 · 1 min read
UK Data Response GfK/NOP Consumer Confidence (Jan.) January’s consumer confidence figures support our expectation that household spending will continue to grow at a solid rate in 2016. But consumption growth will probably be a bit slower than in 2015... 29th January 2016 · 1 min read
Europe Data Response France, Spain & Austria GDP (Q4, 1st est.) Provisional Q4 GDP data from France, Spain and Austria suggested that the euro-zone’s modest economic recovery is unlikely to have gathered steam in the final quarter of last year, providing a weak... 29th January 2016 · 1 min read
Japan Economics Update Further cuts in interest rates likely to be required The introduction of negative interest rates at today’s BoJ meeting will likely be followed by further cuts in coming months. The upshot is that the yen should continue to weaken against the dollar. 29th January 2016 · 1 min read
India Economics Update Fiscal success in FY15/16, but tougher challenges await As attention turns to the government’s FY16/17 budget announcement on 29 th February, the finance ministry can look back on what appears to have been a successful FY15/16. We think that this year’s... 29th January 2016 · 1 min read
Australia & New Zealand Economics Weekly Tradables inflation is only half the story It’s odd that the financial markets placed so much emphasis on the rise in Australia’s tradables inflation rate in the fourth quarter of last year when this was more than offset by a fall in non... 29th January 2016 · 1 min read
Asia Data Response Taiwan GDP (Q4 Advanced) Taiwan’s economy climbed out of recession last quarter and we expect the recovery to gain momentum this year, as growth in Taiwan’s main trading partners picks up and domestic demand strengthens. 29th January 2016 · 1 min read
Japan Data Response Industrial Production, Household Spending, Unemployment & Consumer Prices (Dec.) Today’s activity data were disappointing and suggest that Japan’s economy barely grew last quarter. While activity should recover in Q1, the moderation in underlying inflation suggests that the Bank... 29th January 2016 · 1 min read
Africa Chart Pack Headwinds strengthen in key African economies Recent figures have only strengthened our belief that the challenges facing Africa’s three largest economies are growing. Nigeria’s botched response to low oil prices has caused the currency to plunge... 28th January 2016 · 1 min read
US Employment Report Preview Base effects will temporarily depress wage growth Our econometric model points to a solid 210,000 gain in non-farm payrolls in January, which should lower the unemployment rate to 4.9%, leaving it in line with the Fed’s median estimate of the long... 28th January 2016 · 1 min read
Global Markets Outlook Has the tide turned? We do not think that the global economy is performing as badly as many believe. Indeed, our expectation is that growth in China this year is more likely to edge higher than collapse. With this in mind... 28th January 2016 · 1 min read
Frontier Markets Wrap A tough start to the year for frontier financial markets Frontier assets have had a difficult start to the year as fears over global growth caused fresh turmoil in financial markets. Oil producers have been particularly hard hit on the back of the collapse... 28th January 2016 · 1 min read
Energy Update Could Russia join OPEC in supporting oil prices? The jump in oil prices today (to a high of $35) on speculation that Saudi Arabia and Russia could soon agree to cut output is at least consistent with our forecasts of a rebound by year-end... 28th January 2016 · 1 min read
Middle East & North Africa Economics Update Egypt: interest rates on hold, devaluation increasingly likely The Central Bank of Egypt kept its benchmark overnight deposit rate unchanged at 9.25% today as an influx of financial support has eased immediate concerns over the country’s external position and... 28th January 2016 · 1 min read
BoE Watch Inflation Report to signal rate expectations are too low The messages from this month’s Inflation Report will probably be pretty mixed. A lower profile for growth and inflation over the next few quarters should cement expectations that an interest rate rise... 28th January 2016 · 1 min read
