UK Housing Market Data Response Mortgage Lending (Dec.) A further slump in mortgage approvals in December, to the lowest level since the height of the pandemic, confirmed that the extremely high cost of mortgage borrowing has caused more buyers to withdraw... 31st January 2023 · 3 mins read
UK Data Response Money & Credit (Dec.) December’s money and credit figures revealed that higher interest rates further dampened economic activity at the end of last year. Moreover, the drag on activity will continue to intensify this year... 31st January 2023 · 3 mins read
Australia & New Zealand Data Response Australia Retail Sales (Dec. 2022) Retail sales volumes declined last quarter on the back of a weaker-than-expected end to 2022. A solid increase in services spending means overall consumption should still have risen at a decent clip... 31st January 2023 · 2 mins read
Japan Data Response Japan Labour Market & Activity (Dec. 2022) The unemployment rate stayed unchanged in December, but labour market conditions are beginning to betray signs of loosening. Similarly, the strong rebound in retail sales is likely to give way to... 31st January 2023 · 4 mins read
Japan Rapid Response Japan Retail Sales & Industrial Production (Dec. 2022) 31st January 2023 · 2 mins read
US Economics Update Fed paying foreign banks & money market funds It’s well known that, with the yield curve inverting the Fed is now racking up losses, but what is less appreciated is that the higher interest payments it is making are going mostly to foreign banks... 30th January 2023 · 4 mins read
Capital Daily Financial conditions, central banks, and recessions The Fed, ECB and BoE meet later this week and we wouldn’t be surprised if they take the chance to push back against the recent loosening in financial conditions. And even if their words don’t have... 30th January 2023 · 6 mins read
UK Housing Market Update Fixed-rate loans delay and reduce effect of higher rates The shift away from floating-rate to fixed-rate mortgages presents risks as well as benefits. It will protect homeowners who are lucky enough to have a long time remaining on their fixed rate contract... 30th January 2023 · 3 mins read
Europe Data Response German GDP (Q4 2022) The fall in German GDP in Q4 shows that the energy crisis started to dent activity at the end of last year. This pours cold water on the recent optimism about the prospects for the euro-zone and... 30th January 2023 · 3 mins read
Japan Economics Update Shunto not a leading indicator of wage growth The conventional wisdom is that the annual spring wage negotiations (Shunto) are a bellwether for wage growth. In reality, the small number of employees covered by the talks and their bias towards... 30th January 2023 · 2 mins read