Japan Economics Update Uncertain outlook overshadows improving output Recent survey evidence has pointed to a further pick-up in economic activity in January, but also highlighted the considerable uncertainty in the economic environment. The results of January’s Economy... 8th February 2012 · 1 min read
Latin America Economics Focus Mexican banks can weather the euro-zone storm The close links between Mexican banks and the euro-zone have raised fears that the break-up of the monetary union will trigger a banking crisis in Mexico. But while we would caution against dismissing... 7th February 2012 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update Austerity deal won’t mark a turning point for Greece Greek policymakers may soon agree on a new austerity and structural reform programme, reducing the chances of a disorderly default in March. Nonetheless, any deal is unlikely to prevent Greece’s... 7th February 2012 · 1 min read
UK Economics Update Monetary Indicators Monitor (Jan.) The continued weakness of broad money and lending growth bolsters the case for the MPC to announce another round of quantitative easing (QE) at February’s meeting. 31st January 2012 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update Euro-zone Monetary Indicators Monitor (Jan.) Recent monetary data have revealed that the ECB’s generous lending has helped to reduce strains in interbank markets to some extent. However, money and credit growth have weakened further. 27th January 2012 · 1 min read
US Economics Update Monetary Indicators Monitor (Dec.) While the growth rate of the narrower M1 money aggregate has started to slow a little, M2 growth has remained broadly unchanged and the growth rate of our reconstructed measure of the broadest M3... 17th January 2012 · 1 min read
Emerging Europe Economics Update Turkey: painful current account adjustment underway On the face of it, the most recent Turkish balance of payments data are encouraging. The current account deficit appears to be narrowing, while capital inflows have held up. But underlying this is the... 11th January 2012 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update Euro-zone Monetary Indicators Monitor (Dec.) Recent monetary data have revealed that money and credit growth remain very subdued. The ECB’s latest efforts to improve commercial banks’ liquidity seem unlikely to have a meaningful impact on... 3rd January 2012 · 1 min read
US Economics Weekly What to watch in 2012 Just how US banks cope with the euro-zone crisis, which we believe will involve the departure of at least one nation from the currency union next year, could make or break the US economy in 2012. 27th December 2011 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update The implications of a French downgrade The immediate, mechanical effect of a French credit rating downgrade might not be too severe as it has already been at least partly priced in by financial markets. But it could have disastrous... 19th December 2011 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Weekly Banks unlikely to ride to their governments’ rescue A closer look at the euro-zone policymakers’ new plan to “save the euro” has not altered our view that it will not bring the debt crisis to an end, especially since several key components of the deal... 19th December 2011 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update Is the ECB doing more than we think? Recent changes to the ECB’s bank lending operations and the news that national central banks may lend to the IMF have raised hopes that support for the region’s most troubled economies is being... 13th December 2011 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update NPLs are likely to rise sharply in Vietnam The government in Vietnam has moved to restructure some of the country’s banks. This comes after a surge in lending in recent years, which has contributed to a rise in bad debt. The non-performing... 13th December 2011 · 1 min read
Emerging Europe Economics Update Russia: banking squeeze intensifies amidst political unrest The Central Bank of Russia (CBR) has cut the amount of funds it provides via its overnight repo auctions to the lowest level in almost two months in an attempt to shore up the ruble against a backdrop... 12th December 2011 · 1 min read
Latin America Economics Update How would a crisis in Europe hit Latin American banks? 8th December 2011 · 1 min read
Europe Chart Pack Entering another deep recession Hopes that euro-zone policymakers will hatch a new “grand plan” to save the euro-zone may have grown, but evidence is mounting that the region is on the cusp of another deep recession. In November... 8th December 2011 · 1 min read