Japan Economics Update What’s up with Japanese consumers? The surprise jump in household spending in December suggests that it is too soon to write-off the Japanese consumer. The labour market is also holding up rather better than many had expected and... 29th January 2008 · 1 min read
Asia Chart Pack Asia - Coping with high oil prices (Dec 07) Asia outperformed expectations in the third quarter, with reassuring strength in domestic demand helping to offset a softening in the external environment. However the dramatic rise in oil prices in... 6th December 2007 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Focus How will emerging Asia fare as the West slows? The recent strong performance of emerging Asian economies is likely to be severely tested by a USled global slowdown in the next year or two. However, provided the US avoids an outright recession (as... 26th November 2007 · 1 min read
Asia Chart Pack Asia - Fed cuts put pressure on South-East Asia to follow suit (Nov 07) Rapid declines in Indian wholesale price inflation have allowed policymakers to breathe somewhat easier. But the economy continues to grow rapidly and industrial activity appears again to be picking... 31st October 2007 · 1 min read
Asia Chart Pack Asia - Safe havens from global credit crisis? (Sep 07) While the recent financial market crisis has cast a shadow over the global economy, the latest data suggest that most of the smaller Asian economies are in good shape to weather the storm. India is... 3rd September 2007 · 1 min read
Asia Chart Pack Asia - Korean interest rates have probably peaked (Jul 07) The Bank of Korea raised its key interest rate to a six-year high of 4.75% in July, reflecting concerns that the stronger than expected economic recovery and high money supply growth could fan... 23rd July 2007 · 1 min read
Asia Chart Pack Asian - India still in danger of overheating (Jun 07) Economic growth remains strong across much of the region with India, Malaysia, Thailand and the Philippines all recently reporting better than expected GDP figures. Despite this, inflation remains... 26th June 2007 · 1 min read
Asia Chart Pack Asia - Thai interest rates still to fall further than expected (May 07) Inflation is well contained across most of the region, raising the prospect of further interest rate cuts over the coming months. We expect the next move in Korean rates to be down, albeit not until... 24th May 2007 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Focus Could Vietnam eventually eclipse Thailand? We are upbeat about Vietnam’s long-term prospects. The country’s relatively low level of GDP per capita and recent accession to the World Trade Organisation mean that it can expect to experience an... 22nd May 2007 · 1 min read
Asia Chart Pack Asia - Thailand particularly vulnerable to global downturn (Apr 07) With the external environment beginning to weaken, the smaller Asian economies are gradually slowing after a buoyant 2006. However, full-year growth should remain fairly close to last year’s strong... 20th April 2007 · 1 min read
Asia Chart Pack South-East Asian interest rates to fall further (Mar 07) Across South-East Asia the prospect is for further interest rate cuts over the next few months, driven by slowing growth, fading inflation concerns, and local currency strength against a globally weak... 19th March 2007 · 1 min read
Asia Chart Pack Asia - Falling inflation points to further rate cuts (Feb 07) With growth easing in many Asian countries, inflation falling and currencies appreciating against the dollar we expect further interest rate cuts over the next few months. This process will be led by... 20th February 2007 · 1 min read
Asia Chart Pack Japan - Rate outlook remains pivotal to any recovery in yen (Feb 07) G7 officials have always argued that exchange rates need to reflect underlying economic fundamentals. The value of the yen is doing just that. The main reason for the recent weakness has been the... 12th February 2007 · 1 min read
Asia Chart Pack Asia - Currency and inflation trends to pull SE Asian rates lower (Jan 07) A key theme for 2007 is the prospect of further interest rate cuts in South East Asia, notably in Thailand (where we now expect rates to fall to 3.75% by yearend), Indonesia and the Philippines. The... 22nd January 2007 · 1 min read
