Emerging Markets Financial Risk Monitor Recent improvement in EM sentiment backed by fundamentals The risk of a systemic EM financial crisis remains low. Our CERI suggests that financial vulnerabilities across the emerging world are much smaller now than at the time of previous crises and have... 17th March 2016 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update Bank Indonesia cuts again, easing cycle nearing end A rebounding currency, subdued economic growth and inflation, and the Fed’s dovishness yesterday all fed into Bank Indonesia’s decision to cut its main policy rate for the third time in as many months... 17th March 2016 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update What’s gone wrong in Sri Lanka? Sri Lanka’s request for an IMF loan should ease fears about a potential balance of payments crisis, but the mistakes that put the country in this position will need to be addressed. Most importantly... 16th March 2016 · 1 min read
India Economics Update Lower import bill to keep trade deficit in check India’s monthly trade deficit narrowed in February to its smallest since September 2013. With a number of factors likely to keep commodity imports in check, the overall current account position is... 16th March 2016 · 1 min read
Asia Data Response Sri Lanka GDP (Q4) Today’s GDP figures suggest Sri Lanka’s economy slowed sharply in the fourth quarter of 2015. However, we would be wary of reading too much into the data, given the serious doubts that remain over the... 15th March 2016 · 1 min read
Emerging Markets Trade Monitor EM trade fears overdone The latest trade figures have reignited fears about the health of emerging markets. But while EM trade growth has slowed in recent years, we see little reason for alarm. 15th March 2016 · 1 min read
India Data Response Consumer Prices (Feb.) Indian consumer price inflation dropped in February as food price pressures abated. However, the RBI still faces a difficult task in meeting its inflation targets for the next two years. 14th March 2016 · 1 min read
India Data Response Wholesale Prices (Feb.) Wholesale price inflation held steady in February, but we think that it will return to positive territory over the next couple of months. 14th March 2016 · 1 min read
India Data Response Industrial Production (Jan.) Today’s industrial production data suggest that output has continued to contract at the start of this year. The continued struggles of industry cast a dark cloud over the Modi government’s efforts to... 11th March 2016 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Weekly Better times ahead for Asian currencies After a few years of heavy declines, Asian currencies have started to make up some lost ground against the US dollar. We think other forecasters are being too negative in expecting the region’s... 11th March 2016 · 1 min read
India Economics Update Outlook for remittances remains upbeat The recent market turbulence cast a spotlight on the potential for shifts in capital flows to destabilise emerging markets such as India. One factor that often gets overlooked is the role of overseas... 10th March 2016 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update Rate cuts in Korea can’t be ruled out The Bank of Korea (BoK) today left its policy rate unchanged at a record low of 1.50%. The pressure for a rate cut is building against a backdrop of softening economic data, but we are sticking with... 10th March 2016 · 1 min read
Emerging Markets Economics Update Why has the oil windfall been felt unevenly across EMs Consumer spending growth has risen far more sharply in Emerging Europe than in Emerging Asia over the past year and a half, even though both regions have received a similar boost from the drop in oil... 9th March 2016 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update Malaysia holds rate, but all eyes on BNM governor succession Malaysia’s central bank (BNM) today kept its policy rate on hold at 3.25% at a monetary policy meeting that will be Governor Zeti’s last after 16 years at the helm. We continue to think rates will be... 9th March 2016 · 1 min read
India Economics Update Inflation to edge down but scope for loosening limited Inflation is likely to have edged down in February as food price pressures have shown signs of abating. The chances of there being perhaps one more rate cut in the near term have risen, but this is... 8th March 2016 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Focus Life in the slow lane for Asia’s Tiger economies With productivity slowing and working age populations set to fall sharply, economic growth in Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan and Korea is likely to average little more than 2% over the coming years... 8th March 2016 · 1 min read