China Economics Update April slump to prompt more easing Just about everything in China’s economy seems to have gone backwards in April. Growth of retail spending, investment, industrial output and imports declined. Lending slowed. On the positive side... 11th May 2012 · 1 min read
UK Data Response Producer Prices (Apr.) & Construction (Mar.) April’s producer price figures indicated that firms are passing on a bigger than expected proportion of past increases in their costs to customers. But with the latest construction figures suggesting... 11th May 2012 · 1 min read
UK Markets Chart Pack Safe haven demand pushes gilt yields to record lows Long-run UK government bond yields have fallen to their lowest levels since records began in 1703 due to a further increase in global demand for safe-haven assets. This increase in demand has more... 11th May 2012 · 1 min read
US Data Response International Trade (Mar.) The sharp rise in imports in March is unlikely to be a sign that domestic demand has strengthened markedly. Nonetheless, imports are still likely to grow at a faster pace than exports this year... 10th May 2012 · 1 min read
Canada Data Response International Merchandise Trade (Mar.) March's trade figures show an encouraging pick-up in both export and import volumes. With first-quarter growth in exports outpacing imports, we calculate that net trade contributed positively to GDP... 10th May 2012 · 1 min read
Middle East & North Africa Data Response Egypt Consumer Prices (Apr.) Egypt’s headline inflation dropped in April on the back of a fall in housing and utilities inflation. Meanwhile, food inflation remained unchanged. 10th May 2012 · 1 min read
Emerging Europe Economics Update Q1 GDP data should impress – but can it last? The raft of Q1 GDP data due to be released over the coming weeks will confirm that, having been on the brink of a crisis towards the end of last year, most economies in Emerging Europe have since... 10th May 2012 · 1 min read
Japan Economics Update Economic outlook improving but challenges remain On the basis of figures released today, Japan’s recovery appears to be on track. But recent data have not been uniformly positive and the next few months are likely to be bumpy. 10th May 2012 · 1 min read
Global Economics Update Where is the safe haven demand for gold? The price of gold has dropped sharply in recent days and is barely changed in 2012 to date. The fact that gold has struggled despite the worsening crisis in Europe has added to doubts about its status... 10th May 2012 · 1 min read
UK Commercial Property Update Have non-prime yields passed their trough? For the first time since mid-2009, IPD reported that in Q1 2012 yields on lower quality commercial property increased. Not least because of higher distressed loan work-outs, we would be very surprised... 10th May 2012 · 1 min read
UK Economics Update QE3 likely later this year Today’s decision by the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) to pause its programme of asset purchases shows that the Committee is putting greater weight on the recent stickiness of inflation than the poor... 10th May 2012 · 1 min read
Commodities Update China’s commodity imports drop back Chinese commodity imports have been undermined by weak industrial demand and high stockpiles. We expect these factors to continue to put downward pressure on commodity prices. 10th May 2012 · 1 min read
China Data Response Foreign Trade (Apr.) Imports were far weaker than expected last month, raising questions about the strength of domestic demand at the start of Q2. 10th May 2012 · 1 min read
UK Housing Market Data Response CML Buy-To-Let Lending (Q1) The first fall in new buy-to-let mortgage volumes in five quarters suggests that the recession is taking its toll on landlords. Buy-to-let lending may well contract further later this year, although... 10th May 2012 · 1 min read
UK Data Response Industrial Production (Mar.) March’s official industrial figures confirmed that the underlying trend in production is still down and did not support the view that GDP growth in the first quarter is likely to be revised up. 10th May 2012 · 1 min read
