Africa Economic Outlook Cracks emerge in the “Africa Rising” story The long-run growth outlook for sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) remains good, but recent developments have caused cracks to emerge in the “Africa Rising” story. Budget and current account positions have... 15th August 2014 · 1 min read
Latin America Economics Update Argentina: Stimulus may backfire as bank deal falls through Negative comments from holdout creditors suggest that a solution to the Argentine debt dispute involving private banks has fallen through. That, along with interest rate cuts and monetisation of the... 14th August 2014 · 1 min read
Emerging Europe Economics Update Three scenarios for Russia’s economy The deepening political crisis between Russia and the US/Europe means that the uncertainties attached to economic forecasts are even greater than usual. In these circumstances it makes more sense to... 6th August 2014 · 1 min read
Latin America Economics Focus Brazil Election Watch: A blueprint for reform There are a number of ways in which the winning candidate in October’s presidential elections could help to turn around Brazil’s struggling economy. But efforts will need to be targeted on structural... 6th August 2014 · 1 min read
Africa Economics Update Ghana faces up to economic woes by turning to the IMF Ghana’s authorities bowed to the inevitable on Sunday by formally requesting help from the IMF in dealing with the country’s enormous twin budget and current account deficits. The most likely form of... 4th August 2014 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update Euro-zone Fiscal Monitor (Jul.) Although progress remains slow in many countries, the latest euro-zone fiscal data provided moreevidence that peripheral governments are gradually strengthening their fiscal positions. 1st August 2014 · 1 min read
Africa Chart Pack Tightening cycles have further to run The tightening cycles that began in Ghana and South Africa earlier this year continued in July and, in both cases, we think that further interest rate hikes are likely before the end of 2014. Ghana’s... 31st July 2014 · 1 min read
Middle East & North Africa Economic Outlook North Africa getting back on its feet Three years on from the “Arab Spring” uprisings, the tide is turning in favour of the economies of North Africa. Admittedly, there are still many challenges, not least reining in large twin current... 31st July 2014 · 1 min read
Asia Chart Pack Property price worries prompt rate hikes The central banks of New Zealand, the Philippines and Malaysia all tightened monetary policy last month amid signs that policymakers are becoming increasingly concerned that loose monetary policy is... 30th July 2014 · 1 min read
Emerging Europe Chart Pack Interest rates heading in opposite directions The Russian central bank caused a surprise earlier this month by hiking its one-week repo rate in a pre-emptive move to limit capital outflows ahead of a fresh sanctions imposed by the US and EU. This... 30th July 2014 · 1 min read
Middle East & North Africa Chart Pack Signs of recovery in North Africa Following a difficult few years, the latest data have provided further evidence that things are improving in North Africa. It looks like growth in both Tunisia and Egypt accelerated over the first... 29th July 2014 · 1 min read
Global Economics Update Low inflation a threat to fiscal policy in the euro-zone and Japan Continued very low inflation is likely to have anegative impact on debt ratios in both Japan andthe euro-zone during the coming years. Insouthern euro-zone countries real interest rateswill probably... 28th July 2014 · 1 min read
UK Economics Weekly Is a fiscal crisis quietly brewing? On the face of it, last week’s fiscal figures suggested that the public finances are still not benefitingfrom the recovery’s strength. Indeed, if the trend in the first three months of this fiscal... 28th July 2014 · 1 min read
Latin America Chart Pack Argentina teeters on the brink of another default With talks between Buenos Aires and holdout bondholders seemingly having stalled, it appears increasingly likely that Argentina will be prevented from making an interest payment that is due on... 25th July 2014 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update Korean growth to accelerate in H2 on stimulus spending Despite the sharp Q2 slowdown in Korea, today’s government stimulus package should lead to anacceleration in growth in the second half of the year, putting the economy on schedule to meet ourforecast... 24th July 2014 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Focus What can India's policymakers do to kick-start growth? The new government’s emphatic election victory in May has lifted some of the gloom that has hung over India’s economy in recent years. We see a number of ways in which the country’s new leaders can... 23rd July 2014 · 1 min read