Middle East & North Africa Economics Weekly Regional tensions go up a notch, rising chance of conflict Attacks this morning on two tankers in the Gulf of Oman provide the latest sign that geopolitical tensions in the region are mounting and there is a significant and increasing risk that events morph... 13th June 2019 · 1 min read
Africa Economics Update South Africa: Activity data point to a better start of Q2 Mining figures for April released today were softer than expected, but stronger conditions in the rest of the economy suggest that the second quarter started on a brighter note. This means that South... 13th June 2019 · 1 min read
BoE Watch Markets have fingers in their ears about rate rises There isn’t much chance that the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) will raise interest rates from 0.75% at its meeting on Thursday 20th June, but we expect the MPC will use the opportunity to repeat... 13th June 2019 · 1 min read
Europe Data Response Euro-zone Industrial Production (Apr.) April’s decline in euro-zone industrial production, together with timelier survey data, suggests that the sector performed poorly in Q2. 13th June 2019 · 1 min read
Emerging Markets Economics Update Emerging Markets Capital Flows Monitor (May 2019) The recent escalation of the US-China trade war appears to have resulted in net capital outflows from EMs in May – the first time that has happened since January. With the trade war likely to... 13th June 2019 · 1 min read
Nordic & Swiss Economics Update SNB on hold for now, but next move to be down As expected, Swiss policymakers maintained their expansionary monetary policy at their June policy meeting. But the recent shift to a looser bias in the US and the euro-zone only strengthens our view... 13th June 2019 · 1 min read
Global Markets Update Investors’ trade war focus risks missing bigger picture Investors seem as pessimistic about the US-China trade war now as they have ever been. Indeed, it would probably come as little surprise to markets if the two sides imposed tariffs on virtually all... 13th June 2019 · 1 min read
Global Central Bank Watch Price level targets wouldn’t solve policy problems The past month has seen a significant change in tone from the world’s major central banks and in expectations of their policies. As fears over trade tensions have mounted and economic data have... 13th June 2019 · 1 min read
UK Housing Market Data Response RICS Residential Market Survey (May.) The RICS measure of new buyer enquires was broadly flat in May, breaking the 9-month run of declining demand. That said, it is still far too soon to call a housing market recovery. 13th June 2019 · 1 min read
Australia & New Zealand Data Response Labour Market (May) The surge in employment in May is unlikely to be sustained as the softness in economic activity limits employment growth. We expect the unemployment rate to rise to 5.3% before the end of the year. 13th June 2019 · 1 min read
Energy Data Response US Weekly Petroleum Status Report US crude stocks continued to rise this week, despite the increase in the refinery utilisation rate, a fall in net imports and lower production. This put further downward pressure on prices, which had... 12th June 2019 · 1 min read
Global Markets Update Donald Trump, not the Fed, to blame for a strong dollar Donald Trump’s assertion on Twitter yesterday that a “way too high” Fed interest rate was responsible for a “devalued” euro and other currencies against the dollar is wrong, at least when it comes to... 12th June 2019 · 1 min read
US Data Response Consumer Prices (May) The subdued 0.1% gain in core consumer prices in May extends a run of weaker gains, underlining the lack of significant inflationary pressures a decade into this expansion. Subdued growth in unit... 12th June 2019 · 1 min read
Commodities Update A poor harvest unlikely to boost corn prices further At first glance, the USDA’s latest set of projections appear bullish for the price of corn. However, we think that much of this is already priced in and as such we are not changing our corn price... 12th June 2019 · 1 min read
Bank of Japan Watch Bank won’t ease policy anytime soon A looming slowdown in GDP growth and the prospect of rate cuts by the US Federal Reserve has prompted speculation that the BoJ will have to ease policy by the end of this year. However, the Bank... 12th June 2019 · 1 min read
