Latin America Economics Update Colombia: regional outperformer in 2022 The robust 1.5% q/q rise in Colombia’s GDP in Q2 suggests that the economy’s recovery will be among the strongest in the region this year. Strong growth, alongside upside inflation surprises and the... 17th August 2022 · 3 mins read
Latin America Economics Weekly Colombia’s tax reform, inflation problems persist The new tax bill unveiled by Colombia’s government, which aims to raise tax revenues to fund the government’s social programmes and “consolidate the fiscal adjustment” doesn’t change our view that the... 12th August 2022 · 6 mins read
Global Markets Update Challenges ahead for Brazil’s stock market Brazil’s stock market has fared better than most this year, but we forecast it to fall ~15% over the rest of 2022. And while we expect it to rebound over the following couple of years, we think... 12th August 2022 · 4 mins read
Latin America Economics Update Banxico to take its foot off the brakes Mexico’s central bank (Banxico) hiked interest rates by 75bp, to 8.50%, for a second consecutive meeting yesterday but, amid mounting evidence that the economy is struggling and with inflation close... 12th August 2022 · 3 mins read
Latin America Data Response Mexico Industrial Production (Jun.) Mexico’s industrial sector posted sluggish growth of just 0.1% m/m in June and the data suggest that the first estimate of Q2 GDP growth may be revised down. The backdrop of weakness in the US means... 11th August 2022 · 3 mins read
Emerging Markets Economics Update Emerging Markets Capital Flows Monitor Capital outflows from EMs have eased over the past month, helping to stabilise local asset prices. But we think outflows will pick up again before long. That’s a threat to those EMs whose current... 10th August 2022 · 2 mins read
Latin America Data Response Brazil IPCA (Jul. 2022) The sharp fall in Brazilian inflation to 10.1% y/y in July from 11.9% y/y in June was mainly a result of tax cuts on energy; inflation in most other price categories remains extremely strong. Even so... 9th August 2022 · 2 mins read
Latin America Data Response Mexico Consumer Prices (Jul.) The rise in Mexico’s headline inflation rate to 8.2% y/y in July, coming alongside the stronger-than-expected Q2 GDP figures released in late-July, mean that Banxico is almost certain to hike interest... 9th August 2022 · 2 mins read
Emerging Markets Economics Update End of the EM tightening cycle creeping closer While DM central banks are currently raising interest rates in earnest, the past week has brought signs that tightening cycles are now nearing an end in parts of the emerging world. Indeed, with... 8th August 2022 · 3 mins read
Latin America Economics Weekly Chile’s constitution cost, Massa & Argentina’s mess A recent report suggesting that provisions in Chile’s draft new constitution could increase annual government spending by 9-14% of GDP underscores that the country is shifting towards the state... 5th August 2022 · 6 mins read
Latin America Economics Update New “superminister” no saviour for Argentina’s woes The appointment of Sergio Massa as head of Argentina’s newly-created economic “superministry” provides some hope that the government will try to stick to its latest IMF deal. But it will be a major... 5th August 2022 · 7 mins read
Latin America Economics Update Copom’s tightening cycle drawing to a close The statement to yesterday’s Brazilian central bank meeting, at which the Selic rate was hiked by 50bp to 13.75%, made clear that Copom is more confident that inflation will fall back and also more... 4th August 2022 · 3 mins read
Frontier Markets Wrap Five questions and answers on frontier default risks The spreads of sovereign dollar bonds over US Treasuries are in distressed territory in almost a third of EMs covered in the JP Morgan EMBI Index, with the majority of those being frontier markets. In... 3rd August 2022 · 4 mins read
Latin America Data Response Brazil Industrial Production (Jun.) The 0.4% m/m fall in Brazilian industrial production in June, taken together with softer surveys last month, provides further evidence that the economy is losing momentum. GDP growth in the second... 2nd August 2022 · 2 mins read
Emerging Markets Economics Update EM manufacturing entering choppy waters The drop in the S&P Global EM manufacturing PMI last month suggests that a fading re-opening boost in China and weak global demand have caused industry to slow. And in parts of Eastern Europe, the... 1st August 2022 · 2 mins read
Global Markets Update A brighter outlook for EM local currency bonds We continue to expect the yields of 10-year emerging market (EM) local currency (LC) sovereign bonds to rise over the rest of 2022. But we anticipate smaller rises than we did previously, given our... 1st August 2022 · 2 mins read