China Economics Update Further RMB weakening tests the PBOC’s nerves After large-scale intervention succeeded in weakening the renminbi and rattling many investors, there are tentative signs that the People’s Bank is now trying to introduce some stability. 30th April 2014 · 1 min read
Global Economics Update Is China about to "overtake" the US? The significance of revised purchasing power parity estimates, which suggest that China’s total GDP may overtake that of the US as soon as this year, is not as great as some of the headlines imply... 30th April 2014 · 1 min read
Emerging Markets Activity Monitor Recovery in Emerging Europe picks up pace, but others struggle Although growth has remained roughly unchanged across the emerging world as a whole over the past few months, there are some stark differences in performance across regions. In particular, growth in... 30th April 2014 · 1 min read
China Activity Monitor Downward pressures easing, but not for long Our China Activity Proxy (CAP) suggests that growth stabilised during the course of the first quarter. Nonetheless, we expect weakness in real estate construction to cause the economy to slow again... 29th April 2014 · 1 min read
China Economics Update China’s tourism deficit offsetting surplus in goods trade Outbound tourism is becoming an important factor in China’s international payments balance, contributing to a deficit in services trade that is partially offsetting the goods trade surplus. 25th April 2014 · 1 min read
China Chart Pack Oversupply weighs on property sector The outlook for China’s property sector is increasingly gloomy. The usual rebound in sales after Chinese New Year has been feeble, and the glut of unsold properties on developers’ books continues to... 24th April 2014 · 1 min read
Global Markets Update Investors flee China’s equity market Net selling by global ETFs and mutual funds dedicated to investing in equities in China was larger in March than in any other month on record according to EPFR Global. This presumably reflected... 24th April 2014 · 1 min read
Emerging Europe Economics Update Is an El Niño a risk to EM inflation? The current period of subdued inflation in the emerging world shows no signs of nearing an end. One possible risk to the outlook is an El Niño, which weather forecasters warn could be on its way, and... 24th April 2014 · 1 min read
China Data Response HSBC/Markit Flash Manufacturing PMI (Apr.) Today's PMI reading suggests that while conditions in the manufacturing sector continue to weaken, they are no longer deteriorating as rapidly as before. It adds to growing evidence that, with... 23rd April 2014 · 1 min read
China Economics Update A broad RRR cut is unlikely to come soon Yesterday’s targeted cut in the reserve requirement ratio should not be read as a signal of a broader shift towards monetary loosening. The last thing that policymakers want to see is another credit... 17th April 2014 · 1 min read
Emerging Markets Economics Update Emerging Market Consumer Snapshot (Q2 2014) There are signs that the decline in EM consumer spending growth experienced in 2013 has bottomed out in recent months, with several economies reporting stronger retail sales figures since the turn of... 16th April 2014 · 1 min read
China Economics Update Fears of a hard-landing overdone The marginally stronger-than-consensus Q1 GDP data and broad stability in March growth figures suggest that concerns over the state of China’s economy are overdone. The economy is likely to weaken... 16th April 2014 · 1 min read
Commodities Update What China’s GDP data should mean for commodities China’s official GDP data for the first quarter, released earlier today, could reasonably be interpreted either positively or negatively for commodities. The commonest reaction appears to be relief... 16th April 2014 · 1 min read
China Economics Focus A Chinese hard landing: Which Asian countries are most at risk? A hard landing in China’s economy is one of the biggest risks clouding the outlook for the rest of Emerging Asia. A slump in Chinese demand would hurt economies with close trade links to China, with... 15th April 2014 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Focus A Chinese hard landing: Which Asian countries are most at risk? A hard landing in China’s economy is one of the biggest risks clouding the outlook for the rest of Emerging Asia. A slump in Chinese demand would hurt economies with close trade links to China, with... 15th April 2014 · 1 min read
China Data Response Lending, credit (Mar.) & FX reserves (Q1) Despite a surge in bank loans and relatively loose interbank liquidity conditions in March, today's data show that the credit slowdown is still on track. Meanwhile, although the foreign exchange... 15th April 2014 · 1 min read
