Canada Data Response Labour Force Survey (Feb.) & Int. Trade (Jan.) The 7,000 decline in employment in February specifically is not a major concern since the unusually severe winter may have played a role. Nevertheless, the broader picture is that employment has been... 7th March 2014 · 1 min read
Africa Economic Outlook Losing some shine Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) grew at its second slowest pace since 2000 last year and, though we expect a modest acceleration this year, growth is likely to remain below the rates seen over the past... 6th March 2014 · 1 min read
Latin America Economics Update Venezuela: Creaking current account points to default One year after the death of Hugo Chavez, the former Venezuelan President’s legacy of fiscal largesse and rampant inflation has left the economy on the brink of a balance of payments crisis. With... 6th March 2014 · 1 min read
Global Economics Chart Pack Still on course for steady recovery A combination of severe winter weather in the US, New Year celebrations in China and a planned tax hike in Japan are making it more difficult than usual to assess the strength of the world economy... 5th March 2014 · 1 min read
UK Economics Chart Pack Real pay squeeze continuing to ease The squeeze on real earnings is continuing to ease, increasing the chances that 2014 is the first year that real pay rises since the financial crisis. Granted, the headline (three month average of the... 5th March 2014 · 1 min read
Global Economics Update How much could financial sanctions on Russia hurt the West? If the crisis in Ukraine escalates further, the West seems more likely to impose limited financial sanctions against Russia than to target trade in goods, especially energy. Some Russian officials... 5th March 2014 · 1 min read
Japan Chart Pack The calm before the storm Recent economic data have mostly been positive, with industrial production and retail sales climbing to multi-year highs, and corporate profitability exceptionally strong. However, investors are... 5th March 2014 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Weekly Export recovery to support growth in Asia GDP data for the fourth quarter of 2013 showed that regional growth was unchanged from Q3. Improving prospects for exports bode well for the outlook, but domestic demand needs to cool in some... 3rd March 2014 · 1 min read
Middle East & North Africa Economics Update Booming car industry could drive Morocco’s economy Morocco’s exports have, so far, seen little benefit from the recovery in the country’s key trading partners in the euro-zone. But the headline trade figures mask some encouraging developments. In... 27th February 2014 · 1 min read
Japan Economics Update Stalling talks set back hopes for TPP as catalyst for reform Slow progress in the talks aimed at setting up the Trans-Pacific Partnership has set back hopes that the trade deal could be a catalyst for structural reform in Japan. Japan’s high tariffs on many... 25th February 2014 · 1 min read
Global Trade Monitor World trade finished 2013 on a downbeat note The volume of world exports fell by 0.4% m/m in December according to data published on Friday by the CPB Netherlands Bureau for Economic Policy Analysis. This follows zero growth in November and... 24th February 2014 · 1 min read
UK Economics Weekly Can the recovery withstand the stronger pound? As things stand, sterling’s recent appreciation should not take too much of the wind out of the recovery’s sails. Exporters have already shown some willingness to accept tighter margins in order to... 24th February 2014 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Weekly India and Indonesia – not so fragile? After coming through the latest bout of market turmoil with surprising resilience, it could be time for Indonesia and India to hand in their membership of the so-called ”Fragile Five”. Importantly... 24th February 2014 · 1 min read
Japan Data Response External trade (Jan 14) January’s trade data indicate that the drag on Japan’s economy from net exports persisted at the start of the new year. With domestic demand surging ahead of the consumption tax hike, the monthly... 20th February 2014 · 1 min read
Middle East & North Africa Chart Pack Morocco and Tunisia yet to benefit from euro-zone recovery In spite of their strong trade and financial ties to the euro-zone, Morocco and Tunisia have, so far at least, seen little benefit from the recovery there. Admittedly, inflows of foreign direct... 19th February 2014 · 1 min read
Latin America Economics Update Latin America’s wasted decade Concerns about widening current account deficits have been a key factor driving the recent turbulence in financial markets in Latin America. But while the deterioration in the current account... 18th February 2014 · 1 min read
