Energy Update European coal prices to remain grounded Weaker demand, the ongoing transition away from coal and rising supply from Russia will lead to lower European coal prices in 2019. We forecast that the price of Rotterdam coal will fall from $80 per... 31st January 2019 · 1 min read
Middle East & North Africa Economics Update Saudi Arabia: oil output cuts to cause fresh slowdown Our GDP Tracker suggests that the Saudi economy gathered pace towards the end of last year, recording growth of as much as 5% y/y. But oil output cuts, combined with a tightening of fiscal policy in... 31st January 2019 · 1 min read
Emerging Europe Chart Pack Further evidence of a Q4 slowdown Data released over the past month suggest that regional GDP growth slowed from to 2.4% y/y in Q3 to a two-year low of 1.2% y/y in Q4. This was due mostly to the economic slump in Turkey, where... 31st January 2019 · 1 min read
Nordic & Swiss Economics Update Norway housing market stabilising, Sweden slowing Norway’s housing market struggled last year but looks set to do better in 2019. By contrast, construction in Sweden is likely to contract this year, causing the economy to slow sharply. 31st January 2019 · 1 min read
Europe Data Response Euro-zone GDP (Q4) & Unemployment (Dec.) Q4’s GDP growth rate of 0.2% will do nothing to reassure policymakers about the outlook for this year. We think growth will be only around 1.0% in 2019, and even this would require a slight pick-up... 31st January 2019 · 1 min read
UK Commercial Property Data Response RICS Commercial Property Market Survey (Q4) With weakness in the retail sector dragging on occupier demand and investment, all-property capital value growth is likely to soften further. 31st January 2019 · 1 min read
Latin America Economics Update Chile hikes rates but strikes less hawkish tone The statement accompanying the Chilean central bank’s decision to hike its policy rate by 25bp to 3.00% last night was slightly less hawkish than the previous one, and supports our view for fewer rate... 31st January 2019 · 1 min read
Asia Data Response Taiwan GDP (Q4 Advanced) GDP growth in Taiwan slowed last quarter in y/y terms to the weakest pace since 2016 on the back of cooling investment. Although domestic demand should remain relatively healthy, with headwinds to the... 31st January 2019 · 1 min read
Emerging Europe Data Response Poland GDP (2018) The preliminary estimate of Polish annual 2018 GDP, which showed an expansion of 5.1% over the year as a whole, suggests that the economy slowed in Q4. Inventories appear to have exerted a sizeable... 31st January 2019 · 1 min read
UK Data Response GfK/NOP Consumer Confidence (Jan.) While GfK/NOP consumer confidence held steady in January, it did so at a five-year low of -14, and the bigger picture is that consumers remain downbeat despite a fairly healthy economic backdrop. That... 31st January 2019 · 1 min read
Global Economics Update Modern Monetary Theory creates more problems than it solves A new strand of economics called “Modern Monetary Theory” (MMT) is seen by its advocates as a solution to the flawed economic thinking that contributed to the financial crisis. The ideas behind it... 31st January 2019 · 1 min read
UK Housing Market Data Response Nationwide House Prices (Jan.) January’s very weak result for house price growth was unexpected, but we don’t think it heralds the start of a sustained decline in prices. Indeed, assuming a Brexit deal is done, we think prices will... 31st January 2019 · 1 min read
Energy Data Response US Weekly Petroleum Status Report US crude stocks edged up a touch, as inputs to refineries plunged. Product demand is holding up well for now, but we expect it to fall later in the year as the US economy slows. 30th January 2019 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Focus What a no-deal Brexit would mean for Ireland The latest twists in the Brexit saga suggest to us that the UK is most likely to stay in the EU beyond 29th March and leave later in the year with some kind of deal. If so, we think Ireland’s GDP... 30th January 2019 · 1 min read
Global Markets Update Rally in euro-zone equities unlikely to last We think that the recent rally in euro-zone equities will run out of steam. Although a trade deal between the US and China could give a boost to global share prices, including in the euro-zone, we... 30th January 2019 · 1 min read
Europe Commercial Property Update Further fall in Italian investment likely this year A poor economic outlook and elevated political risks are unlikely to result in a reversal of the increased risk aversion towards Italian property assets. As a result, investment in Italy is likely to... 30th January 2019 · 1 min read
