Emerging Markets Trade Monitor EM exports picking up, but recovery uneven Surprisingly strong export growth from China last month has raised hopes of a broader recovery in EM exports. However, the country level data suggest that export performances are highly uneven, with... 12th February 2014 · 1 min read
Africa Economics Update Zambia’s fiscal position a major concern Zambia’s fiscal position has deteriorated markedly over the past few years despite the tailwind of high copper prices, which have boosted revenues. A relatively low burden of public debt means that a... 12th February 2014 · 1 min read
Middle East & North Africa Economics Update Is Tunisia really on the path to recovery? It’s still early days, but we think that political developments in Tunisia over the past few months provide reasons to be optimistic about the country’s economic outlook. 11th February 2014 · 1 min read
Africa Economics Update South African labour market conditions remain tough On the face of it, the fall in South Africa’s unemployment rate to a two-year low in Q4 is encouraging, but much of this can be explained by a rise in temporary employment in sectors that deliver low... 11th February 2014 · 1 min read
Emerging Markets Economics Focus Will the BRICs embrace economic reforms? The recent slowdown in the major BRIC economies has been driven largely by structural factors, meaning that a new wave of reforms is needed if they are to regain their vigour. But, as things stand... 10th February 2014 · 1 min read
Middle East & North Africa Economics Update Egypt’s fiscal position still a major concern At first glance, the interim Egyptian government seems to have made some progress in bringing the country’s dire public finances back under control. However, the apparent improvement can largely be... 6th February 2014 · 1 min read
Africa Economics Update Currency concerns force Bank of Ghana to act The decision by the Bank of Ghana to aggressively hike rates today, combined with the FX restrictions announced yesterday, should bring some temporary relief to the cedi. However, a lack of progress... 6th February 2014 · 1 min read
Emerging Markets Economics Update Manufacturing PMIs highlight EM divergence Emerging market (EM) manufacturing appears to have slowed last month but, perhaps more importantly, there is a widening divergence between countries. Activity seems to be picking up in the more open... 6th February 2014 · 1 min read
Emerging Markets Economics Focus Five questions (and answers) about the turmoil in EM markets The emerging world may not be facing a re-run of the late-1990s, as some have suggested, but theprecarious position of some EMs makes it likely that several economies will run into trouble overthe... 4th February 2014 · 1 min read
Middle East & North Africa Economics Update PMIs highlight Egypt’s fragile recovery Last month’s PMI suggests that political turmoil surrounding Egypt’s constitutional referendum disrupted economic activity. Meanwhile, growth in non-oil sectors in the Gulf appears to remain strong. 4th February 2014 · 1 min read
Africa Economics Update Who is next in line to hike interest rates? Following the South African Reserve Bank’s decision to hike interest rates last week in response to the recent turmoil in EM financial markets, Ghana looks set to be the next country in the region to... 4th February 2014 · 1 min read
Africa Economics Update South African manufacturers still struggling South Africa’s latest manufacturing PMI suggests that the sector has started 2014 on a subdued note. The continued depreciation of the rand should eventually provide a boost for local industry over... 3rd February 2014 · 1 min read
Emerging Europe Economics Update Currency turmoil not yet a risk to EM inflation As things stand, the recent sharp falls in emerging market (EM) currencies do not appear to be a major threat to EM inflation. Even those emerging economies that have borne the brunt of the currency... 31st January 2014 · 1 min read
Africa Chart Pack South Africa tightens policy, others may soon follow suit The South African Reserve Bank responded to the turmoil in EM currency markets by unexpectedly hiking interest rates this month. Rates were raised by 50bp to 5.50% and, looking ahead, we think policy... 31st January 2014 · 1 min read
Middle East & North Africa Economics Update IMF deals and Gulf aid spare MENA’s non-oil producers In spite of their large current account deficits, the MENA region’s non-oil economies have stayed out of the spotlight during the recent turmoil in EM financial markets thanks, it seems, to IMF... 30th January 2014 · 1 min read
Emerging Markets Activity Monitor Economic fallout from market turmoil should be contained It’s too early to say with any certainty what impact the current turmoil in financial markets will have on EM growth. But while we expect the countries that have been hit hardest in recent weeks –... 30th January 2014 · 1 min read
