Emerging Europe Economics Update How much financial support does Ukraine need? As Ukraine’s political transition progresses, attention has turned to the urgent need for external assistance in order to avoid a balance of payments crisis and possibly even a default on its external... 26th February 2014 · 1 min read
Global Economics Update Monetary aggregates still expanding rapidly The monetary base in advanced economies has continued expanding in recent weeks, largely due to the asset purchase programmes of the Fed and the Bank of Japan. Indeed, the aggregate monetary base of... 21st February 2014 · 1 min read
US Economics Update Monetary Indicators Monitor (Jan.) Broad money growth appears to have stabilised, with our measure of the M3 aggregate rebounding slightly to 4.6% in January, from 4.4%. (See Chart below.) Elsewhere, the slowdown in the growth rate of... 18th February 2014 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Focus Banking union: a step rather than a leap forward The euro-zone’s proposed banking union will help to strengthen the region’s financial system. But the benefits will be slow to feed into the real economy. And the current framework for banking union... 18th February 2014 · 1 min read
Emerging Europe Economics Update Uneven recovery in lending conditions Our latest Banking Heat Map shows that lending conditions are diverging across the region. Credit growth is gathering pace in countries with healthier banking sectors, such as the Czech Republic... 17th February 2014 · 1 min read
Japan Economics Update Monetary Indicators Monitor (Jan 14.) The annual growth rate of the money supply seems to be levelling off, and is likely to remain broadly stable in coming months. By contrast, bank lending may still accelerate further as loan demand... 13th February 2014 · 1 min read
China Economics Update Inflation Monitor (Feb.) Chinese New Year usually delivers a spike in consumer price inflation. This year though, prices have remained unusually subdued. Inflation is unlikely to be of much concern to policymakers at least... 11th February 2014 · 1 min read
China Economics Update People’s Bank signals credit risks remain prime concern In the debate about whether to prioritise shoring up GDP growth or dealing with structural concerns, the latest monetary policy report from the People’s Bank suggests that it is firmly in the latter... 10th February 2014 · 1 min read
US Economics Update Mortgage demand plummets The Fed's latest Senior Loan Officer Survey indicates that the jump in borrowing costs last year is still undermining demand for residential mortgages. The more recent drop back in mortgage rates... 3rd February 2014 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update Third bail-out will not solve all of Greece's problems The news that Germany is drawing up plans for another support package for Greece, suggests that policymakers are gradually resolving some of the problems surrounding Greece’s current bail-out deal... 3rd February 2014 · 1 min read
UK Economics Update Monetary Indicators Monitor (Jan.) The broad money supply continues to grow at a rate which should reassure those fearing that the economic recovery might be building up steam too rapidly. Indeed, with bank lending remaining subdued... 30th January 2014 · 1 min read
China Economics Update What damage would a trust default do? A last minute rescue package allowed investors in the troubled “Credit Equals Gold No. 1” trust product to recoup the principal and the bulk of expected interest from their investment this week. But... 30th January 2014 · 1 min read
China Chart Pack Credit risks remain high Worries about the health of China’s financial sector have been eased by today’s news that a high-profile default has been avoided on a troubled RMB3bn trust product (“Credit Equals Gold No. 1”). In... 27th January 2014 · 1 min read
China Data Response HSBC/Markit Flash Manufacturing PMI (Jan.) Today's downbeat PMI suggests that the slowdown in China's manufacturing sector is accelerating. Tighter monetary conditions appear to be slowing domestic demand and will continue to weigh on growth... 23rd January 2014 · 1 min read
Japan Data Response Senior Loan Officer Survey (Q4) The BoJ’s Senior Loan Officer Survey shows that despite some slowdown in household loan demand, overall loan demand continues to accelerate. 23rd January 2014 · 1 min read
Global Economics Update Monetary aggregates gradually recovering Recent trends in corporate credit growth underline the diverging fortunes of advanced economies. In the US, bank lending is expanding at a decent pace, albeit more slowly than it was in 2012, and even... 20th January 2014 · 1 min read