Nordic & Swiss Data Response Norway’s GDP (Q4) Norway’s economy ended 2018 on a high note, but we doubt that this will last. We suspect that lower oil prices and weaker activity elsewhere in Europe will weigh on growth, prompting the Norges Bank... 8th February 2019 · 1 min read
Australia & New Zealand Economics Weekly RBA puts rate cuts back on the table The RBA changed tact this week and shifted away from its long-held tightening bias to a neutral stance on interest rates. This move was accompanied by a new set of downgraded economic forecasts, which... 8th February 2019 · 1 min read
India Economics Weekly RBI changes tack The RBI was able to point to a fall in inflation to justify its rate cut this week. But it also took a more sanguine line on the risks posed by still-high core inflation. We believe this will prove to... 8th February 2019 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update German stimulus no game changer for euro-zone With the euro-zone economy slowing and the ECB short of ammunition, there will be growing calls for a big fiscal stimulus from Germany. However, we suspect that the German government will fall short... 7th February 2019 · 1 min read
UK Economics Update MPC follows the Fed, but may ultimately go it alone The Bank of England today emulated the Fed by leaving interest rates on hold, sounding more dovish and hinting that fewer rate hikes are in the pipeline. But if we are right in thinking that GDP... 7th February 2019 · 1 min read
Global Economics Update The possible bright spots in the economic gloom Amid growing fears about the outlook for the global economy, it is worth highlighting where we and the consensus might be positively surprised. Possibilities include resilient US growth, a boost to... 7th February 2019 · 1 min read
Europe Data Response German Industrial Production (Dec.) December’s decline in German industrial production adds to the evidence that the economy was struggling in Q4. At face value it suggests that GDP may have declined in the fourth quarter after all. 7th February 2019 · 1 min read
RBNZ Watch New Zealand - Slowdown will keep rates on hold until 2021 The Bank will be weighing up the impact of a tighter labour market but weaker GDP growth when it leaves interest rates at 1.75% on Wednesday. It’s unlikely that any of the recent data will cause the... 7th February 2019 · 1 min read
Europe Chart Pack Recession risks rising Economic activity finished last year on a weak note and most business surveys suggest that things did not improve in January. Italy went back into recession in the second half of 2018 and the evidence... 6th February 2019 · 1 min read
UK Economics Update Falls in overseas PMIs a concern for the UK It’s possible that the falls in the activity PMIs in January are overstating the extent of the Brexit-related weakening in actual GDP growth. However, the fact that the UK PMIs haven’t fallen further... 6th February 2019 · 1 min read
Global Economics Chart Pack Weakness focused in the euro-zone and Asia World GDP growth held up well in Q4, but there is clear evidence in surveys and other timely indicators that the global economy took a turn for the worse at the start of 2019. The weakness has been... 6th February 2019 · 1 min read
Global Economics Update US growth to slow even if Fed has stopped tightening Even if the Fed has stopped hiking interest rates sooner than we originally envisaged, we doubt that will prevent a marked economic slowdown this year. After all, that dovishness was partly prompted... 6th February 2019 · 1 min read
Africa Economics Update South Africa: Early signs point to weak start to 2019 The first raft of South African data suggest that growth remained soft going into this year. But we think that growth will pick up later this year as inflation eases and confidence returns. 6th February 2019 · 1 min read
Nordic & Swiss Economics Update Interest rates hikes in Iceland looking less likely The Central Bank of Iceland had hinted only a few weeks ago that interest rate hikes were likely at the start of this year, but the recent economic data have been weak enough for it to hold fire today... 6th February 2019 · 1 min read
Asia Data Response Indonesia GDP (Q4) Official figures show GDP growth in Indonesia was unchanged at 5.2% y/y in the final quarter of the year, but with exports set to slow and monetary policy likely to be tightened further, we think... 6th February 2019 · 1 min read
US Economics Update Fed’s new-found dovishness won’t prevent slowdown Even if the Fed has stopped hiking interest rates sooner than we originally envisaged, we doubt that will prevent a marked economic slowdown this year. After all, that dovishness was partly prompted... 5th February 2019 · 1 min read
