US Economics Update Pick-up in wage growth a weather-related distortion The reported acceleration in wage growth last month, which triggered the recent market sell-off, was nothing more than a weather-related distortion. The unseasonably cold January explains both the... 6th February 2018 · 1 min read
US Data Response Employment Report (Jan.) The 200,000 gain in non-farm payrolls in January, which was above the consensus estimate but in line with our own forecast, leaves the Fed firmly on track to raise rates in March. And with signs that... 2nd February 2018 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update Is French inflation about to take off? The strength of France’s economic recovery and improving conditions in the labour market suggest that core inflation will soon start to rise from its current depressed levels. But recent reforms will... 1st February 2018 · 1 min read
Europe Data Response Euro-zone Flash CPI (Jan.) & Unemployment (Dec.) January’s fall in euro-zone inflation largely reflected energy effects, so won’t be a major concern to the ECB. But December’s labour market data emphasise that there is still slack in the labour... 31st January 2018 · 1 min read
UK Data Response GfK/NOP Consumer Confidence January’s GfK/NOP confidence survey suggested that consumers started the year in fairly good spirits. And with real earnings likely to recover in the second half of this year, there is scope for... 31st January 2018 · 1 min read
Japan Data Response Consumer Confidence (Jan.) Household sentiment remained strong at the start of 2018 and suggests that the expansion in consumer spending has further to run. 31st January 2018 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update German pay demands won’t see inflation surge Recent pay demands by German trade unions may look like a sign that the economy’s strength is causing a surge in inflationary pressure. But the demands are very unlikely to be met in full. We expect a... 30th January 2018 · 1 min read
Japan Data Response Labour Market & Consumer Spending (Dec.) While the jobless rate edged up in December, the continued rise in job vacancies suggest it will fall to fresh lows before long. Meanwhile, consumer spending should have rebounded last quarter even... 30th January 2018 · 1 min read
Japan Economics Update Foreign workers continue to ease labour shortages One widely-overlooked factor driving Japan’s growth in recent years has been a surge in the number of foreign workers. This appears to be continuing, as employers face labour shortages and recent... 29th January 2018 · 1 min read
US Employment Report Preview Wage growth set to resume upward trend in 2018 We estimate that payroll employment growth rebounded to an above-trend 200,000 in January. That may have been enough to push the unemployment rate down to a new cycle-low of 4.0%, which would provide... 25th January 2018 · 1 min read
Nordic & Swiss Data Response Sweden Econ. Tend. Survey (Jan.) & Unemploy. (Dec.) The Economic Tendency Survey suggests that the Swedish economy lost some momentum at the start of 2018. But this is unlikely to prevent the Riksbank from tightening policy later this year. 25th January 2018 · 1 min read
UK Data Response Labour Market (Nov/Dec.) The latest labour market figures provided further reassurance that the economy held up in the fourth quarter of last year. With survey indicators suggesting that jobs and wage growth should continue... 24th January 2018 · 1 min read
UK Commercial Property Data Response Employment (Nov.) There was nothing in today’s labour market figures to suggest that the steady picture of occupier demand conditions, which has typified the commercial property market over the past few quarters, is... 24th January 2018 · 1 min read
China Chart Pack Trade tensions simmer as China-US surplus widens China’s bilateral trade surplus with the US rose in 2017 to a record high of US$275bn according to Chinese data. President Trump, according to the White House, stressed his “disappointment” with this... 24th January 2018 · 1 min read
US Chart Pack Rebound in inflation could be the big story in 2018 The stronger 0.3% m/m gain in core consumer prices in December provided clearer evidence that the forces weighing on core inflation last year are now firmly in reverse. Admittedly, core CPI inflation... 18th January 2018 · 1 min read
Europe Economic Outlook Sustained upturn need not prompt ECB rate hikes The euro-zone’s impressive upturn looks set to continue apace as reduced political uncertainty, high levels of business confidence, and continued strong policy support allow investment to take off... 18th January 2018 · 1 min read
