Australia & New Zealand Economics Update Our key calls for 2020 We think that GDP growth in both Australia and New Zealand will fall short of expectations, forcing both the RBNZ and the RBA to cut interest rates more sharply than most expect. The consensus is that... 10th December 2019 · 4 mins read
Japan Data Response Economy Watchers Survey (Nov.) November’s Economy Watchers Survey (EWS) points to a slight rebound in consumer spending last month. However, the deterioration in manufacturing and employment conditions underline that the economy... 9th December 2019 · 2 mins read
Japan Data Response GDP (Q3 Revised) While Japan’s economy expanded more sharply ahead of the sales tax hike than most had anticipated, output probably fell sharply in the fourth quarter. While the consensus expects the economy to keep... 9th December 2019 · 2 mins read
Middle East & North Africa Economics Update Oil output cuts likely to drag on Saudi recovery The OPEC+ oil quota cuts announced today are unlikely to have a significant economic impact on most Gulf economies, but they will on Saudi Arabia. The direct impact of the output cuts means GDP growth... 6th December 2019 · 2 mins read
Europe Economics Update Bigger problems in France’s labour market than strikes France’s public sector strikes will probably dampen economic activity this quarter, but experience from previous, similar walkouts suggests that the hit to GDP will be small. Moreover, while protests... 6th December 2019 · 3 mins read
India Economics Weekly Over to you, finance ministry While unexpectedly keeping rates on hold yesterday, the RBI put the onus on the finance ministry to do more of the heavy lifting to boost demand. So if we are right in thinking that the finance... 6th December 2019 · 5 mins read
China Economics Weekly Corporate balance sheets still under strain Corporate bond defaults have jumped recently and the loss-making share of industrial firms has risen to its highest in nearly a decade. This may not trigger an immediate crisis but it is a reminder... 6th December 2019 · 7 mins read
Australia & New Zealand Economics Weekly Australian economy is not ‘back on track’ Australia’s economy may be past the worst but we still expect GDP growth to fall short of potential over the coming year. That means that unemployment will probably rise further, putting downward... 6th December 2019 · 4 mins read
Japan Economics Weekly Falling profits, fiscal stimulus inflation The fiscal stimulus package announced this week is unlikely to lift growth meaningfully as most of the spending will merely offset the impact of previous stimulus measures unwinding. And with... 6th December 2019 · 6 mins read
Middle East & North Africa Economics Weekly Lebanon crisis, OPEC+ meeting, Aramco IPO Lebanese banks will make some interest payments on FX deposits in local currency, which adds to the evidence that strains in the balance of payments are worsening. The risk of a debt restructuring and... 5th December 2019 · 6 mins read
Europe Data Response Euro-zone GDP (Q3, breakdown) & Retail Sales (Oct.) The third estimate of euro-zone GDP in Q3 confirmed that the economy remained sluggish, with net trade continuing to weigh on growth. And we doubt that things will get any better in the coming... 5th December 2019 · 2 mins read
Japan Economics Update Fiscal stimulus won’t boost growth much The fiscal stimulus package unveiled today will include much less fresh spending than the headline suggests. And the bulk of the spending will merely offset the unwinding of previous stimulus measures... 5th December 2019 · 3 mins read
Australia & New Zealand Data Response Australia - Retail Sales & International Trade (Oct.) The stagnation in retail sales in October suggests that consumption growth remained sluggish in the fourth quarter. And while net exports should continue to support GDP growth, the weakness in... 5th December 2019 · 2 mins read
US Economics Update Productivity growth may still be accelerating Recent payroll employment growth is likely to be revised down in the annual revision early next year, which is unquestionably a negative. But the flip-side is that productivity growth must have been... 4th December 2019 · 2 mins read
Latin America Data Response Brazil Industrial Production (Oct.) The 0.8% m/m rise in Brazilian industrial production in October provides early evidence that GDP growth in Q4 is shaping up to be a bit stronger than Q3’s 0.6% q/q. 4th December 2019 · 2 mins read
Europe Data Response Euro-zone Final PMIs (Nov.) November’s final euro-zone PMI is consistent with very anaemic GDP growth in Q4 and the national indices point to continued weakness in both Germany and Italy, while France and Spain remain relative... 4th December 2019 · 2 mins read
