Asia Economics Update New Zealand's Reserve Bank continues to wait and see The decision by the Reserve Bank of New Zealand (RBNZ) to leave the cash rate at 3.0% for the fourth consecutive meeting was universally expected. We anticipate that the upswing will gain more... 27th January 2011 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update Korea's slowdown has probably bottomed out Today’s Q4 GDP data for Korea show that growth eased in q/q terms, as expected. The economy is likely to regain traction during the course of this year, while policymakers have rightly become more... 26th January 2011 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update India's Reserve Bank still has more work to do The central bank in India (RBI) today hiked the repo rate by 25bp to 6.5%, as was expected. In addition, the RBI adopted an unequivocally hawkish stance. High inflation, particularly when led by food... 25th January 2011 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update Vietnam set to adjust and target lower inflation Vietnam’s National Party Congress, which closed today, is the most important set-piece meeting of the Communist Party. Comments from the top officials, to no-one’s surprise, suggest that containing... 19th January 2011 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update The Bank of Korea still has more work to do The Bank of Korea (BoK) lifted its policy rate by 25bp to 2.75% today, which was in line with our forecast but surprised the consensus. Policymakers have rightly become more focused on inflation and... 13th January 2011 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update Bank of Thailand to continue tightening The Bank of Thailand (BoT) raised its policy rate by 25bp to 2.25% today, as expected. Growth is likely to pick up during the course of this year, and will be led by strengthening domestic demand and... 12th January 2011 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update Sri Lanka goes for growth The Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) unexpectedly cut its two policy rates at today’s meeting. Inflation accelerated at the end of last year while the economic upswing is set to stay strong... 11th January 2011 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update How will the floods in Australia affect the economy? The flooding in Queensland continues to devastate communities and businesses but it is still most likely that the impact on Australia’s economy as a whole will be relatively small and temporary... 11th January 2011 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update Indonesia continues to manage capital inflows Indonesia has introduced more macro prudential measures to regulate the foreign liabilities of the banking sector. This is a sound strategy which will limit the extent to which any sudden change in... 6th January 2011 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update To avoid crisis, policy in Vietnam needs to change soon The authorities in Vietnam continue to give mixed signals on what they will do in 2011. This should not be a big surprise ahead of the important National Party Congress which will take place next week... 6th January 2011 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update Pakistan; just when you thought the situation could not worsen Political instability, which is never far away in Pakistan, has risen following this week’s assassination of the governor of Punjab province and the withdrawal of another party from the ruling... 5th January 2011 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update The first Indonesia rate hike looks close Bank Indonesia (BI) left its reference rate unchanged today at 6.5%, as was universally expected. Nevertheless, the reference rate is now negative in real terms while inflation will probably... 5th January 2011 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update Asia's industrial slowdown past its worst point The manufacturing PMIs for December, released yesterday and today, improved in Taiwan and Korea and stayed above 50 in India and Singapore. Industrial activity across the region should gain traction... 4th January 2011 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update Expect another year of Singapore dollar gains Singapore data published yesterday and today showed Q4 GDP rebounded in q/q terms, residential property prices climbed too, while the December PMI also suggests that manufacturing will continue to... 4th January 2011 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update New Zealand's recovery stumbles but should not stop Q3 GDP, published early today, was weak and in line with our below-consensus expectation. Nevertheless, most of the softness was due to temporary factors. The upswing will probably regain traction in... 23rd December 2010 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update India's monetary policy tightening to resume soon India’s Reserve Bank (RBI) kept its repo rate unchanged today at 6.25%, as was widely expected. Nevertheless, the monetary policy tightening is not over. The upswing will stay strong in coming... 16th December 2010 · 1 min read
