China Economics Update How long can the PBOC hold on? The willingness of the People’s Bank to sell over $100bn of foreign exchange reserves last month is a measure of its belief that a stable currency is in China’s interests and that current downward... 7th January 2016 · 1 min read
Middle East & North Africa Economics Update Saudi Arabia chooses fiscal squeeze rather than devaluation The fresh drop in oil prices has once again prompted speculation that Saudi Arabia will follow other major oil producers and devalue its currency. But we think this will only be used as a last resort... 7th January 2016 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update Will the Riksbank put its money where its mouth is? Sweden’s Riksbank is likely to have to follow through on its pledge to intervene in the foreign exchange market. But the strength of the domestic economy and the likelihood of more ECB QE means that... 7th January 2016 · 1 min read
Nordic & Swiss Economics Update Will the Riksbank put its money where its mouth is? Sweden’s Riksbank is likely to have to follow through on its pledge to intervene in the foreign exchange market. But the strength of the domestic economy and the likelihood of more ECB QE means that... 7th January 2016 · 1 min read
Canada Data Response International Merchandise Trade (Nov.) The modest rebound in export volumes in November wasn’t enough to offset the much larger decline in the previous month, suggesting that exports contracted over the fourth quarter as a whole. As things... 6th January 2016 · 1 min read
China Economics Update When might things improve? This week’s declines in China’s stock markets and currency raise a challenge to our relatively upbeat view of near-term prospects. But we continue to believe that growth is more likely to pick up than... 6th January 2016 · 1 min read
Global Markets Update What to make of renewed intervention in China Renewed intervention by the authorities in China may not be enough to prevent further falls in local equity markets, but even in the event of a sell-off the macroeconomic consequences should be small... 6th January 2016 · 1 min read
Africa Economics Update Nigeria: Devaluation inevitable, delays only lengthen the pain Nigeria’s cumbersome FX restrictions are strangling economic growth in the country, and are unsustainable given growing pressure on the naira. We expect that the authorities will be forced to devalue... 6th January 2016 · 1 min read
EM Valuations Monitor Valuations set stage for outperformance of EM equities Emerging market (EM) equities fared poorly in 2015, with the MSCI Emerging Markets Index falling by 8% in local currency terms and lagging behind the MSCI World Index of developed market equities for... 5th January 2016 · 1 min read
China Economics Update Basket shift adds to depreciation pressure Strong hints from the People’s Bank that it is shifting the focus of its exchange rate management to a trade-weighted currency basket have intensified expectations of further renminbi declines. But... 23rd December 2015 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update A quiet end to the year Asian financial markets have taken the start of Fed tightening in their stride. Currencies, equities and government bond yields have all been fairly stable over the past month. 23rd December 2015 · 1 min read
Asia Chart Pack ASEAN Economic Community is no game changer The ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) formally takes effect on 31st December and aims to transform ASEAN into a single market and production base, which its supporters hope will one day enable it to... 23rd December 2015 · 1 min read
Precious Metals Update Precious metals supply to tighten as currency boost fades Falls in currencies of major producers have played a key role in cushioning mining companies’ margins in recent years. However, with the prices of most precious metals trading below production costs... 22nd December 2015 · 1 min read
Middle East & North Africa Chart Pack Egypt edging closer to pound devaluation The Egyptian central bank has found itself in the spotlight this month, as attention has (re-)focussed on the country’s fragile external position. The appointment of Tarek Amer as governor had already... 22nd December 2015 · 1 min read
Commodities Update Weak producer currencies to keep prices under pressure Currency fluctuations have been a key factor dragging agricultural prices lower in US dollar terms this year. Dollar strength and weakness in key producer currencies are likely to remain headwinds in... 21st December 2015 · 1 min read
Global Markets Update Japanese equities to outperform again as yen falls further A combination of fading fears over China and additional yen weakness, as the Bank of Japan steps up the pace of its asset purchases, should allow Japanese equities to outperform their US peers in 2016... 18th December 2015 · 1 min read
