Emerging Markets Trade Monitor More to the EM export slump than the trade war The US-China trade war, which has now been running for over a year, has exerted an increasingly large drag on EM exports. But other factors including weak global demand have been bigger drivers of the... 20th August 2019 · 6 mins read
Middle East & North Africa Economics Update Should we worry about Egypt’s external debt? The sharp rise in Egyptian external debt in the last few years has triggered alarm in some quarters. But it has been accompanied by a large increase in FX reserves, suggesting that risks are currently... 20th August 2019 · 2 mins read
Australia & New Zealand Economics Focus Current account won’t remain in surplus for long A lower cost of funding via foreign liabilities, a higher return on overseas assets and falling capital goods imports should all support Australia’s current account over the next couple of years... 20th August 2019 · 13 mins read
Japan Data Response External Trade (Jul.) Today’s external trade figures show that the slump in export volumes is abating. But with imports set to soar ahead of the sales tax hike, net trade will probably remain a drag on GDP growth in Q3. 19th August 2019 · 3 mins read
India Economics Weekly Key takeaways from PM Modi’s media interview In a rare media interview published this week, Prime Minister Modi discussed several economic issues. Among the key takeaways, it is clear that the government wants policy to be loosened even further... 16th August 2019 · 4 mins read
Africa Economics Update Nigeria FX ban: Little price effect, big hit CBN credibility The Nigerian president’s call to exclude all food importers from the official FX market will probably be poorly-enforced and have little effect on inflation. But the government’s ever-expanding... 15th August 2019 · 3 mins read
India Economics Update Trade deficit will remain small The merchandise trade deficit narrowed in July and we think that it will remain small over the coming months given India’s limited exposure to trade tensions between the US and China and the fact that... 15th August 2019 · 2 mins read
Asia Economics Focus The Great Asian Moderation Emerging Asia has not only been the fastest growing region since the global financial crisis, it has also been the most stable. Regional growth has also been less volatile compared with the period... 14th August 2019 · 13 mins read
Europe Economics Update Risk to the euro-zone from the trade war is rising The risk to the euro-zone from the US-China trade war is rising. And it seems increasingly likely that the US will raise tariffs on auto imports from the EU, which could tip Germany into recession... 8th August 2019 · 4 mins read
China Economics Weekly The pros and cons of a weaker renminbi The recent weakening of the renminbi has revived a debate over the economic impact of currency depreciation. There will be both winners and losers domestically. But given that China’s government... 8th August 2019 · 7 mins read
China Data Response Trade (Jul.) Shipments in and out of China held up better than expected last month, but a sustained turnaround still looks unlikely in the near-term. 8th August 2019 · 2 mins read
Asia Economics Weekly New currency forecasts, trade war escalates, rate cuts While we had been expecting an escalation in US-China trade tensions, China’s decision to allow the renminbi to weaken through 7.0/US$ in response to Trump’s latest tariffs means events are moving... 8th August 2019 · 5 mins read
China Data Response FX Reserves (Jul.) The latest FX reserves figures are consistent with the People’s Bank (PBOC) having remained on the sidelines of the FX market last month. But the relative calm of July will give way to a more eventful... 7th August 2019 · 3 mins read
Middle East & North Africa Economics Update Bahrain and Oman: neighbours unlikely to pull the plug Financial support from the Gulf means that Bahrain and Oman should avoid damaging devaluations and acute sovereign debt problems. Even if their governments fail to implement the fiscal tightening that... 7th August 2019 · 3 mins read
Global Economics Update The trade war is only likely to intensify from here While the recent escalation of the US-China trade war may have occurred a bit earlier than even we had anticipated, it fits with our below-consensus forecast for global growth this year and next. What... 6th August 2019 · 3 mins read
US Economics Update Currency manipulator label points to further escalation The Trump administration’s move to label China a currency manipulator may have few practical implications, but it underscores the speed at which tensions are now escalating. The key risk is that the... 6th August 2019 · 3 mins read
