Latin America Economics Update Colombia raises interest rates, another hike likely by year-end The Central Bank of Colombia’s decision to hike interest rates took many analysts by surprise and demonstrated policymakers’ determination to keep inflation under control. However, with inflation... 28th September 2015 · 1 min read
Frontier Markets Wrap Another drop in frontier market currencies Uncertainty over the outlook for monetary policy in the US and renewed concerns about the health of China’s economy are weighing heavily on frontier market currencies. The weakest currency has again... 25th September 2015 · 1 min read
Latin America Economics Update Political risk returns The downturn in regional economic growth and a raft of corruption scandals have dented presidential approval ratings across Latin America over the past year. This has marked the return of political... 25th September 2015 · 1 min read
Commodities Update Brazil Sugar Production (1st Sep. – 16th Sep.) Data released today by Brazil’s Sugarcane Industry Association, UNICA, showed that sugar cane harvesting in Brazil’s main South-Central region was severely disrupted by rain in the first half of... 24th September 2015 · 1 min read
Latin America Economics Focus Brazil: where did it all go wrong? Brazil’s economic vulnerabilities have been brought into sharper focus in recent weeks after (yet another) slump in local financial markets. In this Focus we revisit key aspects of our research over... 24th September 2015 · 1 min read
Latin America Economics Update Brazil: in a fiscal hole, but default fears overdone Brazil’s public finances are in a mess, but mounting fears of a sovereign default are overdone. 23rd September 2015 · 1 min read
Global Markets Update Brazilian real hits 4/$, unlikely to snap back We think that the sell-off in the Brazilian real has been overdone to some degree. But whereas a decline to around 4/$ in 2003 was subsequently followed by a period of rapid appreciation, several... 22nd September 2015 · 1 min read
Emerging Markets Financial Risk Monitor Financial risks still low in most Ems Our Capital Economics Risk Indicator (CERI) suggests that, for all the recent talk of an “EM crisis”, financial risks in most of the emerging world are low. There is certainly nothing in the CERI to... 22nd September 2015 · 1 min read
Latin America Data Response Brazil Economic Activity Indicator (Jul.) Brazil’s Economic Activity Indicator for July suggests that GDP fell at an even faster pace at the start of Q3 than in Q2. But there are some early signs that the slump may be close to bottoming out. 21st September 2015 · 1 min read
Latin America Economics Update Argentina Activity Indicator (Sep.) Our Argentina Activity indicator (AAI) suggests that the economy grew in Q2 for the first time since 2013. However, this appears to have been due largely to an aggressive loosening of fiscal policy... 21st September 2015 · 1 min read
Emerging Markets Economics Update EM debt: Where do the risks lie? The decision by S&P to downgrade Brazil’s sovereign debt rating to junk last week has refocused attention on EM debt burdens. As it happens, we have been warned about rising debt levels in Brazil for... 16th September 2015 · 1 min read
Emerging Markets Economics Chart Pack EM industry in the doldrums Industrial production growth in the emerging world remains very weak, with our aggregate measure of EM industrial output expanding by just 2.2% y/y in the three months to July – the slowest pace since... 16th September 2015 · 1 min read
Latin America Economics Update Chile prepares the ground for modest rate hikes The Central Bank of Chile left its policy interest rate unchanged at 3.00% last night, but the more hawkish accompanying statement pointed to rate hikes in the near future. As such, we are bringing... 16th September 2015 · 1 min read
Latin America Data Response Peru Economic Activity (Jul.) The growth of economic activity in Peru slowed slightly in July to 3.3% y/y. But even so, the reading is still relatively strong by the standards of the past year and we expect growth to pick up a... 15th September 2015 · 1 min read
Emerging Markets Economics Update In search of bright spots With good news thin on the ground in the emerging world, it’s reassuring that there are at least a few emerging markets (EMs) where growth is holding up well. Most notably, the economies of Central... 15th September 2015 · 1 min read
Emerging Markets Economics Update Another look at the EM export slowdown Much of the gloom currently hanging over the EM world is warranted, but there are reasons to think that the slump in exports, at least, will start to reverse toward the end of this year. That said... 15th September 2015 · 1 min read
