Latin America Economics Update Brazil fiddles around the fiscal edges The freeze to some areas of government spending announced by Brazil’s government last night amounts to further fiddling around the edges at the expense of more fundamental fiscal reforms needed to... 23rd July 2013 · 1 min read
Latin America Economics Update Revamped SICAD won’t save Venezuela The re-launch of foreign exchange auctions in Venezuela, coupled with an increase in the public debt ceiling, is unlikely to solve the country’s dollar drought. We continue to think that GDP will... 22nd July 2013 · 1 min read
UK Data Response Public finances (Jun.) The underlying picture for the public finances is one of stalled progress in deficit reduction. The Chancellor will be hoping that the nascent economic recovery will change this picture soon. But, for... 19th July 2013 · 1 min read
Middle East & North Africa Economics Update Gulf aid not a long-term solution to Egypt’s problems The aid that Gulf states have granted to Egypt since the ousting of President Morsi should be sufficient to cover the country’s external financing requirement for almost a year. Accordingly, the... 16th July 2013 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update Will Portugal be granted another bail-out? The risk of Portugal needing more financial support is growing. Even if a second bail-out can be agreed in the run-up to the German election, it is likely to involve private sector losses. And the ECB... 15th July 2013 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update Thailand’s rice subsidy sustainable Thailand’s government can afford to maintain its rice subsidy scheme indefinitely, as long as GDP growth holds up and rice prices do not collapse. However, doing so would put at risk the goal of... 12th July 2013 · 1 min read
Middle East & North Africa Economics Update How sustainable is the Gulf’s fiscal splurge? We’ve argued for some time that the Gulf economies should outperform the rest of the MENA region over the next couple of years, in large part thanks to large increases in government spending. But... 11th July 2013 · 1 min read
Latin America Economics Update Latin America’s commodity boom – an opportunity missed When all’s said and done, the commodity price boom of the past decade will probably go down as a wasted opportunity for the economies of Latin America. Rather than saving and investing their windfall... 9th July 2013 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Weekly IMF deal no solution to Pakistan's woes Pakistan has reached an initial agreement with the IMF for a US$5.3bn loan. The deal should avert a balance of payments crisis but, as this Weekly explains, the conditions attached to the loan will... 8th July 2013 · 1 min read
Asia Economic Outlook Policy approaches turning point Despite China’s ongoing slowdown, growth in the rest of Emerging Asia should pick up over the next couple of years, helped by a combination of loose monetary policy and stronger global demand. The... 5th July 2013 · 1 min read
US Economics Update The tide is turning for State & local governments Recent evidence on employment and construction spending has supported our view that a rebound in spending by State and local governments this year will offset some of the drag on GDP growth from a... 3rd July 2013 · 1 min read
UK Economics Update Recent rise in yields need not spell fiscal gloom The recent jump in UK government borrowing costs is hardly a welcome development in the face of a budget deficit that remains historically high. But with some rise in yields already factored into... 2nd July 2013 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update Euro-zone Fiscal Monitor (Jun.) Although the peripheral economies remain mired in recession, some fiscal progress is being made, particularly in Greece. 2nd July 2013 · 1 min read
Canada Economics Focus In case of emergency: Blow the budget Fiscal policy might have to provide more stimulus soon unless economic growth improves materially. For housing bears such as ourselves, the potential for additional fiscal stimulus helps to limit the... 26th June 2013 · 1 min read
UK Economics Update Spending Review details only fraction of the pain left There were virtually no changes in the overall fiscal plans in today’s Spending Review. Accordingly, the Review did nothing to alter the prospect of a prolonged period of government spending cuts. In... 26th June 2013 · 1 min read
Latin America Economics Update Government spending isn't the solution to Brazil's problems The response of Brazil’s government to recent unrest suggests a willingness to engage with protestors’ concerns, but also reveals a fundamental misdiagnosis of the underlying issues. The problem lies... 26th June 2013 · 1 min read
