Asia Economics Update Aussie and Kiwi dollars lead Asia’s currency sell-off Asia’s financial markets performed poorly in September, largely reflecting concerns about the outlook for US monetary policy. The New Zealand and Australian dollars were the worst performers, but... 30th September 2014 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update Financial sector woes will continue to weigh on Vietnam Today’s GDP data show that Vietnam’s economy is showing gradual signs of a recovery from the financial crisis that erupted more than three years ago. Looking ahead, the government is making some... 26th September 2014 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update Malaysia's fiscal consolidation to continue, drag manageable Malaysia’s government finances have traditionally stood out as a potential threat to its economic stability, but there have been notable improvements in recent years. The 2015 budget is expected to... 24th September 2014 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update Sri Lankan rates outlook dependent on credit growth dynamics Following last week's strong GDP figures, the central bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) kept its deposit and lending rates on hold at 6.5% and 8.0%, respectively, today. But with credit growth staying sluggish... 23rd September 2014 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update Rate pause in Malaysia likely to prove short-lived Although the Malaysian central bank (BNM) kept its policy rate on hold at 3.25% today, we continue to see scope for at least another 25bp hike in the coming quarters. 18th September 2014 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update New Zealand growth should stay above trend New Zealand’s economy slowed in Q2, but that wasn't necessarily a bad thing after several quarters of breakneck growth. Indeed, the central bank has tightened monetary policy over the last year in an... 18th September 2014 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update Thailand rates to stay low to support recovery With the economy showing signs of the improvement, the Bank of Thailand (BoT) unsurprisingly held its policy rate at 2.0% at its meeting today. Nonetheless, the economy is still some way away from... 17th September 2014 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update Sri Lanka to remain one of Asia's star performers Sri Lanka's economy continued to impress in the first half of 2014, and looks set to remain one of Asia's fastest growing economies. 16th September 2014 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update Is China eating Asia’s lunch? Weak Chinese demand for exports from Emerging Asia in recent months has led some commentators to worry that China’s move up the value chain is having unwelcome knock-on effects for the rest of the... 16th September 2014 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update Weak Indian data bolster calls to cut rates soon Today’s industrial production data for India have dampened hopes that the sector is on the cusp of a sustained recovery. But the good news is that inflation has also slowed, which could open up the... 12th September 2014 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update Bank of Korea set to raise rates next year Interest rates in Korea, which were left on hold today, are likely to rise from next year as economic growth picks up. However, with inflation likely to remain fairly subdued, the pace of tightening... 12th September 2014 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update Indonesian rates to remain high despite falling inflation Despite recent sharp falls in inflation and worries about the slowing economy, Bank Indonesia (BI) today left interest rates on hold amid concerns about the current account position. We expect... 11th September 2014 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update Further tightening likely in the Philippines The central bank in the Philippines (BSP) today hiked two key policy rates against a backdrop of increasing risks in the financial sector and rising inflationary pressures. We expect to see further... 11th September 2014 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update New Zealand rate pause unlikely to last for long The Reserve Bank of New Zealand (RBNZ) kept its policy rate at 3.5% at its meeting today, pausing a hiking cycle that began in March. The RBNZ will wait to see the effects of previous hikes, but we... 11th September 2014 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update Thailand's recovery will be gradual Thailand's economy is showing signs of improvement going into the second half of 2014 amid reduced political uncertainty. However, it continues to face headwinds that will restrain the pace of its... 10th September 2014 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update Australia's economy set for a period of sub-trend growth Australia’s economy slowed sharply in Q2, as the surge in net exports at the start of the year gave way to a sharp fall. The more general picture is one of an economy struggling to adjust to a... 3rd September 2014 · 1 min read
