Global Trade Monitor Underlying trend in world trade still weak The volume of world trade rose in April, according to data released today by the CPB Netherlands Bureau for Economics Policy Analysis. But it remains sluggish in year-on-year terms and has been weak... 24th June 2014 · 1 min read
Emerging Markets Economics Chart Pack EMs take heart as Fed sticks to taper plan Financial conditions across the emerging world have eased in recent months, as continued policy support from central banks in the developed world has supported risk appetite. This in turn has reduced... 19th June 2014 · 1 min read
Middle East & North Africa Chart Pack Iraq crisis raises contagion fears The unfolding crisis in Iraq has cast a shadow over the region, causing equity markets to tumble. As it happens, the largest MENA economies have only limited trade and financial ties with Iraq... 19th June 2014 · 1 min read
Latin America Economic Outlook Stuck in the slow lane Latin America’s economy looks set to remain stuck in the slow lane over the next couple of years. The drivers of strong growth over the past decade – including rapid credit growth and strong global... 19th June 2014 · 1 min read
Africa Economics Update Fall in S. Africa’s current account deficit not as good as it looks The narrowing in South Africa’s current account deficit in Q1 is welcome insofar as it has been one of the country’s key vulnerabilities over the past couple of years. But the narrowing was due to a... 18th June 2014 · 1 min read
China Chart Pack FX accumulation by firms allows PBOC to step back The People’s Bank (PBOC) further reduced its foreign exchange purchases to around $6bn in May, the lowest in almost a year. Given last month’s large trade surplus, this might suggest that capital... 18th June 2014 · 1 min read
Japan Economics Update External trade (May) The trade deficit remained broadly unchanged in May, and should narrow slightly further in coming months. 18th June 2014 · 1 min read
Canada Data Response Survey of Manufacturing (Apr. 14) The disappointing decline in manufacturing sales in April was entirely due to lower prices, whereas sales volumes continued to recover from the weather-related drop late last year. With sales now... 13th June 2014 · 1 min read
Europe Data Response Euro-zone Trade (Apr.) & Employment (Q1) April’s euro-zone trade data suggested that the strong euro continues to undermine export growth, highlighting that the ECB still has more to do to support the recovery. 13th June 2014 · 1 min read
Africa Economics Focus Why Ghana needs IMF help The recent sharp widening of Ghana’s twin budget and current account deficits has fuelled speculation that the country may require some external help to stave off a fiscal and balance of payments... 11th June 2014 · 1 min read
Emerging Markets Trade Monitor EM exports strengthen a touch, manufacturers outperform Emerging Market (EM) export growth picked up a little in April and the rebound in Chinese exports last month suggests that it has since strengthened further. In aggregate, EM export growth is still... 9th June 2014 · 1 min read
China Data Response Trade (May.) The unexpected contraction in imports last month probably overstates the weakness in domestic demand. While we believe that the cooling property sector is indeed weighing on commodity demand, May's... 9th June 2014 · 1 min read
Japan Data Response GDP (Q1 Revised) & Current Account (April) The second estimate of Q1 GDP confirmed that the recovery in business investment continued last quarter. Meanwhile, the current account returned to surplus after the sales tax hike as imports plunged. 9th June 2014 · 1 min read
Canada Economics Weekly Lower Canadian dollar unlikely to catapult economy The Canadian dollar's decline, which began about a year ago, has reinforced the Bank of Canada's prior view that it's long-awaited export recovery is finally set to go. Over the past year, however... 9th June 2014 · 1 min read
UK Data Response Trade (Apr.) April’s trade figures suggested that the economy is still struggling to rebalance towards exports. And since the impact of sterling’s rise on exports has probably not been felt yet, the recovery is... 6th June 2014 · 1 min read
Europe Data Response German Industrial Production & Trade (Apr.) April’s German industrial production and trade data added to signs that the recovery in the euro-zone’s largest economy may already be slowing. 6th June 2014 · 1 min read
