Asia Economics Focus Is a household debt crisis brewing in Korea? The sharp rise in household credit growth in recent months has exacerbated fears about Korea’s already-high household debt level. While financial stability risks should remain contained in the near... 25th May 2015 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update Korea's rate-cutting cycle is over The Bank of Korea (BoK) today left its policy rate unchanged at a record low of 1.75% amid concerns about the rapid increase in Korea's household debt. We think the BoK’s rate-cutting cycle has now... 15th May 2015 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Weekly Asia’s exports should recover from weak Q1 Emerging Asia’s export performance took a sharp turn for the worse in the first quarter, with a slump in demand from China creating the largest drag. However, a positive turnaround is likely over the... 8th May 2015 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update Asian currencies regain lost ground Most currencies in Emerging Asia recovered some ground against the US dollar in April as investors pushed back their expectations for rate hikes in the US. Equity markets also started the month... 30th April 2015 · 1 min read
Asia Chart Pack Slow out of the blocks Emerging Asia has made a weak start to the year. The headlines have been grabbed by China's slowdown but, a few positive signs from India aside, there has been little cause for cheer around the rest... 29th April 2015 · 1 min read
Asia Data Response Korea GDP (Q1 Preliminary) The healthy pick-up in Korean growth in the first quarter should lift some of the gloom that has settled over the economy in recent months. What's more, we think growth will strengthen further in the... 23rd April 2015 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update Not all gloom and doom for Korea's economy The recent run of weak data has increased pessimism about the Korean economy, as reflected by a string of downgrades to its 2015 growth forecasts. But while the consensus now expects growth to soften... 21st April 2015 · 1 min read
Asia Economic Outlook Most of Emerging Asia set for faster growth Most economies in Emerging Asia are likely to record decent growth over the next couple of years. However, with the pace of expansion in the region’s biggest economy, China, set to ease further in... 9th April 2015 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update Rising financial risks to deter aggressive rate cuts in Korea The Bank of Korea (BoK) held its policy rate at 1.75% today, following a rate cut last month. The slow pace of recovery has raised speculation of further monetary policy loosening, but we think... 9th April 2015 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Weekly AIIB – what is all the fuss about? Poor infrastructure is likely to remain a key constraint on economic development across large parts of Emerging Asia over the next decade. For all the headlines, the Asian Infrastructure Investment... 3rd April 2015 · 1 min read
Asia Data Response Manufacturing PMIs (Mar.) The PMIs for Emerging Asia fell back in March, underlining the fragility of the region's manufacturing recovery. Indeed, in the two economies where the PMIs most closely track the hard data... 2nd April 2015 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update Currencies and equity markets drop back Most equity markets and currencies in Emerging Asia fell last month, although in the majority of cases the declines were relatively small. 1st April 2015 · 1 min read
Asia Chart Pack Exports take a turn for the worse Emerging Asia’s exports have taken a turn for the worse in recent months. Leaving out China, the region’s merchandise exports, measured in US dollar terms, contracted at the sharpest annual rate in... 24th March 2015 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update Korea's rate cut likely marks end of cutting cycle The Bank of Korea (BoK) reduced its policy rate by 25 basis points to 1.75% today, adding to a growing list of central banks that have cut rates this year. But Korea's high household debt levels... 12th March 2015 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update Asian equity markets continue good run Equity markets in Emerging Asia recorded another month of solid gains in February. Currencies did not fare as well, particularly the Indonesian rupiah, which has continued to weaken against the US... 27th February 2015 · 1 min read
Asia Chart Pack Time to worry about deflation? Emerging Asia has seen a sharp drop in inflationary pressures over the past few months. Taiwan, Singapore and Thailand are now experiencing deflation, while inflation is 1% y/y or below in Malaysia... 25th February 2015 · 1 min read