US Economics Weekly Business investment not unusually low The current level of business investment is not unusually low, with firms opting to use funds to pay dividends or buy back equity instead. Nevertheless, that doesn’t mean the outlook for business... 6th November 2015 · 1 min read
Canada Data Response Labour Force Survey (Oct.) The 44,400 gain in employment in October was stronger than anyone expected and an indication the economy is withstanding the oil shock better than previously thought. While the details weren’t quite... 6th November 2015 · 1 min read
US Data Response Employment Report (Oct.) The much bigger than expected 271,000 surge in non-farm payrolls in October confirms that the weakness in August and September was just a temporary blip and, given the circumstances, a December... 6th November 2015 · 1 min read
Global Economics Chart Pack Growth picking up again at the start of Q4 Concerns that a hard landing in China may tip the world into a fresh recession look increasingly wide of the mark. The latest business surveys and credit data suggest that China itself may be... 5th November 2015 · 1 min read
Canada Economic Outlook Economy will struggle to cope with oil shock Although the mild recession in the first half of this year has ended, the drag from falling business investment triggered by the slump in oil prices is far from over and growing imbalances in the... 4th November 2015 · 1 min read
UK Economics Chart Pack Economic recovery picks up pace at the start of Q4 The latest business surveys support our view that the slowdown in the economy in Q3 was just temporary. Gains in both the Markit/CIPS manufacturing and service sector PMIs in October left the economy... 4th November 2015 · 1 min read
Global Economics Update What are the prospects for labour markets and wages? Unemployment rates in the US, euro-zone, Japan, and UK are likely to continue falling gradually over the coming years. However, the prospects for wage growth in these four economies vary considerably. 4th November 2015 · 1 min read
Middle East & North Africa Economics Update Saudi consumer spending to weaken further as fiscal squeeze bites Despite recent media reports espousing the resilience of Saudi consumers in the face of lower oil prices, a number of indicators suggest that household spending in the Kingdom has softened in recent... 4th November 2015 · 1 min read
Japan Data Response Consumer Confidence (Oct.) While the rebound in consumer confidence in October suggests that consumer spending will continue to recover, the renewed fall in household inflation expectations should ring alarm bells at the Bank... 4th November 2015 · 1 min read
Australia & New Zealand Data Response New Zealand Labour Market (Q3) The stark deterioration in labour market conditions in New Zealand in the third quarter pretty much guarantees that the RBNZ will cut rates to 2.5% at the meeting in December, from 2.75% now. What's... 4th November 2015 · 1 min read
Europe Chart Pack Growth steady but slow Early indications from business surveys suggest that the euro-zone economy has continued to grow at a steady but slow pace at the beginning of the fourth quarter. For example, the composite PMI... 3rd November 2015 · 1 min read
Japan Data Response Unemployment, Consumer Prices, Household Spending (Sep.) The renewed rise in inflation excl. fresh food and energy in September would provide a reason for the Bank of Japan to leave policy settings unchanged later today. But the rebound in underlying... 30th October 2015 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Weekly Markets pressure ECB to deliver Policymakers at the ECB have seemingly been priming the markets for additional stimulus to be announced in December. With some form of easing now priced into the market, the Bank is under pressure to... 30th October 2015 · 1 min read
UK Economics Weekly Mr Osborne’s tax credit options Mr Osborne has various options to soften the impact of his cuts in tax credits, but all of them will cost him some money. Admittedly, this might “only” be a couple of billion for a couple of years... 30th October 2015 · 1 min read
Europe Data Response Euro-zone Flash CPI (Oct.) & Unemployment (Sep.) While the euro-zone avoided a second straight month of falling prices in October, the absence of inflation in the region keeps the pressure firmly on the ECB to expand its QE programme in December. 30th October 2015 · 1 min read
Japan Data Response Household Spending (Sep.) The renewed rise in inflation excl. fresh food and energy in September would provide a reason for the Bank of Japan to leave policy settings unchanged later today. But the rebound in underlying... 30th October 2015 · 1 min read
