UK Data Response Labour Market Data (Apr./May) Although employment is continuing to grow very rapidly, there still appears to be enough slack in the jobs market to prevent pay growth from picking up. 11th June 2014 · 1 min read
Japan Data Response Economy Watchers Survey & Consumer Confidence (May) The improvements in consumer confidence and the Economy Watchers Survey last month add to the evidence that the slump after the consumption tax hike is unlikely to last long. 9th June 2014 · 1 min read
Canada Data Response Labour Force Survey (May) The 25,800 rebound in employment in May wasn't quite enough to reverse fully the slightly bigger decline in the previous month and it leaves the level of employment barely higher over the past six... 6th June 2014 · 1 min read
US Data Response Employment Report (May) The robust 217,000 increase in non-farm payrolls in May is another illustration that the economy is back on the right track after the earlier weather-related weakness. 6th June 2014 · 1 min read
Global Economics Chart Pack Growth rebounding in second quarter The world economy slowed significantly in Q1, largely because output contracted in the US and growth weakened in China. But this should be followed by a rebound in the current quarter. Indeed, the... 5th June 2014 · 1 min read
UK Economics Chart Pack Strong growth but still no productivity rebound While the latest activity surveys suggest that the recovery might have gathered pace in the second quarter, a revival in productivity has remained elusive. Indeed, firms are hiring workers in record... 4th June 2014 · 1 min read
Europe Chart Pack Deflation risks still mounting May’s fall in euro-zone HICP inflation from 0.7% to 0.5% left it at its joint weakest rate since October 2009 and far beneath the ECB’s 2% price stability ceiling. There is no sign of inflationary... 4th June 2014 · 1 min read
US Economics Update A new measure of labour availability A new measure of the availability of labour places another question mark over the Fed’s belief that there is much more slack in the labour market than the unemployment rate suggests. This supports our... 3rd June 2014 · 1 min read
Europe Data Response Euro-zone Flash CPI (May) & Unemployment (Apr.) May’s fall in euro-zone inflation and the still high level of unemployment in April will add to the pressure on the ECB to provide more policy support in order to address the growing risks of... 3rd June 2014 · 1 min read
Japan Data Response Labour Cash Earnings (Apr.) The ongoing fall in basic pay shows that the increases agreed upon in the spring wage negotiations have so far not filtered through to employees not covered by these talks. 3rd June 2014 · 1 min read
Latin America Chart Pack GDP growth slowed in Q1, likely to remain sluggish First quarter GDP data released over the past month suggest that the region’s economy slowed further at the start of this year, with growth dipping to just 2.0% y/y in Q1, down from 2.2% y/y in Q4... 2nd June 2014 · 1 min read
Japan Data Response Consumer Prices (national: Apr.; Tokyo: May), Unemployment & Industrial Production (Apr.) Neither the surge in inflation nor the slowdown in industrial production in April came as a surprise, and firms expect output to stabilise in coming months while inflation should moderate. 30th May 2014 · 1 min read
US Employment Report Preview Lower jobless claims highlight labour market strength The fall in weekly initial jobless claims to a seven-year low suggests payroll employment grew by around 230,000 in May. Although this may not prevent the unemployment rate from rebounding to 6.4%... 29th May 2014 · 1 min read
Japan Data Response Flash Manufacturing PMI (May) The inaugural flash manufacturing PMI confirmed that the weakness caused by the consumption tax hike should be short-lived. 22nd May 2014 · 1 min read
UK Data Response Labour Market Data (Mar./Apr 14.) While the economic recovery is creating jobs at a rapid pace, there still appears to be plenty of slack in the labour market which is keeping a lid on pay growth. 14th May 2014 · 1 min read
Canada Data Response Labour Force Survey (Apr.) April's unexpected 28,900 decline in net employment suggests that the economy remained stuck in the slow lane last quarter, hampered by an underperforming export sector and a housing slowdown... 9th May 2014 · 1 min read