Chief Economist's Note US chip reversal highlights policy incoherence in a fractured world President Trump likes to tell us that the United States “holds all the cards” in the ongoing trade war. Judging by the surprisingly mild inflationary impact of tariffs so far – less than most... 18th August 2025
Emerging Markets Economics Update Is Trump the mortar for the BRICS? President Trump’s tariff salvo aimed at some of the BRICS economies has led to growing efforts within the bloc to present a united front in the face of US protectionism. But divisions between the... 12th August 2025 · 3 mins read
China Economics Weekly “Semiconductor” tariffs threaten more than just chips Trump's plan to impose tariffs on semiconductors and pharmaceuticals isn't a big threat at face value – chips and pharma only make up a small fraction of China's exports to the US. But there is a risk... 8th August 2025 · 8 mins read
Commodities Weekly Commodities Weekly: Trump tees up a fresh twist for the oil market OPEC+'s decision to raise output further in September and Trump's smaller-than-expected secondary tariff announcement on India added up to a bearish combination for oil prices, as they fell by just... 8th August 2025 · 4 mins read
India Economics Update Trump takes a jab at India and the oil market If the extra 25% tariff that President Trump has announced on imports from India remains in place, India’s attractiveness as an emerging manufacturing hub will be hugely undermined. Global oil prices... 6th August 2025 · 5 mins read
US Economics Update Integrity of economic data safe for now President Trump’s firing of the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) commissioner marks another troubling step in his administration’s pressure campaign against Federal institutions. Still, we think a... 6th August 2025 · 4 mins read
India Economics Update Can India wean itself off Russian oil? India could in principle find suppliers other than Russia to meet its energy needs relatively easily with little economic impact. Indeed, Indian oil refiners are reportedly reducing their purchases... 5th August 2025 · 4 mins read
China Economics Weekly China Weekly: The new US tariff landscape, fiscal constraints The new reciprocal tariff rates mean that Chinese exports will become more competitive in the US. But planned duties on transhipped goods are a threat, albeit a less serious one than some think... 1st August 2025 · 6 mins read
Global Economics Update New US tariff regime still not the end of the story President Trump’s latest flurry of tariffs implies that the US effective tariff rate will rise to about 18%, from 2.3% last year. That is a little higher than we assumed and so presents modest... 1st August 2025 · 5 mins read
India Rapid Response Trump’s 25% tariff on India may not be the end point The 25% tariff that President Trump has announced will be applied to imports from India starting Friday would undermine India’s attractiveness as an alternative manufacturing hub to China, if it... 30th July 2025 · 2 mins read
US Economics Weekly US Weekly: New trade deals shed light on final tariff landscape With the EU reportedly close to striking a trade deal similar to the one officials agreed with Japan this week, the final tariff landscape is becoming clearer. Both appear to have settled on a 15%... 25th July 2025 · 9 mins read
China Economics Weekly China Weekly: Mega-dam won’t power the economy, trade talks resume While the start of work on China's colossal new hydropower project in Tibet sent infrastructure stocks surging this week, construction won't do much to boost the economy. Meanwhile, US-China trade... 25th July 2025 · 7 mins read
US Economics Focus Tariff impact on inflation slowly building Up to now there has been only limited passthrough from tariffs into final consumer prices, but we still expect the impact to gradually mount in the second half of this year. Many retailers appear to... 25th July 2025 · 12 mins read
US Economics Focus Tariffs will not fix decades-long manufacturing decline The past three administrations have all attempted and failed to reshore lost manufacturing jobs and we expect the latest effort, with Trump expanding use of tariffs in his second term, to be no... 21st July 2025 · 15 mins read
