Emerging Europe Economics Update Russian MPC hints at smaller rate cuts ahead The Russian central bank cut its one-week repo rate by 100bp, to 11.5%, at today’s MPC meeting, but struck a more cautious note on the near-term outlook for inflation. As a result, while we expect... 15th June 2015 · 1 min read
Emerging Europe Economic Outlook Prospects diverge Emerging Europe’s economy is likely to contract this year for the first time since 2009, but prospects differ substantially across the region. In Russia, while financial strains have eased, the... 5th June 2015 · 1 min read
Emerging Europe Data Response Russia CPI (May) The drop in Russian inflation to 15.8% y/y in May confirms that it has now passed its peak. We expect inflation to ease slowly over the next three to six months before falling sharply around the turn... 4th June 2015 · 1 min read
Emerging Europe Data Response Manufacturing PMIs (May) May’s batch of manufacturing PMI data for Emerging Europe provided further evidence that the slump in the Russian economy has deepened in the second quarter. But the surveys finally brought some... 1st June 2015 · 1 min read
Emerging Europe Economics Update Equities weaken, bond yields rise Financial markets in Emerging Europe have generally performed poorly over the past month, with equities having dropped back and the region’s bonds having been hit by the sell-off in developed... 28th May 2015 · 1 min read
Emerging Europe Economics Focus Is the worst really over for Russia? The slump in activity data for April put an end to hopes raised in some parts of the government (and markets) that the worst is over for the Russian economy. The steep falls in output are likely to be... 27th May 2015 · 1 min read
Emerging Europe Data Response Russia Retail Sales, Investment & Ind. Prod. (Apr.) Today’s raft of activity data suggests that the slump in Russia’s economy deepened further at the start of Q2. Output appears to have fallen by about 4.0% y/y in April. This should dash any remaining... 22nd May 2015 · 1 min read
Emerging Europe Data Response Russia GDP (Q1) The best that can be said about Q1 GDP data from Russia is that the economy has avoided outright collapse and is, instead, merely on the cusp of recession. Although financial market conditions have... 15th May 2015 · 1 min read
Commodities Update Return of Russian wheat to put more pressure on prices With food price inflation appearing to have peaked and the economy probably already in recession, Russia is unlikely to extend its export tax on wheat. Although the authorities may leave the door open... 11th May 2015 · 1 min read
Emerging Europe Data Response Russia CPI (Apr.) The fall in Russian inflation last month, to 16.4% y/y, suggests that it has passed its peak. As the effects of last year’s fall in the ruble unwind, we expect inflation to ease gradually over the... 6th May 2015 · 1 min read
Emerging Europe Data Response Manufacturing PMIs (Apr.) April’s raft of manufacturing PMIs in Emerging Europe, released today and yesterday, suggest that conditions in the Russian and Turkish industrial sectors improved a little at the start of the second... 5th May 2015 · 1 min read
Emerging Europe Chart Pack Russia’s economy slumps, growth weakens in Turkey The region’s two largest economies – Russia and Turkey – have continued to struggle over the past month. Russia’s economy appears to have contracted sharply by around 3% y/y in Q1. Meanwhile, we... 27th April 2015 · 1 min read
Emerging Europe Economics Update The EC’s case against Gazprom – the key points The European Commission today charged Gazprom with abusing its dominant position in Eastern Europe’s gas market. In this Update, we answer five key questions about the decision and the implications... 22nd April 2015 · 1 min read
Emerging Europe Data Response Russia Retail Sales, Investment & Ind. Prod. (Mar.) Today’s raft of activity data for March is consistent with Russia’s economy having contracted by around 3% y/y in the first quarter of this year. Although financial markets have rallied over the past... 17th April 2015 · 1 min read
Emerging Europe Economics Update Making sense of the ruble rally The most convincing explanation for the recent rally in the ruble is the fact that the strains in Russia’s balance of payments have eased since the start of the year. Nonetheless, they haven’t gone... 15th April 2015 · 1 min read
Emerging Europe Economics Update Hungary’s Sunday trading ban symbolic of reform backsliding The decision taken by the Hungarian government to ban Sunday trading is unlikely to have a major impact on the economy at an aggregate level. But as we explain in this Watch, it may lead to a shift in... 9th April 2015 · 1 min read
