China Chart Pack Property sales not keeping up with sentiment For all the headlines talking about a rebounding property sector in China, sales over the past few months have been no higher than they were a year ago. Developers may be benefiting from price rises... 23rd October 2013 · 1 min read
Emerging Markets Economics Focus Is a debt problem brewing in emerging markets? Having been spectators to the credit crisis that has gripped the developed world since 2008, debt problems now seem to be building in several major EMs. There are good reasons to think that the... 22nd October 2013 · 1 min read
Emerging Markets Economics Update External positions a concern not just for “BIITS” The currencies of the so-called “BIITS” (Brazil, India, Indonesia, Turkey and South Africa) have been singled out as being particularly vulnerable to a tightening of global monetary conditions. This... 21st October 2013 · 1 min read
China Economics Update As good as it gets? Today’s GDP data were squarely in line with expectations. The more interesting development was the slowdown in infrastructure investment in September amid broader signs that the momentum of the... 18th October 2013 · 1 min read
China Economics Update How long will the Hong Kong peg last? The Hong Kong dollar peg was introduced 30 years ago this week. Although the peg creates a number of problems, it remains the best option. We expect it to remain in place for many more years. 16th October 2013 · 1 min read
Emerging Markets Economics Update Why BRICs weakness is here to stay The IMF has downgraded its expectations for growth in the BRICS over the next couple of years, bringing its forecasts into line with our own. But while at face value the Fund expects growth to rebound... 15th October 2013 · 1 min read
China Economics Update People’s Bank accelerates its foreign exchange purchases The People’s Bank (PBC) has been purchasing foreign exchange at a frantic rate in recent weeks,underlining again how reluctant policymakers are to leave the renminbi in the hands of market forces... 14th October 2013 · 1 min read
China Economics Update Welcome slowdown in credit, but inflation rising The slew of September data released in the last few days reveal a welcome slowdown in broad credit growth and a sharp pick-up in inflation. The latter may look alarming, but on closer inspection it... 14th October 2013 · 1 min read
Emerging Markets Trade Monitor Continued recovery in EM trade The most recent Emerging Market (EM) trade data show that export growth maintained its upward trend in August. Forward-looking indicators point to further gains over the year ahead. 11th October 2013 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update Where and why do our forecasts differ from the IMF’s? In its latest World Economic Outlook (WEO), the IMF has cut its growth forecasts for most Emerging Asian economies, bringing them more or less into line with our own. However, there are three key... 10th October 2013 · 1 min read
Emerging Markets Economics Update US default would put familiar faces back in the firing line A default by the US government would be without precedent and the potential spillovers to emerging markets are unclear. Nonetheless, it seems likely that the same EMs that were hit during the summer... 10th October 2013 · 1 min read
China Economics Update Inflation Monitor (Oct.) Consumer price inflation probably rebounded last month, thanks to a rise in vegetable price inflation. In general though, inflation in most areas is stable, with no sign that the economy’s summer... 10th October 2013 · 1 min read
China Economics Update Can Shanghai become a global financial centre? The underwhelming launch of the Shanghai Free Trade Zone (FTZ) has led many to reassess the likelihood of the zone becoming a test bed for far-reaching policy reform any time soon. If anything, the... 9th October 2013 · 1 min read
Emerging Markets Economic Outlook Weak growth but no crisis Financial markets have awakened to the vulnerabilities in the emerging world. These are real and will weigh on growth in the years ahead. But we believe that the doomsayers will be proved wrong – an... 8th October 2013 · 1 min read
Asia Economic Outlook China and India holding back regional rebound GDP growth in Emerging Asia over the next couple of years is likely to remain lacklustre by recent historical standards. The main reason for the subdued outlook is poor growth prospects in the region... 8th October 2013 · 1 min read
Emerging Markets Economics Update EM manufacturing recovery continues, but unevenly Our EM-wide PMI suggests that the recovery in EM manufacturing continued at the end of Q3. However, the improvement is uneven. The rebound was most prominent in Emerging Europe, helped by the... 2nd October 2013 · 1 min read