Frontier Markets Wrap Frontier recovery still on track The recovery in frontier economies continued over the first half of this year. GDP growth averaged around 2.0% y/y in Q1, twice the rates seen in mid-2016. It would have been stronger still were it... 31st July 2017 · 1 min read
Asia Economic Outlook How long will the recovery last? A pick-up in exports will lift growth in Emerging Asia to a five-year high in 2017, but mounting domestic headwinds means that this is unlikely to be sustained. We expect growth to slow in 201819... 6th July 2017 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update Asian equities continue to rally Asian equity markets have continued to rally, with stock markets in Taiwan, Korea, India and Indonesia all recently hitting new record highs. 29th June 2017 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update Sri Lankan rates on hold, but further hikes can’t be ruled out Sri Lanka’s central bank left interest rates on hold today, and the less hawkish tone of the statement suggests the central bank’s tightening cycle may be nearing an end. We are changing our forecast... 23rd June 2017 · 1 min read
Asia Data Response Sri Lanka GDP (Q1) GDP growth in Sri Lanka slowed last quarter according to the official figures, and is likely to remain weak throughout 2017 as fiscal and monetary policy are tightened. 15th June 2017 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update Sri Lanka holds rates, pause unlikely to last The central bank in Sri Lanka (CBSL) today left interest rates on hold, but a combination of rapid credit growth, high inflation and a weak currency suggests further tightening is only a matter of... 9th May 2017 · 1 min read
Asia Economic Outlook Stronger exports to boost growth in 2017 Buoyant global demand should help to support growth across most of Emerging Asia over the coming quarters, but mounting domestic headwinds mean a strong rebound is not on the cards. Although the... 11th April 2017 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update Sri Lanka hikes rates, further tightening likely Today’s 25bp rate hike by the Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) is unlikely to be the last in the current tightening cycle. A combination of rapid credit growth, rising inflation and a weakening... 24th March 2017 · 1 min read
Asia Chart Pack South Korea elections: key names to watch Political campaigning in South Korea ahead of presidential elections due on 9th May is now well underway. Given the extent of public anger against ousted former president Park Geun-hye and her ruling... 21st March 2017 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update Asia will not follow the Fed’s lead For most economies in Emerging Asia it will be local factors, not the actions of the US Federal Reserve, which will determine the next moves by the region’s central banks. 16th March 2017 · 1 min read
Asia Data Response Sri Lanka GDP (Q4) GDP growth in Sri Lanka accelerated last quarter according to the official figures, but is likely to slow in 2017 as fiscal and monetary policy are tightened. 15th March 2017 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Weekly Spike in inflation nothing to worry about The sharp rise in headline inflation across Emerging Asia is unlikely to be the trigger for the region’s central banks to start tightening monetary policy. The increase is almost entirely due to an... 3rd March 2017 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update Sri Lanka holds rates, but hikes likely soon The Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) kept rates on hold at its meeting today, but against a backdrop of rapid credit growth, rising inflation and a weakening currency, we think it is only a matter of... 7th February 2017 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Weekly Thailand’s current account surplus is a sign of weakness Large current account surpluses are sometimes a sign of economic strength. In the case of Thailand, however, where the surplus is over 10% of GDP, it is a symptom of a deeply depressed economy. 27th January 2017 · 1 min read
Asia Chart Pack Vietnam complacent over credit risks Policymakers in Vietnam are becoming increasingly complacent of the risks posed by the rapid build-up in debt, as reflected by the government’s recent announcement that it was targeting credit growth... 17th January 2017 · 1 min read
Asia Economic Outlook Steady growth ahead Most countries in Emerging Asia should continue to grow at a decent pace over the next couple of years as loose monetary policy helps support demand. The key exception is China, where growth looks set... 13th January 2017 · 1 min read
