Asia Economics Update Reserve Bank of India accelerates rate hikes The Reserve Bank of India surprised the markets with a 50bp hike to the repo rate to 7.25% today, whereas both we and the consensus had expected 25bp. The accompanying annual Monetary Policy Statement... 3rd May 2011 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Weekly India to continue policy tightening We expect the Reserve Bank of India to raise the repo rate by another 25bp to 7.0% on Tuesday. Recent data show that inflation has picked up again. Moreover, there are growing signs of demand-pull... 2nd May 2011 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update RBNZ to resume tightening by year-end As expected, the Reserve Bank of New Zealand (RBNZ) left its policy rate on hold at 2.5% today, after cutting by 50bp last month in response to the Christchurch earthquakes. Admittedly, the RBNZ will... 28th April 2011 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update Korea's resilient growth warrants further policy tightening Korea's economy grew at a faster pace in Q1, broadly in line with expectations. Despite greater uncertainty about global demand, we think policy-makers are right to worry more about inflation than... 27th April 2011 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Weekly Asia's central banks need to continue tightening policy Growing uncertainty about global growth is prompting some policymakers in the region to adopt a “wait and see” approach. However, we think that most of these concerns will soon dissipate. The key... 25th April 2011 · 1 min read
Asia Chart Pack Inflation remains policymakers' key concern Inflation has risen further as food and fuel prices remain high and strong growth has left little spare capacity in many economies across the region. Policy interest rates will move up further, but... 21st April 2011 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update More monetary tightening to come in Thailand The Bank of Thailand (BoT) hiked its policy rate by 25bp to 2.75% today, as was universally expected. As with elsewhere in the region, keeping a lid on inflation remains the key concern for... 20th April 2011 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Weekly Bank of Thailand set to hike again The Bank of Thailand (BoT) announces its policy rate decision on Wednesday and we expect the repo rate to be raised by 25bp for the fourth meeting in a row, to 2.75%. Prospects for domestic demand... 18th April 2011 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update Another jump in Indian inflation confirms case for rate hikes Inflation data released today strengthen the case for the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to continue raising rates. We expect the repo rate to be hiked in May, followed by even more tightening this year. 15th April 2011 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update Singapore's central bank done with policy tightening in 2011 The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) tightened policy today by re-centring its exchange rate target band at a higher level. Q1 GDP figures, also released today, were very strong and show that... 14th April 2011 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update More policy tightening on the way in Sri Lanka The Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) left its two key interest rates unchanged today, as was widely anticipated, but tightened policy by increasing its reserve requirement ratio. Unlike other central... 12th April 2011 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update Bank Indonesia to resume rate hikes soon Bank Indonesia (BI) left its reference rate at 6.75% today, as was universally expected. Nonetheless, inflation remains uncomfortably high while the economy is set to grow at an above-trend pace in... 12th April 2011 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update Korea’s monetary policy tightening has further to go The Bank of Korea (BoK) kept its base rate at 3.0% today, as expected. The strengthening won is doing some of the heavy-lifting in terms of policy tightening, but the central bank will not want to... 12th April 2011 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Weekly Singapore set for more policy tightening Singapore’s GDP growth probably remained strong in Q1, keeping overheating as the main policy concern. With headline inflation remaining well above the central bank’s 3-4% target range, and wages... 11th April 2011 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Update Australia's monetary tightening will resume this year The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) held its cash rate at 4.75% today, as was universally expected. Nonetheless, above-trend GDP growth still looks likely in 2011-12 and will eventually lift price... 5th April 2011 · 1 min read
Asia Economics Weekly Reserve Bank of Australia's pause to continue in April The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) is likely to keep its cash rate on hold at 4.75% on Tuesday. Natural disasters, both local and overseas, have created an element of uncertainty and will probably... 4th April 2011 · 1 min read
