DM Valuations Monitor MSCI USA’s valuation most stretched since dot-com era The price/estimated earnings (P/E) ratio of the MSCI USA Index – a benchmark index of mid- and large-cap US equities – recently rose to its highest level since the dot-com era. Nonetheless, we still... 22nd April 2020 · 8 mins read
Middle East & North Africa Economics Update Saudi can withstand pressure on riyal Pressure is mounting on Saudi Arabia’s dollar peg and, while there is some opaqueness over the full size of the Kingdom’s FX reserves, we estimate that the authorities could prop up the riyal at... 22nd April 2020 · 3 mins read
India Chart Pack Shadow banking woes deepen Measures to contain the spread of the coronavirus will increase strains among traditional banks, but the shadow banking sector – still reeling from a large-scale default 18 months ago – is likely to... 22nd April 2020 · 9 mins read
Middle East & North Africa Economics Update Gulf to rely on austerity rather than devaluations The collapse in oil prices has led to renewed pressure on dollar pegs in the Gulf and, while there could be some positive effects on balance sheets from devaluations, the costs would be politically... 21st April 2020 · 3 mins read
Australia & New Zealand Economic Outlook Output to fall the most since Great Depression The restrictions imposed to limit the spread of the coronavirus will result in GDP falling at a double-digit rate in Australia and New Zealand in Q2. While activity will bounce back over the coming... 20th April 2020 · 20 mins read
Global Markets Update EM currency recovery unlikely to match 2009-10 We continue to think that most EM currencies will end the year higher than their current levels, even if they face further turbulence. But we don’t expect them to recover as strongly as they did after... 17th April 2020 · 4 mins read
Japan Chart Pack New cases not exploding but economic hit still huge A second wave of virus cases driven by rising infections in Tokyo and Osaka has triggered a major shift in economic behaviour. And while new cases in the two lynchpins of the Japanese economy have... 17th April 2020 · 11 mins read
Capital Daily EM currency weakness unlikely to last Emerging market currencies have generally fallen back over the past couple of days as the equity market rally has stalled and oil prices have dropped. Although they may face further turbulence, we... 15th April 2020 · 6 mins read
Middle East & North Africa Economics Update Egypt, the pound and lessons from the past Egypt’s central bank is intervening to prop up the pound, but the experience from the previous decade is that such efforts ultimately prove futile. If policymakers try to support the pound for an... 8th April 2020 · 3 mins read
Japan Economic Outlook Output to fall more than during global financial crisis Lockdowns will soon be imposed across much of Japan, triggering a decline of more than 10% in economic activity this quarter. The government’s latest fiscal package is intended to help firms stay... 8th April 2020 · 19 mins read
Global Markets Update EM currencies likely to rebound, but risks remain high While the worst may be yet to come for emerging market currencies, we expect that most will end this year stronger than they are now. 1st April 2020 · 4 mins read
China Chart Pack Labour market conditions continue to worsen Activity across both industry and services is recovering as measures to contain the coronavirus have been eased. But the recovery is likely to run into the constraint of weak demand before long. The... 27th March 2020 · 11 mins read
Global Markets Update Dollar likely to remain strong until pandemic peaks While we think that most currencies will eventually regain much of the ground that they have recently lost to the US dollar, we don’t expect that process to start until the pandemic has clearly passed... 24th March 2020 · 3 mins read
Asia Economics Update Slump in rupiah may prompt more aggressive action The slump in the rupiah poses a major threat to Indonesia because of the country’s high level of foreign currency debt. So far, the response of the central bank has been to step up its intervention in... 24th March 2020 · 3 mins read
Africa Economics Update Nigeria: Oil shock forces CBN to accept inevitable The controlled devaluation of the naira will help to preserve Nigeria’s scarce FX reserves and encourage foreign investment inflows. Given, however, that officials opted to maintain a dual-track... 23rd March 2020 · 3 mins read