Latin America Economics Update Is high inflation here to stay in Latin America? Following a surge in inflation across the region this year, we think that headline rates are at, or close to, a peak in major Latin American economies. But strong underlying price pressures will... 15th September 2021 · 4 mins read
Asset Allocation Update Putting risky asset valuations into context This Update compares the valuations of the twelve different “risky” asset classes that we cover on our Asset Allocation service, both relative to one another and to the yields of “safe” assets, as... 13th September 2021 · 5 mins read
Latin America Economics Weekly Brazil’s political crisis, Mexico’s austere budget It’s been a rollercoaster week in Brazilian politics and financial markets and, while investors have breathed a small sigh of relief in the past day or so, we think that they will be put under further... 10th September 2021 · 5 mins read
Emerging Markets Economics Focus The pandemic and EM scarring risks The pandemic is likely to inflict lasting damage on potential growth in economies in much of Latin America, Africa and South and Southeast Asia, adding to the structural headwinds that they already... 9th September 2021 · 17 mins read
Latin America Data Response Brazil IPCA (Aug.) The rise in Brazil’s headline inflation rate to 9.7% y/y last month was driven by a broad-based strengthening of price pressures. With the economy re-opening and electricity tariffs hiked this month... 9th September 2021 · 2 mins read
Emerging Markets Financial Risk Monitor Evergrande & frontier sovereign debt risks build The combination of large foreign-currency debt burdens, low FX reserves and weakening currencies means that the risk of sovereign defaults in Sri Lanka and Tunisia is growing. Elsewhere, China’s... 9th September 2021 · 6 mins read
Latin America Economics Weekly Brazil’s recovery worries, hawks fly in Chile The disappointing economic data out of Brazil this week has cast some clouds over the economy’s recovery prospects. As it happens, we think that GDP growth will pick up quite strongly in Q3, but we’re... 3rd September 2021 · 7 mins read
Asset Allocation Update EM assets & the risk of higher inflation We think that there is a risk of a period of moderately higher inflation in some major emerging markets (EMs) over the coming years. If that came to pass, it would probably be bad news for local... 3rd September 2021 · 4 mins read
Latin America Data Response Brazil Industrial Production (Jul.) The 1.3% m/m fall in Brazilian industrial production in July confirms that the sector continued its weak performance into the start of Q3, and surveys suggest that August will be weak too. That said... 2nd September 2021 · 2 mins read
Latin America Economics Update Brazil’s drought adds to inflation and fiscal risks Brazil’s drought is getting worse and the impact on hydropower production and electricity tariffs will result in higher inflation than we’d previously thought. Fiscal risks could also intensify if the... 1st September 2021 · 3 mins read
Latin America Data Response Brazil GDP (Q2 2021) Brazil’s GDP contracted by 0.1% q/q in Q2 but, with virus cases falling sharply, it looks like Q3 will be a lot stronger. We doubt that the fall in output last quarter will have much bearing on the... 1st September 2021 · 2 mins read
Commodities Weekly Dollar depreciation unlikely to last There was a dramatic turnaround in the fortunes of commodities prices this week, with across-the-board gains as risk appetite picked up and the US dollar eased back. Fed Chair, Jerome Powell, was... 27th August 2021 · 6 mins read
Latin America Economics Weekly Brazil at breaking point, Argentina’s SDRs, Chile pensions Brazil’s institutional crisis took a turn for the worse this week, and points to an environment in which fiscal risks will grow and the economic reform agenda will be put on the backburner. Elsewhere... 27th August 2021 · 7 mins read
EM Markets Chart Pack China’s growth slowdown may hold back EM equities We think slower growth in China will continue to weigh on the country’s stock market, as well as those of some other emerging markets (EMs). 27th August 2021 · 8 mins read
Latin America Economics Update Brazil: could a savings drawdown lift the recovery? We estimate that Brazilian households have ‘excess’ savings worth around 6% of GDP resulting from the pandemic. These should help to cushion consumer spending in the face of headwinds caused by rising... 26th August 2021 · 3 mins read
Latin America Data Response Brazil IPCA-15 (Aug. 2021) The rise in Brazilian inflation to 9.3% y/y in the middle of August provides Copom with plenty to worry about and will keep it on course to hike the Selic rate by another 100bp (to 6.25%) next month. 25th August 2021 · 2 mins read