Europe Economics Update Are markets starting to price in a euro break-up? Financial markets seem finally to have started to accept that the euro-zone might actually break up. Regular readers will not be surprised to hear that we think this process has considerably further... 16th November 2011 · 1 min read
Global Economics Update Will the IMF save the euro? Faced with the potential for a systemic financial crisis, the G20 group of leading nations may eventually agree a big increase in resources for the IMF. However, even if they do so, we doubt whether... 14th November 2011 · 1 min read
Commodities Update Is gold a currency? The question of whether gold should be regarded as a “currency” might seem academic, but a discussion of the possible answers may shed some light on how best to analyse and forecast its price. Our... 9th November 2011 · 1 min read
UK Markets Chart Pack UK recession risks weigh on markets While the twists and turns of the euro-zone debt crisis have continued to have a key bearing on UK market movements, markets also appear to be concerned that the UK economy is on the brink of... 9th November 2011 · 1 min read
Japan Economics Weekly The success (or otherwise) of yen intervention The intervention by the Japanese authorities last Monday has succeeded in weakening the yen and reducing exchange rate volatility, for now at least. The Ministry of Finance has a long history of... 7th November 2011 · 1 min read
Japan Economics Update Yen intervention could be a one day wonder Today’s unilateral intervention has only succeeded in weakening the yen a little (from around 75.6 per dollar to 79.5, then back to 77.9) and is unlikely to be enough to turn the tide. Meanwhile, the... 31st October 2011 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Weekly How vulnerable is Asia to another financial crisis? Despite the deal agreed by European leaders last week, we are far from sanguine about prospects for the euro-zone and expect further turmoil in global financial markets. In the event of another... 31st October 2011 · 1 min read
Global Markets Outlook Too little, too late We do not expect the recent respite for risky assets to last. The outlook for the advanced economies is bleak and the growth rate of corporate earnings is set to slow. Investors’ enthusiasm for risk... 29th October 2011 · 1 min read
Japan Economics Update BoJ expands asset purchases but needs to do more Currency markets brushed off the latest expansion to the Bank of Japan’s asset purchase scheme, sending the yen back through 76 to the dollar shortly after the announcement. Although we think it... 28th October 2011 · 1 min read
Global Markets Update Yen to strengthen to 60 against the dollar The resilience of the yen and a reassessment of the relative strengths of the various pressures on the Japanese currency have prompted us to change the direction of our forecasts. We now expect the... 27th October 2011 · 1 min read
Commodities Update Dollar gains to add to downward pressures on prices The prospect of further strength in the US dollar is a clear and present danger to commodity prices of all types. But if the main driver is worries about sovereign debt, gold should still outperform. 22nd October 2011 · 1 min read
Latin America Economics Update Latin America’s currencies still look overvalued Despite a sell-off over the past couple of months, various measures suggest that Latin America’s currencies – with the exception of the Mexican peso – are still stronger than fundamentals might... 19th October 2011 · 1 min read
Emerging Europe Economics Update What will weaker currencies mean for inflation? Fears that the recent sell-off in Emerging Europe’s currencies might lead to a pick-up in inflation and put pressure on policymakers to raise interest rates are overstated. Nevertheless, weaker... 19th October 2011 · 1 min read
Commodities Outlook Poor demand prospects mean prices have further to fall The sharp falls in commodity prices in the third quarter illustrate the importance of macroeconomic and financial market factors on the demand side, which once again have more than offset the... 19th October 2011 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Focus Can the euro survive the sovereign debt crisis? Policymakers’ latest plans to tackle the euro-zone debt crisis are unlikely to address the region’s fundamental problems and secure the future of the single currency. We still doubt that the euro will... 19th October 2011 · 1 min read
Emerging Europe Economics Update What next for the ruble? Russian markets have been hit hard during the recent financial market turmoil: the RTS equity index was down by 18% in September and the ruble lost 10% against the dollar. While the currency and... 14th October 2011 · 1 min read
