Japan Data Response Tankan (Q1) The small rise in today’s Tankan index for all industries suggests that economic activity remained sluggish last quarter. 2nd April 2015 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update Time is quickly running out for Greece Greece is running out of time to produce a list of reforms that will satisfy its creditors and secure the additional bail-out payment it requires to meet its near-term financial obligations. But even... 31st March 2015 · 1 min read
Emerging Europe Data Response Economic Sentiment Indicators (Mar.) The declines in March’s Economic Sentiment Indicators (ESIs) in Central and South Eastern Europe were disappointing, but the surveys still point to strong growth in the region. Looking at the... 31st March 2015 · 1 min read
Emerging Markets Economics Focus Shifting sands: why the outlook for the BRICs is starting to diverge The prospects for the four largest emerging economies – Brazil, Russia, India and China – are starting to diverge. The outlook for India is improving and, despite a recent run of poor data, we think... 27th March 2015 · 1 min read
Japan Economics Weekly Why are firms borrowing more? Despite exceptionally strong corporate profits and falling investment, corporate debt increased by the most since 2008 last quarter. With interest costs at record lows, firms seem to be borrowing to... 27th March 2015 · 1 min read
China Economics Focus Outlook for China has actually brightened The recent news on China's economy has been generally downbeat. But less attention has been paid to some encouraging structural shifts which mean that the risks of a slump in growth have diminished... 27th March 2015 · 1 min read
India Economics Focus Is Mr Modi delivering on promises of reform? It has been nearly a year since Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP swept to victory in India's general election amid promises of wide-ranging reform to revamp the struggling economy. In this... 27th March 2015 · 1 min read
Africa Chart Pack Nigerian politics take centre stage All eyes are focused on Nigeria’s election on 28th March, which will almost certainly spark a brief period of political violence when (as seems likely) the losing candidate refuses to accept the... 26th March 2015 · 1 min read
Europe Data Response German Ifo Survey (Mar.) March’s rise in the German Ifo index provided further evidence that the recovery in the euro-zone’s largest economy continued in Q1 as firms shrugged off fears over Greece and the weaker euro started... 25th March 2015 · 1 min read
Africa Economics Focus Nigeria: What to expect after the election Saturday’s election will almost certainly spark a brief period of political violence when (as seems likely) the losing candidate refuses to accept the result. Beyond this, another term for incumbent... 25th March 2015 · 1 min read
China Economics Update The view from the ground – Q1 2015 Business sentiment has deteriorated this quarter however there has been a pick-up in reported loan demand, perhaps spurred by recent policy easing. Meanwhile, fewer households believe house prices are... 23rd March 2015 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Weekly Greece still hanging by a thread While there have been few firm developments in the ongoing Greek crisis in recent weeks, the general news on the progress towards plugging the country’s short-term financing hole and finding a lasting... 20th March 2015 · 1 min read
UK Data Response Public Finances (Feb.) While the public finances have finally shown significant improvement in recent months, they have not lessened the need for a major re-intensification of the fiscal squeeze soon after the election. 20th March 2015 · 1 min read
China Chart Pack Policymakers strike sanguine note If there is one key message on the economy to take away from the National People’s Congress it is that the government is aware of downside risks to growth but confident that it has the tools and the... 17th March 2015 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update France will struggle to meet its new fiscal targets, again While France has been given an extra two years to meet its new budget targets set by Brussels, we think that it will still struggle to achieve the necessary fiscal consolidation given France’s... 16th March 2015 · 1 min read
US Economics Weekly Corporate sector boosts its borrowing The $79bn increase in household debt in the fourth quarter was dwarfed by the $211bn increase in non-financial corporate debt. The latter was the biggest increase since 2007. 13th March 2015 · 1 min read
