US Housing Market Data Response Housing Starts (Nov.) As expected, housing starts reversed nearly all of last month’s drop, rising by a substantial 10.5% m/m in November. Moreover, building permits recorded their strongest month-on-month gain for five... 16th December 2015 · 1 min read
US Data Response Industrial Production (Nov.) The bigger than expected 0.6% m/m decline in industrial production in November was largely due to a weather-related 4.3% m/m drop in utilities output. Manufacturing output was unchanged last month... 16th December 2015 · 1 min read
US Data Response Consumer Prices (Nov.) The continued decline in energy prices is still just about keeping a lid on headline CPI inflation, but base effects will drive it up sharply over the next few months and, more importantly, there are... 15th December 2015 · 1 min read
Emerging Markets Economics Update Fed tightening & EMs: what to watch for The likelihood that the Fed will begin to raise interest rates this week has sparked fresh concerns about the knock-on impact on emerging markets. However, we think that most EMs are now well placed... 14th December 2015 · 1 min read
US Economics Weekly Fed hike may trigger some temporary volatility in rates At this stage, it is almost universally expected that, after a seven-year period at near-zero, the Fed will raise interest rates this Wednesday. Like everybody else, we anticipate a 25 basis point... 11th December 2015 · 1 min read
US Data Response Retail Sales & Producer Prices (Nov.) The modest 0.2% m/m gain in headline sales in November was partly due to a price-related drop in gasoline station sales and a slight dip in the value of motor vehicle sales, which remain close to a... 11th December 2015 · 1 min read
Energy Data Response US Weekly Petroleum Status Report US crude stocks registered their first fall in almost three months last week, despite another jump in net imports and a decrease in refinery runs. 9th December 2015 · 1 min read
US Fed Watch Fed on the cusp of historic rate hike At next week’s FOMC meeting, which concludes on 16 th December, the Fed is now almost universally expected to raise the fed funds rate by 25 basis points, to a range of between 0.25% and 0.50%. In the... 9th December 2015 · 1 min read
US Housing Market Chart Pack Easing in credit conditions edges up housing demand The lack of housing inventory continues to drive developments in the market. The months’ supply of existing homes for sale has now been below five since May. That is both holding back home sales, and... 8th December 2015 · 1 min read
US Economic Outlook Higher inflation is coming Although we expect GDP growth to be a moderate 2.5% next year, the big surprise will be how quickly inflation rebounds. With domestic price pressures mounting and this year’s deflationary shocks from... 8th December 2015 · 1 min read
Commodities Update US lumber price should recover in 2016 The price of US lumber has fallen sharply this year, despite an ongoing improvement in the US housing sector. This divergence can be explained in part by the depreciation of the Canadian dollar, which... 7th December 2015 · 1 min read
US Economics Weekly Interest rate hikes tied to pace of inflation rebound Last week Chair Janet Yellen all but confirmed that the Fed will begin to raise interest rates from near-zero at the upcoming FOMC meeting, which ends on 16 th December. Any final doubts should have... 4th December 2015 · 1 min read
US Data Response Employment Report (Nov.) & Int. Trade (Oct.) The 211,000 gain in November's non-farm payrolls, along with the 35,000 upward revision to the gains in the preceding two months, would appear to seal an interest rate hike at the Fed's upcoming FOMC... 4th December 2015 · 1 min read
Commodities Update Stronger dollar hits agriculturals as sentiment weakens A general strengthening of the US dollar in recent weeks, on expectations that the Fed will begin to raise interest rates this month, has been a key factor dragging agricultural prices lower. Along... 3rd December 2015 · 1 min read
Energy Data Response US Weekly Petroleum Status Report US oil stocks grew again last week despite strong growth in refinery inputs, as a surge in imports overwhelmed higher demand. 2nd December 2015 · 1 min read
US Housing Market Data Response Mortgage Applications (Nov.) A rise in mortgage rates led to a sharp drop in mortgage refinancing activity in November. But applications for home purchase fared better, with the weekly breakdown showing an encouraging rise in... 2nd December 2015 · 1 min read
