US Data Response Consumer Prices (Nov.) The continued decline in energy prices is still just about keeping a lid on headline CPI inflation, but base effects will drive it up sharply over the next few months and, more importantly, there are... 15th December 2015 · 1 min read
UK Commercial Property Update Will rate tightening trigger a property correction? Experience shows that there is little direct relationship between all-property yields and Bank Rate. And with little prospect of a marked deterioration in occupier market conditions, next years’... 15th December 2015 · 1 min read
Global Inflation Watch Inflation to rebound despite latest drop in oil prices Notwithstanding the renewed slump in oil prices, headline inflation is set to rise sharply in most advanced economies as last year’s much larger falls in energy costs drop out of the annual comparison... 15th December 2015 · 1 min read
Asia Data Response Sri Lanka GDP (Q3) We would be wary of reading too much into today’s GDP figures from Sri Lanka, which suggest the economy slowed sharply in the third quarter. The country’s statistical office has recently rebased its... 15th December 2015 · 1 min read
Middle East & North Africa Economics Update Saudi growth eases, further slowdown likely in 2016 Our GDP Tracker suggests that the Saudi Arabian economy weakened a little in October and, with fiscal policy set to tighten, we expect much slower growth in 2016. 15th December 2015 · 1 min read
Europe Commercial Property Update Spanish property values set to grow strongly in 2016 The loose monetary policy environment will help to underpin investor sentiment toward Spain in 2016, keeping property yields low despite an increasingly uncertain political backdrop. And with ample... 15th December 2015 · 1 min read
Europe Data Response German ZEW (Dec.) December’s solid rise in German ZEW investor expectations suggests that the economy is faring pretty well, but it still points to a slight slowdown in growth. 15th December 2015 · 1 min read
UK Data Response Consumer Prices & Producer Prices (Nov.) The latest consumer prices figures confirmed that the UK’s brief flirt with deflation came to an end in November. But price pressures look set to remain subdued for a long while yet. Accordingly, the... 15th December 2015 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update What do the latest falls in oil prices mean for Asia? The boost to regional growth from the recent slide in global oil prices is likely to be quite small unless consumers decide to spend rather than save the latest windfall. 15th December 2015 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update Sweden’s Riksbank holds but will have to do more in 2016 The ECB’s timidity and strong domestic demand has allowed Sweden’s Riksbank to leave monetary policy unchanged today. But with headline inflation in Sweden still close to zero and policy likely to be... 15th December 2015 · 1 min read
Australia & New Zealand Economics Focus MYEFO – Hiding a larger structural fiscal hole The decision by the Treasurer to use the Mid-Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook (MYEFO) to draw attention to the deterioration in the fiscal position triggered by the weak economic backdrop is one that... 15th December 2015 · 1 min read
Bank of Japan Watch Inflation slowdown to increase pressure on policymakers With economic activity recovering and underlying inflation holding up, there is little immediate pressure on the Bank to step up the pace of easing. However, we still believe that price pressures will... 15th December 2015 · 1 min read
Nordic & Swiss Economics Update Sweden’s Riksbank holds but will have to do more in 2016 The ECB’s timidity and strong domestic demand has allowed Sweden’s Riksbank to leave monetary policy unchanged today. But with headline inflation in Sweden still close to zero and policy likely to be... 15th December 2015 · 1 min read
Industrial Metals Update Investor sentiment towards PMs still fragile The prices of precious metals (PMs) have continued to fall since mid-November. While expectations for a December rate hike by the Fed and a strong dollar have been among the biggest catalysts for... 14th December 2015 · 1 min read
Africa Chart Pack South Africa battered by self-induced crisis A recent series of unexpected cabinet reshuffles – in which South Africa had three finance ministers in four days – has dented the political and economic credibility of President Jacob Zuma. The rand... 14th December 2015 · 1 min read
Global Economics Update Is a major devaluation of the renminbi the next global shock? Late on Friday the People’s Bank of China (PBOC) appeared to signal its intention to shift towards managing the renminbi against a currency basket rather than the US dollar. This has added to... 14th December 2015 · 1 min read