Emerging Europe Economics Update Risks to the Hungarian markets still skewed to downside The notion that the Hungarian government can prevent a future sell-off in the forint simply by reviving talk of an IMF deal in times of market stress seems hopelessly misplaced. Our view remains that... 7th March 2012 · 1 min read
Emerging Europe Economics Update Spike in oil prices is a bigger risk to growth than to inflation The surge in oil prices is unlikely to have a major impact on inflation in Emerging Europe but the impact on growth could be more significant. Ukraine and the Baltic States appear most vulnerable on... 2nd March 2012 · 1 min read
Emerging Europe Economics Update Industry stagnates February’s PMI data suggest that the slump in Czech and Hungarian manufacturing seen towards the end of last year has bottomed out. But while output is no longer falling, manufacturing in both... 1st March 2012 · 1 min read
Emerging Europe Economics Update Hungarian rates on hold as NBH stays in “wait and see” mode The decision by the National Bank of Hungary (NBH) today to keep interest rates on hold at 7% was widely expected, with a narrow majority of policymakers now seemingly willing to wait and see whether... 28th February 2012 · 1 min read
Non-Euro Europe Commercial Property Chart Pack Emerging European outperformance fading 2011 was a relatively strong year for Emerging European commercial property markets. But falls in yields and increases in rents became smaller and less widespread in the final quarter of the year. As... 24th February 2012 · 1 min read
Emerging Europe Chart Pack Growth still slowing The raft of Q4 GDP data released over the past month showed that growth slowed pretty much everywhere in Emerging Europe. The Czech Republic became the first economy in the region to fall back into a... 23rd February 2012 · 1 min read
Emerging Europe Economics Update Hungary concedes ground to the EC, but barriers still lie ahead Hungary’s government left it late to reply to the EC’s decision to start infringement proceedings. But the fact that it has done so, coupled with conciliatory comments from PM Orban, has raised hopes... 17th February 2012 · 1 min read
Global Economics Focus How well will growth in emerging economies hold up? Emerging Asia and Latin America should continue to grow relatively fast even if the euro-zone slides into prolonged recession, as long as the US avoids the same fate. The outlook for emerging Europe... 16th February 2012 · 1 min read
Emerging Europe Economics Update Underlying inflation remains weak January’s inflation data in Emerging Europe has been a particularly mixed bunch, reflecting the impact of various indirect tax changes as well as the tail end of the commodity price shock a year ago... 16th February 2012 · 1 min read
Emerging Europe Economics Update Hungary bank plan unlikely to trigger revival in bank lending The “collateralised credit facility” unveiled by the National Bank of Hungary today may help to ease the maturity mismatch between banks’ assets and liabilities but it will do nothing to address the... 15th February 2012 · 1 min read
Emerging Europe Economics Update Euro-zone bank deleveraging still a threat to growth Fears that euro-zone banks might suddenly withdraw their funding to subsidiaries in Emerging Europe have eased markedly over the past month, due in large part to the success of the ECB’s long-term... 15th February 2012 · 1 min read
Europe Commercial Property Update Fresh recession in the Czech Republic weighing on property outlook News from the Czech Republic this morning revealed that it slipped back into a technical recession in the second half of 2011. This has had little meaningful impact on the commercial property market... 15th February 2012 · 1 min read
Emerging Europe Economics Update Growth still set to disappoint in 2012 The raft of fourth quarter GDP data released this morning contained something for everyone: while Hungary defied the odds and grew in the final quarter of the year, the Czech economy contracted... 15th February 2012 · 1 min read
Emerging Europe Economics Update Czech Republic likely to be the first in recession A raft of Q4 GDP data for Emerging Europe, due next week, is likely to show that growth slowed sharply across the region. It appears that the Czech economy ended 2011 in recession and the Hungarian... 10th February 2012 · 1 min read
Emerging Europe Economics Update PMIs add to signs of stabilisation January’s manufacturing PMI data provide some evidence that the slump in industry in Emerging Europe’s most open economies is bottoming out. However, the Czech and Hungarian readings are still... 1st February 2012 · 1 min read
Emerging Europe Economics Update Inflation fears will fade in 2012 Recent comments from central bankers suggest that inflation is still high on the list of concerns for policymakers in the region. However, the unwinding of the last year’s commodity price shock... 26th January 2012 · 1 min read