Latin America Economics Update A closer look at Chile’s current account improvement Chile is the only country in Latin America that has managed to reduce its current account deficit since the “Taper Tantrum” of 2013, which makes the economy less exposed to tightening external... 16th June 2015 · 1 min read
India Data Response Trade (May) India's trade data for May are a mixed bag, with the trade deficit narrowing despite another contraction in export growth. The big picture, however, is that India's external position is far less a... 16th June 2015 · 1 min read
Europe Data Response Euro-zone Trade (Apr.) April’s euro-zone trade data suggested that the euro’s depreciation is finally starting to boost net exports. 15th June 2015 · 1 min read
Middle East & North Africa Economic Outlook Gulf countries weathering the storm, but growth to weaken The Gulf economies have weathered the storm created by low oil prices relatively well this year, with foreign exchange reserves having been drawn down to sustain spending. Large savings mean that this... 15th June 2015 · 1 min read
Emerging Europe Data Response Turkey Current Account (Apr.) Even though Turkey’s current account deficit narrowed in April, the bigger picture is that it remains large. And the composition of external financing is a key vulnerability, with foreign direct... 11th June 2015 · 1 min read
India Economics Update External vulnerabilities diminishing India’s current account deficit narrowed in Q1 and, along with the pick-up in net FDI inflows, this has helped to boost the overall balance of payments position to its largest surplus since 2008. With... 11th June 2015 · 1 min read
Africa Economics Update Africa: Trade agreement promising, but no immediate impact Media coverage of Africa’s “Tripartite Free Trade Agreement” has exaggerated the pact’s effect on economic integration, which will be limited by piecemeal implementation and crumbling infrastructure... 10th June 2015 · 1 min read
Middle East & North Africa Economics Update Optimism over opening up of Saudi’s stock market seems overdone The move by Saudi Arabia to open up its stock market to foreign investors from next week is a step in the right direction. But, as we explain in this Watch, we think some of the optimism about its... 10th June 2015 · 1 min read
Latin America Economics Update What next for crisis-stricken Venezuela? With Venezuela’s economic crisis intensifying, attention is starting to focus on how the country might get out of this mess. Two options have been suggested in recent weeks – one is the establishment... 9th June 2015 · 1 min read
UK Data Response Trade (Apr.) April’s trade figures should have provoked a bit of a sigh of relief. Although the near-term outlook for the external sector does not look fantastic, at least net trade this quarter looks unlikely to... 9th June 2015 · 1 min read
UK Economics Update Has food price inflation reached a trough? There are good reasons to think that food price inflation has reached a trough. That said, intense supermarket competition seems unlikely to lift soon, meaning that inflation in the sector could... 8th June 2015 · 1 min read
Europe Data Response German Industrial Production & Trade (Apr.) After a disappointing start to the year, April’s German industrial production and trade data both suggested that the economy will pick up steam in Q2. 8th June 2015 · 1 min read
China Data Response Trade (May.) Foreign demand still looks subdued, despite a stronger-than-expected recovery in export growth. Meanwhile, a fall in commodity import volumes disappoints hopes that recent policy support measures... 8th June 2015 · 1 min read
Japan Data Response GDP (Q1 Revised) & Current Account (Apr.) While revised data showed that Q1 GDP expanded even more strongly than initially estimated, a slowdown in Q2 looks likely. 8th June 2015 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Weekly Greece on the brink Greece’s decision to emulate Zambia and bundle its June IMF payments has allowed another “make or break” moment to pass without either. But the continued divergences between the country and its... 5th June 2015 · 1 min read
Emerging Europe Economic Outlook Prospects diverge Emerging Europe’s economy is likely to contract this year for the first time since 2009, but prospects differ substantially across the region. In Russia, while financial strains have eased, the... 5th June 2015 · 1 min read
