Australia & New Zealand Economics Update New Zealand - Recession imminent, more stimulus will be needed While the New Zealand government’s large stimulus package will soften the blow from the coronavirus outbreak, it will not prevent a recession. As such, we still expect the RBNZ to launch quantitative... 17th March 2020 · 2 mins read
Europe Economics Update ECB will be forced into more drastic action Last week’s ECB decision gave it more ammunition to combat the fallout from the coronavirus, but it will not be enough. We now think the Bank will soon make an explicit commitment to keep sovereign... 16th March 2020 · 3 mins read
India Economics Update RBI keeps some ammunition in the locker The RBI announced some measures to boost bank liquidity in a hastily-arranged press conference today but disappointed the bond market by not lowering policy rates. With the coronavirus a growing... 16th March 2020 · 3 mins read
US Economics Update Fed unleashes full crisis playbook The Fed’s decision to slash interest rates to near-zero won’t stop the economy falling into a recession, but the package of liquidity-boosting measures will help prevent credit markets seizing up... 16th March 2020 · 3 mins read
Asia Economics Update Bank of Korea’s next step likely to be QE The Bank of Korea today finally responded to the coronavirus outbreak by cutting the policy rate by 50bp and introducing a number of other measures to ease financing constraints. Further measures... 16th March 2020 · 3 mins read
India Data Response Wholesale Prices (Feb.) The drop in wholesale price inflation in February is an added source of comfort for the RBI following the fall in CPI inflation last month. We think it will follow its global peers by further... 16th March 2020 · 2 mins read
Japan Economics Update Bank of Japan still likely to cut interest rates The measures announced by the Bank of Japan today lack teeth and we still expect policymakers to cut the short-term policy rate over the coming weeks. 16th March 2020 · 3 mins read
Australia & New Zealand Economics Update Recession in Australia is now very likely New comprehensive restrictions on travel mean that both Australia and New Zealand are headed for recession. We expect the Reserve Bank of New Zealand to follow up today’s emergency 75bp rate cut with... 16th March 2020 · 3 mins read
Nordic & Swiss Economics Weekly Taking stock of the policy responses so far Following the raft of policy measures by Nordic central banks this week, the focus next week will be on what the SNB has up its sleeve. We have pencilled in a cut in the policy rate, to -1.00%. Other... 13th March 2020 · 4 mins read
China Economics Update PBOC loosens further as newly-reported cases stall The People’s Bank has taken another step to push down borrowing costs. China’s economy is still operating far below its normal capacity but, with only eight new infections reported nationally in the... 13th March 2020 · 2 mins read
US Economics Update What more can the Fed do? The Fed has already slashed interest rates and flooded the markets with liquidity, but it will have to go further in the coming weeks, with a return to near-zero interest rates and a resumption of... 13th March 2020 · 4 mins read
China Economics Weekly PBOC mulling deposit rate cut to shore up banks Recent monetary easing has squeezed bank margins, causing concern among policymakers. The People’s Bank has hinted that, in order to take some pressure off the banks and give them room to lower... 13th March 2020 · 6 mins read
Europe Economics Update ECB response highlights EZ policy weakness The measures unveiled by the ECB today were as substantial as expected. But, along with Ms Lagarde’s comments, they underlined that the ECB has little firepower left, that there has been no... 12th March 2020 · 3 mins read
US Fed Watch Fed to lower rates to near-zero We expect the Fed to cut interest rates by an additional 50bp at the scheduled FOMC meeting next week, with a final 50bp cut at the April meeting taking the fed funds rate back to its crisis-era level... 11th March 2020 · 6 mins read
Nordic & Swiss Central Bank Watch Norges Bank to use its monetary space Amid a raft of rate cuts by other G10 central banks, and the recent plunge in oil prices, we have pencilled in a 50bp rate cut at the Norges Bank’s meeting next Thursday. We expect policymakers to... 11th March 2020 · 5 mins read
China Data Response Bank Lending & Broad Credit (Feb.) Credit growth was stable last month despite the slump in economic activity. In most countries, credit growth would slow sharply in response to a shock such as the coronavirus, as households defer... 11th March 2020 · 2 mins read
