Africa Data Response South Africa Trade (Oct.) The large rise in South Africa’s trade deficit in October was largely down to an unusually large increase in oil imports, which is unlikely to be sustained. Nevertheless, the external shortfall will... 28th November 2014 · 1 min read
Africa Chart Pack Nigeria forced to hike rates, while SA & Kenya hold fire The slump in the Nigerian naira this month forced the central bank to take drastic action. Interest rates were hiked for the first time in three years and the currency was devalued. But given that the... 28th November 2014 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Focus How useful are Asia’s manufacturing PMIs? Asia’s manufacturing PMIs are closely watched as some of the most timely gauges of the region’s economic performance. In places such as China, Korea and Taiwan, we find that the PMIs are effective... 28th November 2014 · 1 min read
China Chart Pack PBOC may be resuming FX intervention There are tentative signs that the People’s Bank (PBOC) has resumed currency intervention. Foreign exchange purchases by all financial institutions, a proxy for purchases by the PBOC, turned positive... 27th November 2014 · 1 min read
Middle East & North Africa Chart Pack Gulf set to resist pressure to cut oil output Comments ahead of today’s OPEC meeting, playing down calls for a cut in the cartel’s output target, suggest that the Gulf States aren’t too alarmed by the recent slide in oil prices. Indeed, Saudi... 27th November 2014 · 1 min read
UK Data Response GDP Second Estimate (Q3) The second estimate of Q3 GDP indicated that the end of the squeeze on real pay is helping consumers to drive the overall recovery. What’s more, the prospects look bright for continued strong growth... 26th November 2014 · 1 min read
Asia Chart Pack Retail spending picks up, but recovery uneven There has been a gradual recovery in retail spending in Emerging Asia during 2014. The top performing countries are Indonesia and Malaysia, where retail sales are expanding at a double digit pace. In... 26th November 2014 · 1 min read
Global Trade Monitor World trade rebounds, but outlook still poor Data for September showed the biggest monthly rise in world trade in over two years. What’s more, there was some progress on multilateral trade negotiations at the G-20 Brisbane summit. However, there... 25th November 2014 · 1 min read
Japan Economics Update What impact is a weaker yen having on imports? The sharp fall in the yen over the last two years seems to have slowed the long-term rise in imports of manufactured goods relative to domestic production. However, even a further weakening of the... 25th November 2014 · 1 min read
US Chart Pack Slump in gasoline prices an unexpected boon The unexpected slump in the national retail gasoline price, from a peak of $3.80 per gallon in the summer to a near four-year low of $3.00 now, will provide a sizeable boost to fourth-quarter real... 24th November 2014 · 1 min read
US Economics Weekly Yen's collapse to have only modest impact on US economy Russian activity data for last month suggest that the economy withstood the initial sharp drop in the price of oil better than some had feared. But even so, the big picture is that growth is still... 21st November 2014 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Focus Will lower oil prices end Norway’s long boom? Norway has been one of the strongest growing economies of the developed world over the last decade. But with households buckling under high debt burdens and lower oil prices set to exacerbate the... 20th November 2014 · 1 min read
Emerging Markets Economics Chart Pack Lower commodity prices bring mixed news for EMs Recent falls in commodity prices have left some emerging market (EM) economies in a tailspin. The S&P GSCI, an index of commodity prices, has fallen by more than 20% since its June peak, largely due... 20th November 2014 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update Weaker Portuguese exports show need for more reform The renewed slowdown in the growth of Portuguese exports in recent quarters has underlined the need for the country to implement further decisive reforms in order to lift growth from the anaemic rates... 20th November 2014 · 1 min read
Japan Data Response External trade (Oct.) Japan’s trade deficit shrank in October, and is set to narrow further due to a falling energy import bill. 20th November 2014 · 1 min read
Canada Economics Update Cheaper loonie will help to boost tourism trade The recent decline in the value of the Canadian dollar will provide a much-needed boost to domestic tourism. That support, aided by a steadily improving US economy, could add as much as 0.5 percentage... 18th November 2014 · 1 min read
