Asia Economics Weekly Mixed Q2 GDP figures, China tourism clampdown For the countries that have already reported second quarter GDP figures, the numbers have been a mixed bag – growth picked up in Korea and Taiwan, but slowed in Singapore and Hong Kong. We only have a... 2nd August 2019 · 8 mins read
Asia Data Response Manufacturing PMIs (Jul.) PMI readings for Emerging Asia were slightly more positive at the start of Q3, but the big picture is that they remain low by past standards and there are few signs of a meaningful turnaround yet. 1st August 2019 · 2 mins read
Asia Data Response Korea Trade (Jul.) Korea’s trade data suggest that a meaningful recovery in the external environment remained elusive at the start to the second half of the year, with weakness in the technology sector and slowing... 1st August 2019 · 2 mins read
Frontier Markets Wrap Frontier sovereign bond rally likely to go into reverse The recent rally in frontier sovereign dollar bonds is unlikely to be sustained and we expect spreads to widen in Argentina, Ukraine and parts of the Middle East. 30th July 2019 · 8 mins read
Emerging Markets Activity Monitor Early signs that EM growth has turned the corner Having slowed sharply in Q1 and at the start of Q2, it looks like EM GDP growth strengthened a little in May and June. Even so, with China’s slowdown set to resume and the global economy more... 26th July 2019 · 2 mins read
Asia Economics Weekly MAS to loosen soon, Malaysia restarts rail project The recent deterioration in the economic data from Singapore adds weight to our view that monetary policy will be loosened before the central bank’s next scheduled meeting in mid-October. Meanwhile... 26th July 2019 · 7 mins read
Asia Data Response Korea GDP (Q2) The strength of growth in Q2 more than offset the contraction in Q1, but with the economy still likely to face large external headwinds in the second half of this year, a sustained upturn is unlikely. 25th July 2019 · 3 mins read
Emerging Markets Financial Risk Monitor Risks concentrated in the usual suspects Economic and financial vulnerabilities remain low across much of the emerging world. But banking sector vulnerabilities are high in Turkey and China. And we are now explicitly forecasting a sovereign... 24th July 2019 · 6 mins read
Asia Chart Pack Malaysia: rebound in inflation nothing to worry about The jump in the headline rate of inflation in Malaysia last month to 1.5% y/y from 0.2% in May, is unlikely to trouble the central bank (BNM). The rise was due to the effects of the elimination of the... 24th July 2019 · 16 mins read
Asia Economics Weekly Korea minimum wage U-turn, who will cut rates next? Having hiked the minimum wage aggressively in 2018 and 2019, the Korean government earlier this week announced a very small increase in the minimum wage for next year. The policy shift comes in... 19th July 2019 · 6 mins read
Emerging Markets Economics Chart Pack EM growth picked up in Q2 Early signs suggest that aggregate EM growth strengthened in Q2. (See Chart 1.) Our GDP trackers point to a recoveries across most of the emerging world. The rebound seems to have strongest in... 19th July 2019 · 9 mins read
Emerging Markets Trade Monitor Positive newsflow on EM trade unlikely to last The US-China trade war truce, coming alongside Mercosur countries and Vietnam securing trade deals with the EU, has eased some of the worst fears about protectionism. But it’s far from certain that... 18th July 2019 · 8 mins read
Asia Economics Update Bank of Korea signals further rate cuts ahead The Bank of Korea (BoK) today cut interest rates by 25bp to 1.50% and signalled that further easing is on the way. Given the poor outlook for growth and the change in sentiment by the central bank, we... 18th July 2019 · 3 mins read
Asia Economics Update What will the second quarter growth figures show? Early indicators suggest that GDP growth slowed sharply across Emerging Asia in the second quarter. Although most countries should stage a gradual recovery over the coming year, growth is likely to... 17th July 2019 · 3 mins read
India Data Response Consumer Prices (Jun.) & Industrial Production (May) Consumer price inflation in India rose last month but the headline rate remains below the RBI’s target, while core inflation is no major concern. An August rate cut is almost certain. 12th July 2019 · 2 mins read
Asia Economics Weekly Thailand: worries about a strong baht grow Policymakers and exporters in Thailand are once again voicing concern about the strength of the baht, and earlier today the central bank announced some new measures to put downward pressure on the... 12th July 2019 · 6 mins read
