Asia Economics Update June PMIs point to sluggish recovery The June PMIs for Emerging Asia continue to point towards a slow and uneven recovery. Softening new orders are a reminder that a strong rebound is unlikely to materialise any time soon. 1st July 2014 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update Australian rate hike still a long way off The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) left its policy rate at 2.5% today, and again made it clear that there will not be any changes in the near term. In fact, with mining investment set to fall and the... 1st July 2014 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update Thailand’s financial markets recover, while Indonesia’s falter Reduced political tensions in Thailand have boosted its stock market and the baht. But in Indonesia, growing uncertainty over the result of July’s presidential election has weighed on financial... 30th June 2014 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update Banking sector woes to continue to weigh on Vietnam Today’s GDP data show the crisis in Vietnam’s banking sector is continuing to hold back the economy. With the authorities making slow progress in cleaning up the banks, we expect the woes of the... 27th June 2014 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update Taiwan central bank in no rush to hike interest rates Taiwan’s central bank (CBC) today left interest rates on hold, but introduced a series of measures to try and cool property prices. Looking ahead, we believe the central bank will continue to tackle... 26th June 2014 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update Are higher oil prices a threat to Asia? A sharp rise in oil prices as a result of the crisis in Iraq would have negative effects on Emerging Asia. While the inflationary impact is likely to be manageable, most Asian economies are net... 24th June 2014 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update Further tightening likely in the Philippines The central bank in the Philippines (BSP) today tightened monetary policy again in an attempt to reduce risks in the financial sector and clamp down on rising inflation. We think further tightening is... 19th June 2014 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update New Zealand’s economy will cool after strong Q1 New Zealand’s economy posted another robust quarter of growth in Q1, led by strong residential investment. There are signs that the economy is already cooling in response to policy tightening, but... 19th June 2014 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update Pressure for rate cuts is easing in Thailand The Bank of Thailand (BoT) unsurprisingly kept its policy rate on hold at 2.0% today amid signs that the worst effects of the political crisis on the economy are probably over. Provided the economy... 18th June 2014 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update Sri Lanka's growth to stay above 7% Sri Lanka’s economy started 2014 on a strong note, and looks set to remain among Asia’s fastest growing economies this year. Unfavourable weather conditions are a potential risk, but the strengthening... 16th June 2014 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update Indian wholesale inflation spikes, but should ease ahead Today’s data show that wholesale price inflation in India increased sharply in May, denting the optimism stemming from the decrease in consumer price inflation in the same month. 16th June 2014 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update Indian industry moving tentatively in the right direction Today’s figures on Indian industry were the most positive in many months. These data are volatile though and don’t yet provide convincing evidence that the sector has finally turned a corner... 12th June 2014 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update Pakistan’s security concerns not the only constraint on growth Although recent political violence in Pakistan has once again put the country’s poor security situation under the spotlight, it is far from the only problem the country faces. We expect growth in... 12th June 2014 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update Low inflation and strong won to keep Korean rates on hold The Bank of Korea (BoK) kept interest rates on hold today, as was expected given the reasonable economic outlook and subdued inflation. We think rates will be kept on hold for a while yet, with the... 12th June 2014 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update More rate hikes to come in New Zealand The Reserve Bank of New Zealand (RBNZ) raised its policy rate by 25bp for the third straight meeting today, as it continued the process of returning rates to more normal levels. We doubt that a... 12th June 2014 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update Malaysia's financial stability risks can be kept in check The rapid rise in household debt levels coupled with strong house price growth is a key medium-term threat to Malaysia. With the economy now in good shape, the central bank (BNM) has scope to act pre... 11th June 2014 · 1 min read
