Asia Economics Update Thailand's political crisis to continue dragging on economy Although Sunday's general election proceeded as scheduled, Thailand's political crisis shows no sign of letting up. While the incumbent Pheu Thai Party almost certainly won the most votes, it could be... 3rd February 2014 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update New Zealand rate hike is imminent The Reserve Bank of New Zealand (RBNZ) kept its policy rate unchanged at 2.5% today, but it made clear in its statement that it will be raising rates soon. As long as data releases continue to show... 30th January 2014 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update Malaysia tightening cycle to start in first half of 2014 Malaysia’s central bank (BNM) unsurprisingly kept its policy rate unchanged at 3.0% at its meeting today. But with the economy gradually gaining traction, we think the next move in rates is likely to... 29th January 2014 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update Asia escaping the worst of recent EM turmoil Asia has escaped the worst of the latest sell-off in EM assets. What’s more, some of the economies that were hit hardest during the turmoil of last summer have proved more resilient this time around. 29th January 2014 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update Dual concerns over inflation and rupee behind India rate hike The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) surprised the market with a rate hike today, signalling its commitment to bringing down inflation, while perhaps also hoping to protect the rupee amid the ongoing... 28th January 2014 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update Taiwan emerges from doldrums, recovery to continue GDP data released today for the final quarter of 2013 show that Taiwan’s economy ended 2013 on a solid note. Growth is likely to increase gradually in y/y terms over the next couple of years, helped... 28th January 2014 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update Low interest rates and rising exports to support Korean growth Korea's economy recorded another quarter of strong growth in Q4 last year, thanks mainly to a pick-up in external demand. The economy should remain fairly strong over the next couple of years, thanks... 23rd January 2014 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update Thailand's political crisis still likely to trigger another rate cut Despite rising concerns about the impact of Thailand's political crisis on the economy, the Bank of Thailand (BoT) opted to keep its policy rate at 2.25% today. But with no clear resolution to the... 22nd January 2014 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update Thailand’s political crisis: How will it play out? Thailand’s political tensions have ratcheted up a notch, with the government today declaring a state of emergency in Bangkok. In this Update, we consider several scenarios for how the political crisis... 21st January 2014 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update India: Fiscal drag in first quarter as government checks deficit Fiscal policy is likely to impose a drag on India’s growth this quarter. Weak revenue growth and the government’s firm commitment to reduce this year’s fiscal deficit have left it with little choice... 20th January 2014 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update Weak consumer spending weighing on Indian industry Industrial production data published on Friday showed output contracting for the second straight month in November. Going forward, the pressures exerted by elevated inflation and high interest rates... 13th January 2014 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update Bank Indonesia on hold, no hikes on the horizon Bank Indonesia (BI) today left interest rates on hold for the second consecutive month, suggesting it has become less concerned by the weakness of the currency. Looking ahead, with inflation set to... 9th January 2014 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update Bank of Korea to keep rates on hold until 2015 The Bank of Korea (BoK) kept its policy rate on hold today for the eighth consecutive month. With the economy set to stage a gradual recovery over the next year and inflationary pressures likely to... 9th January 2014 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update Thailand’s political crisis poses growing threat to economy Thailand’s political crisis is showing no sign of nearing an end. A prolonged impasse could disrupt the roll-out of the government’s key public infrastructure projects, and cause further damage to the... 8th January 2014 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update Sri Lanka cuts lending rate, further cuts unlikely in 2014 The central bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) left its deposit rate on hold today, but cut its lending rate to a new record low against a backdrop of easing inflationary pressures. Looking ahead, with economic... 2nd January 2014 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update PMIs suggest continued upturn across most of Asia The December PMIs for Emerging Asia point to gradually improving conditions in the region's manufacturing sectors, other than in China. New orders continued to rise nearly everywhere, suggesting... 2nd January 2014 · 1 min read
