UK Commercial Property Update Lower office supply to prop up central London rents The volume of office space completed this year in central London is on track to be the highest in 14 years. But with new space under construction declining, a more restrictive supply pipeline is... 3rd December 2018 · 1 min read
US Housing Market Focus Slowing home sales good news for the rental market Home sales are set to tread water over the next couple of years, which is good news for the rental sector. If Americans aren’t buying homes, many will look to rent one instead. Admittedly, the... 3rd December 2018 · 1 min read
Canada Economics Update Revised saving rate highlights household risks The sharp downward revisions to the saving rate imply that households are even more vulnerable to higher interest rate than we had previously thought. In that environment, the Bank of Canada’s plan to... 3rd December 2018 · 1 min read
UK Economics Update How might markets react if the Brexit deal is rejected? Markets are likely to be relatively nonplussed if Parliament narrowly rejects Theresa May’s Brexit deal. However, a decisive defeat may elicit significant moves in either direction, depending on... 3rd December 2018 · 1 min read
Middle East & North Africa Economics Update Qatar leaving OPEC not a game changer Qatar’s decision to pull out of the oil cartel, OPEC, is unlikely to have a major impact on global energy markets but it further cements the country’s feud with Saudi Arabia and its allies. The... 3rd December 2018 · 1 min read
Commodities Update Little to cheer in China’s PMIs China’s November survey data point to persistent weakness in economic activity, which will continue to be a factor weighing on the prices of commodities, particularly industrial metals. 3rd December 2018 · 1 min read
UK Data Response UK Markit/CIPS Manufacturing PMI (Nov.) The rise in the manufacturing PMI in November suggests that a substantial fall in manufacturing output in Q4 will be avoided. However, the big picture is that the sector is struggling. 3rd December 2018 · 1 min read
China Economics Update Trade ceasefire is no growth panacea, even if it lasts The ceasefire agreed by Trump and Xi will help avert a sharp slowdown in US-China trade at the start of next year. But negotiations toward a lasting deal are likely to be fraught. And broader... 3rd December 2018 · 1 min read
Nordic & Swiss Data Response Manufacturing PMIs (Nov.) The increase in manufacturing PMIs for Switzerland, Sweden and Norway in November offers hope that the weakness of economic activity in Q3 was not the start of a deeper downturn. But since the surveys... 3rd December 2018 · 1 min read
Commodities Update Trump-Xi truce provides some relief for commodities Mounting US protectionism, particularly towards China, has been a key factor weighing on commodity prices for much of this year. As such, news that China and the US are to resume talks provides some... 3rd December 2018 · 1 min read
Africa Data Response South Africa Manufacturing PMI (Nov.) The rebound in South Africa’s manufacturing PMI to 49.5 in November is the latest sign that the economy is now recovering following a very weak performance earlier this year. Even so, we think that... 3rd December 2018 · 1 min read
Emerging Europe Data Response Manufacturing PMIs (Nov.) November’s PMIs suggest that Central European industrial production growth will weaken markedly in the final months of 2018. Even so, with other sectors holding up well, that’s unlikely to result in a... 3rd December 2018 · 1 min read
Canada Economics Weekly Focus turns to Bank of Canada This week’s media coverage painted far too positive a picture of foreign direct investment in Canada, which remains lower than a year ago and after the recent slump in oil prices is likely to... 30th November 2018 · 1 min read
Latin America Economics Weekly Banxico blames Amlo, commodities driving BRL again The minutes to Banxico’s latest interest rate meeting send a clear message that the recent policy shift under Andrés Manuel López Obrador’s (Amlo’s) will result in further rate hikes. Elsewhere... 30th November 2018 · 1 min read
UK Economics Weekly Brexit polarises the outlook for interest rates The Bank of England’s harrowing assessment of the consequences of a “no deal ” Brexit grabbed the headlines this week. But it was designed to be an extreme scenario, and based on some implausible... 30th November 2018 · 1 min read
Japan Economics Weekly Economy rebounding, government details tax offsets This week brought reassurance that the contraction in the economy in Q3 was largely due to one-off factors. The early signs are that there has been a strong rebound this quarter. In the week ahead... 30th November 2018 · 1 min read
