India Data Response Consumer Prices (Oct.) & Industrial Production (Sep.) The increase in India’s consumer price inflation in October doesn’t put the RBI’s inflation target for January 2016 under threat, but it underlines that policymakers cannot be certain that they will... 12th November 2015 · 1 min read
Metals Data Response South Africa’s Mine Production (Sep.) South Africa’s PGM production continued to fall in September as low prices are threatening miners’ profitability. Lonmin is just the latest example of an industry struggling to keep up with labour... 12th November 2015 · 1 min read
Europe Data Response Euro-zone Industrial Production (Sep.) September’s fall in euro-zone industrial production confirmed that the sector made virtually no contribution to GDP growth in Q3, suggesting that the overall economic recovery is unlikely to have... 12th November 2015 · 1 min read
China Data Response Bank Lending & Broad Credit (Oct.) The weaker-than-expected October lending data are likely to add to doubts over the effectiveness of policy support. But overall credit growth is nonetheless continuing to accelerate, which is positive... 12th November 2015 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update Philippines to keep interest rates on hold for a while yet Despite low inflation and a recent run of weak activity data, today’s decision by the central bank of the Philippines (BSP) to keep its key policy rate on hold at 4.0% came as no big surprise. Looking... 12th November 2015 · 1 min read
Industrial Metals Update Can protectionism save beleaguered aluminium producers? With profits under pressure, aluminium producers outside China have recently campaigned for protectionist trade measures in an attempt to defend themselves against cheap Chinese imports. However, we... 12th November 2015 · 1 min read
Europe Data Response Swedish Consumer Prices (Oct.) The very low rate of inflation in Sweden in October suggests that the Riksbank will need to put any lingering concerns about household debt to one side and increase its monetary policy support in... 12th November 2015 · 1 min read
UK Housing Market Data Response RICS Residential Market Survey (Oct.) There was little reason to be cheerful about in this morning’s RICS survey. The big picture is that price pressures remain elevated and there is little sign of any imminent improvement in market... 12th November 2015 · 1 min read
Australia & New Zealand Data Response Australia Labour Market (Oct.) The strength of Australia’s labour market in October builds on other evidence that suggests the economy has made some big leaps forward in recent months. It diminishes the chances of further rate cuts... 12th November 2015 · 1 min read
Emerging Markets Trade Monitor Drag on EM exports from commodity collapse should ease soon EM exports remained weak in September as the drag from lower commodity prices continued to take its toll, even in countries which are not major commodity exporters. However, as this drag fades and... 12th November 2015 · 1 min read
Europe Data Response French CPI (Oct.) Although France’s headline inflation rate ticked up in October, price pressures across the euro-zone’s core economies remain very weak, supporting the case for more policy support from the ECB. 12th November 2015 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update Bank of Korea to hold rates through 2016 With the domestic economy showing signs of recovery, the Bank of Korea (BoK) left its policy rate unchanged at a record low of 1.50% today. We expect the BoK to keep rates on hold for the rest of 2015... 12th November 2015 · 1 min read
Japan Data Response Machinery Orders (Sep.) Despite a rebound in “core” machinery orders in September, they still fell sharply across Q3 as a whole. The upshot is that non-residential investment probably dropped for the second straight quarter... 12th November 2015 · 1 min read
Nordic & Swiss Data Response Swedish Consumer Prices (Oct. 15) The very low rate of inflation in Sweden in October suggests that the Riksbank will need to put any lingering concerns about household debt to one side and increase its monetary policy support in... 12th November 2015 · 1 min read
Australia & New Zealand Data Response Consumer Confidence (Nov.) The further rise in consumer confidence in November, to a six-month high, suggests that households are playing a part in the recent “firming” in activity. 11th November 2015 · 1 min read
Industrial Metals Update Prices fail to heed fundamentals Ongoing declines in stocks of many LME metals have failed to prevent prices from falling further over the last month. Of course, stocks can be subject to manipulation and may not be an accurate... 11th November 2015 · 1 min read