Europe Economics Update EZ headline inflation to rise further, core little changed Headline inflation in the euro-zone rose to 2.6% in March and in our baseline forecast it increases to 3% in April then remains just above that level over the rest of the year. This increase largely... 16th April 2026 · 4 mins read
Global Economics Update How could non-energy shortages affect supply chains? In the coming months, depressed shipments of non-energy commodities through the Strait of Hormuz risk disrupting some supply chains using aluminium, plastics and synthetic rubber. The risks are... 16th April 2026 · 8 mins read
Capital Daily We don’t think China’s markets have lost their allure China’s stock and bond markets have been left behind, to some extent, during the recent global relief rally, but we suspect they’ll be on the front foot again before long. 16th April 2026 · 3 mins read
Middle East & North Africa Economics Update US blockade will cut off Iran’s financial lifeline The war hasn’t caused the severe balance of payments strains in Iran that might have been expected, reflecting Iran’s continued ability to export hydrocarbons, the sharp rise in global energy prices... 15th April 2026 · 3 mins read
India Economics Update Weak monsoon would compound Iran war impact The weaker-than-normal monsoon that is now being forecast by experts for this year threatens to compound the impact of the Middle East conflict on India’s economy. Crop yields could come under... 15th April 2026 · 3 mins read
Commodities Update Oil: what alternatives are there to the Strait of Hormuz? Alternative export routes – pipelines and other terminals that bypass the Strait of Hormuz – are operating at close to full capacity, diverting around 4m bpd of oil exports. In total, that’s... 15th April 2026 · 3 mins read
Global Economics Update Initial war hit to world trade appears small After a strong start to the year, the early signs are that disruptions from the Iran war did not deal a heavy blow to world trade in March. In other trade developments, China continues to gain global... 15th April 2026 · 5 mins read
Asset Allocation Update Treasuries’ hedging role is diminished, but not gone The recent return of a positive stock-bond correlation has raised questions about the role of bonds in a portfolio, such as the traditional “60/40”. We agree that their use as a hedge may have... 15th April 2026 · 4 mins read
UK Commercial Property Update UK banks keen to lend despite Iran war uncertainty Despite the uncertainty from the Iran war, banks are still willing to lend to commercial property. A sizeable share plan on loosening credit conditions further in Q2, supported by a positive view on... 14th April 2026 · 3 mins read
Middle East & North Africa Economics Update War dealing a heavy blow to the Gulf economies Timely indicators underscore the severe hit dealt to the Gulf economies by the war, with sharp declines in oil output alongside clear weakness in non-hydrocarbon sectors. Even if the war ends soon, we... 14th April 2026 · 4 mins read
Europe Economics Update Putting the euro-zone’s energy price shock in context In our baseline scenario, the euro-zone’s energy import bill rises by 0.4% of GDP this year, which is not unusually high. In our adverse scenario it increases by three times this amount, which is high... 14th April 2026 · 3 mins read
Capital Daily Two steps forward, one step back for markets The weekend’s news is potentially another blow to markets, although investors have so far interpreted it fairly cautiously. Even in a benign scenario, though, we suspect there’s little medium-term... 13th April 2026 · 5 mins read
UK Economics Weekly Revising down our baseline UK inflation forecasts This week we have lowered our European natural gas price forecasts in our baseline scenario. As a result, we now expect UK CPI inflation to peak at around 4.0% (4.5% previously) and UK GDP to grow by... 10th April 2026 · 9 mins read
China Economics Weekly ASEAN shifting closer to China, EV demand soaring New survey data suggests that China's geopolitical influence among ASEAN economies has increased since last year amid concern over the Trump Administration's tariffs and foreign policies. Meanwhile, a... 10th April 2026 · 8 mins read