Emerging Markets Financial Risk Monitor Recent improvement in EM sentiment backed by fundamentals The risk of a systemic EM financial crisis remains low. Our CERI suggests that financial vulnerabilities across the emerging world are much smaller now than at the time of previous crises and have... 17th March 2016 · 1 min read
China Chart Pack “Basically stable” renminbi slides lower Three months after the People’s Bank hinted that it would in future manage the renminbi relative to a currency basket rather than the dollar the jury is still out on what this means in practice... 17th March 2016 · 1 min read
Nordic & Swiss Economics Update Norges Bank cuts rates, but concerns about debt growing We think that today’s interest rate cut by the Norges Bank will be followed by another 25bp reduction in June. But concerns about household debt will prevent further loosening beyond that. 17th March 2016 · 1 min read
Nordic & Swiss Economics Update SNB on hold, but battle against deflation is not won The lack of upward pressure on the franc following the last ECB meeting has allowed the Swiss National Bank (SNB) to leave policy on hold for now. But deflation dangers are particularly severe in... 17th March 2016 · 1 min read
China Economics Update NPC puts short-run growth ahead of reform The National People’s Congress has ended today leaving us still feeling confident in our relatively upbeat view of the immediate outlook for the economy. But the leadership’s continued tentative... 16th March 2016 · 1 min read
Africa Data Response Nigeria Consumer Prices (Feb.) Nigerian inflation rose to 11.6% y/y in February, largely due to the falling parallel market exchange rate. This will deal yet another blow to the controversial FX system. 15th March 2016 · 1 min read
Middle East & North Africa Economics Update Egypt devaluation a step in the right direction The decision this morning by the Central Bank of Egypt to devalue the pound and move to a more flexible exchange rate regime is a positive step and should help to improve the country’s balance of... 14th March 2016 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Weekly Better times ahead for Asian currencies After a few years of heavy declines, Asian currencies have started to make up some lost ground against the US dollar. We think other forecasters are being too negative in expecting the region’s... 11th March 2016 · 1 min read
Australia & New Zealand Economics Weekly Will rates in New Zealand fall below those in Australia? The recent interest rate cut in New Zealand and the dovish comments by the RBNZ now mean it is easy to imagine a scenario where interest rates in New Zealand fall below those in Australia. That would... 11th March 2016 · 1 min read
Middle East & North Africa Economics Update Egypt Consumer Prices (Feb.) The fall in Egyptian inflation to a six-month low of 9.1% y/y in February may make policymakers more confident to push ahead with a devaluation of the pound. 10th March 2016 · 1 min read
Global Markets Update Re-examining the outlook for the US dollar Since 20th January, the US dollar has depreciated against the vast majority of the currencies in the Federal Reserve’s broad dollar index. As a result, its value on that measure has fallen by more... 9th March 2016 · 1 min read
Latin America Data Response Mexico Consumer Prices (Feb.) The further rise in Mexican inflation in February to 2.9% y/y from 2.5% y/y in January, was due largely to a pick-up in food inflation, rather than an increase in general price pressures. Even so... 9th March 2016 · 1 min read
UK Commercial Property Update Could sterling be the trigger for the next correction? An out vote in June’s EU referendum could trigger a sharp slide in sterling. But while that might push up prices, it is unlikely to raise interest rates or bond yields to levels that would prove... 9th March 2016 · 1 min read
China Data Response FX reserves (Feb.) The smallest fall in the value of China’s foreign exchange reserves in four months suggests that capital outflows have eased, allowing the People’s Bank (PBOC) to slow the pace of its intervention. 7th March 2016 · 1 min read
Australia & New Zealand Economics Update RBA may have to step in to weaken dollar The strengthening in the Australian dollar to an eight-month high of US$0.74 has left it at a level that poses a serious threat to the economic outlook. This may prompt the RBA to resume its campaign... 7th March 2016 · 1 min read
Emerging Europe Economics Update Why Russia’s industry unlikely to reap benefit of weak ruble In theory, at least, Russian manufacturing should be among the biggest beneficiaries from a weaker ruble. However, a weak currency alone is unlikely to trigger an industrial turnaround in Russia... 4th March 2016 · 1 min read
