Asia Economics Update Vulnerable economies failing to put their fiscal houses in order Government finances are not a serious concern in most Asian countries. However, some of the governments that most need to rein in their deficits to help their economies withstand future bouts of... 27th November 2013 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update Thailand’s rate cut may invite currency weakness In a surprise move, the Bank of Thailand (BoT) cut its policy rate by 25bps to 2.25% today. With the economy still in a fragile state, we expect rates to be kept low to support the economy through... 27th November 2013 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update Asian markets see renewed volatility Continued uncertainty over when the US Federal Reserve will start to taper its asset purchases under QE3 has led to renewed volatility across Asian financial markets over the past month. Currencies... 26th November 2013 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update Singapore's economy will remain shackled Today’s revised GDP data showed that Singapore's economy expanded in the third quarter, despite an advanced estimate released last month pointing toward contraction. A gradual global recovery should... 21st November 2013 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update Thailand’s economy remains fragile, and downside risks are rising GDP data today showed Thailand’s economy returning to growth in the third quarter, but a strong recovery is unlikely to materialise any time soon. High household debt and delays to public investment... 18th November 2013 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update India pinning too-high hopes on boost from monsoon On the back of the strongest monsoon in six years, policymakers in India appear confident that a bumper crop will translate into stronger growth and help tame inflation. While the monsoon will help at... 15th November 2013 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update Pakistan finally gets serious about inflation The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) hiked its policy rate for the second time in two months yesterday. This represents a sharp turnaround from earlier this year, when the central bank cut rates despite a... 14th November 2013 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update Rates to remain on prolonged hold in Korea The Bank of Korea (BoK) kept its policy rate on hold today, as expected. Looking ahead, with inflation set to remain low, the central bank will be in no rush to raise interest rates, and we expect... 14th November 2013 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update Indonesia hikes, but rate tightening cycle is probably over Bank Indonesia’s decision to hike interest rates today is largely aimed at easing pressure on the current account and stabilising the rupiah. But the lagged impact of substantial rate increases in the... 12th November 2013 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update How will Typhoon Haiyan affect the Philippine economy? One of the strongest typhoons ever recorded hit the Philippines on Friday. The disaster is first and foremost a human tragedy, but it will also have economic effects. There is likely to be a short... 12th November 2013 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update Rate hike in Malaysia likely in first half of 2014 Malaysia’s central bank (BNM) kept its policy rate unchanged at 3.0% at its meeting today. As the economy gains a firmer footing on the back of improving export prospects over the next year, we expect... 7th November 2013 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update No rebound in Indonesia’s growth likely soon Data released today showed that the pace of economic growth in Indonesia slowed again in Q3. Looking ahead, high inflation and recent interest rate hikes will weigh on growth over the next year. 6th November 2013 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update Australia’s central bank still likely to cut again next year The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) kept its policy rate on hold at 2.5% today, as expected. However, we still expect further loosening in early 2014, and think that rates will remain very low for the... 5th November 2013 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update October PMIs suggest recovery is becoming entrenched The October PMIs for Emerging Asia were generally upbeat, with headline numbers for most countries rising. New orders were particularly encouraging, which bodes well for the short-term outlook. India... 1st November 2013 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update Taiwan to record gradual recovery in 2014 GDP data for Taiwan released today showed the economy slowed sharply in the second quarter. Looking ahead, we expect things to get better slowly, on the back of continued loose monetary policy and a... 31st October 2013 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update New Zealand to leave first rate hike until mid-2014 The Reserve Bank of New Zealand (RBNZ) kept its policy rate unchanged at 2.5% today. There is little immediate pressure on the central bank to hike rates, but accelerating economic growth and... 31st October 2013 · 1 min read
