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China: Q1 Upside Surprise, but March Disappoints
April 16, 2024 8:33 AM UTC
Q1 GDP upside surprise was driven mainly by public sector investment. With the government still to implement the Yuan 1trn of special sovereign bonds for infrastructure spending, public investment will likely remain a key driving force. However, the breakdown of the March data show that retail s
UK CPI Inflation Review: Inflation Fall Further, But Services Momentum Still Evident
April 17, 2024 6:52 AM UTC
UK headline and core inflation have been on a clear downward trajectory in the last few months, the former having peaked above 10% in February last year and the latter at 7.1% In May. After a pause in the preceding three months, this downtrend seemingly resumed in the February CPI numbers and clearl
ECB Preview (Apr 11): Still the Focus on Words Not Deeds – For Now!
April 4, 2024 12:22 PM UTC
As has been the case for several times now, the ECB meeting verdict due next Thursday (Apr 11) will be notable not for what the Council does but rather what is said just as at the March meeting whose minutes were released today. A fifth successive stable policy decision is very much expected, albe
Asset Allocation: Pausing for Breath
April 2, 2024 9:00 AM UTC
Into Q2, data and policy (actual and perceived) will dominate DM markets. The ECB will likely take the spotlight with a 25bps cut on June 7, as the Fed face a better growth/more fiscal policy expansion and a tighter labor market than the EZ but also with a better productivity backdrop and outlook to
U.S. February Core PCE prices provide some relief, Spending outpaces Income
March 29, 2024 1:07 PM UTC
February’s PCE price data comes as a relief, with a consensus 0.3% core rate up only 0.2615% before rounding, well below a core CPI that was rounded up to 0.4%, while the 0.3% headline (0.333% before rounding) is below consensus, after a strong CPI gain that was rounded down to 0.4%.
ECB Review: ECB Hums Easing Tune for June
April 11, 2024 1:58 PM UTC
Surprising hardly anyone, the ECB is preparing to cut official rates, after what are now five successive stable policy decisions. It explicitly suggested that it could be appropriate to reduce the current level of monetary policy restriction, a policy hint backed up by dropping its previous rhetoric
EZ HICP Preview (Apr 3): Core Disinflation Signs Start to Flatten Out?
March 27, 2024 1:25 PM UTC
Enough to have affected ECB thinking, there has been repeated positive EZ news in the form of plunging inflation. This continued in the February numbers, albeit with the 0.2 ppt drops in both headline and core being less that most anticipated. Regardless, the headline, at 2.6%, continued its recent
U.S. March CPI - Surprise not dramatic but picture is clearly too high
April 10, 2024 12:55 PM UTC
March CPI has shown a third straight disappointing month at 0.4% overall and ex food and energy, and this suggests that with the economy’s strength persisting, inflation has not yet been defeated, despite the encouraging data seen through the second half of 2023. Still, the market surprise was not
Brazil: What About the Fiscal?
April 3, 2024 2:31 PM UTC
In 2023, Brazil witnessed a significant fiscal decline, with the GDP surplus of 0.5% in 2022 turning into a 2.1% deficit, surpassing the targeted 0.5% deficit set by the new fiscal rule. Despite measures aimed at reinstating fiscal sustainability, immediate adjustments are unlikely. The deterioratio
EZ HICP Review: Core Disinflation Flattening Out?
April 3, 2024 9:34 AM UTC
Very much having affected ECB thinking, there has been repeated positive EZ news in the form of falling inflation and somewhat broadly so. This continued in the March HICP numbers, with the 0.2 ppt drops in both headline and core being a notch more sizeable than most anticipated. Regardless, the hea
Preview: Due April 25 - U.S. Q1 GDP - Slower but Still Healthy With Stronger Core PCE Prices
April 17, 2024 3:06 PM UTC
We expect a 2.4% annualized increase in Q1 GDP, significantly slower than the second half of 2023 but slightly stronger than the first half and still a heathy pace of growth. We expect a pick up in the core PCE price index to 3.4% annualized after two straight quarters at 2.0%.
Markets: Fed Rather Than Middle East Worries
April 17, 2024 12:34 PM UTC
Global markets are being driven by a scale back in Fed easing expectations and we see a 5-10% U.S. equity market correction being underway. However, with the market now only discounting one 25bps Fed cut in 2024, any downside surprises on U.S. growth or better controlled monthly inflation numbers
Eurozone Banks See Company Loan Demand Slump as ECB Unconventional Tightening Bites Further
April 9, 2024 9:22 AM UTC
While there may be few positive straws in the wind in the latest (April) 2024 bank lending survey (BLS), the ECB should fund the balance of results still troubling. Company credit demand slumped afresh amid rising interest rates and deferred capex plans. Admittedly, credit supply to firms tighte
FX Daily Strategy: N America, April 23rd
April 23, 2024 9:08 AM UTC
European currencies firme rafter better PMIs...
...but little scope for further gains unless US data is surprisingly weak
GBP may rise further unless chief economist Pill sounds dovish
USD/JPY still playing grandmother’s footsteps with the BoJ
Short-end European Government Bonds Following U.S. But June Decoupling
April 22, 2024 1:15 PM UTC
The Fed’s shift to higher for longer has spilled over to drag European government bond yields higher through April. This now looks overdone as a June ECB rate cut is not fully discounted and ECB officials/data clearly point towards a 25bps cut. UK money markets are more out of line, with a Jun
UK: Services Inflation Resilience – An Alternative Perspective?
April 22, 2024 10:03 AM UTC
Although still with three members openly resistant to cutting Bank Rate, it does seem as if an MPC majority is nevertheless edging toward easing policy conventionally. This reflects a view among the less hawkish and more pliable MPC members that risks to persistence in domestic inflation pressures
FX Daily Strategy: N America, April 18th
April 18, 2024 9:02 AM UTC
AUD still vulnerable on higher US yields
Australian employment report could trigger a test lower
JPY weakness and AUD weakness moving in tandem due to rising US yields
BoJ needs to act soon or risk losing credibility
EUR/USD likely to hold the range
Preview: Due April 26 - U.S. March Personal Income and Spending - Core PCE prices seen less strong than core CPI
April 15, 2024 4:40 PM UTC
We expect March to deliver a second straight 0.3% increase in the core PCE price index, softer than the third straight 0.4% rise in core CPI, which was up by 0.36% before rounding for a second straight month. We also expect a 0.5% increase in personal income and a 0.7% increase in personal spendin
How Durable are Better UK Housing Market Signs?
April 11, 2024 9:45 AM UTC
Amid some mixed remarks from one the MPC hawks, the BoE will be noting more positive housing market signs. The latest RICS survey very much points to a clear pic-up in housing demand, something that chimes with the results in the just-published BoE Credit Conditions Survey (CCS), which also sugges
FX Daily Strategy: N America, April 11th
April 11, 2024 9:18 AM UTC
ECB likely to signal June rate cut on the cards
Widening yield spreads suggest EUR/USD can test the year’s low below 1.07
US PPI could impact post-CPI USD strength
Japanese authorities likely to hold off on intervention as long as USD/JPY gains represent USD strength rather than JPY weakness.
Q1 U.S. GDP Looking Slower But Still With Significant Momentum
April 8, 2024 6:03 PM UTC
Our Q1 GDP estimate now stands at 2.0% annualized, not much changed from the 2.4% estimate we made in February, though this would now be the slowest quarter since a decline in Q2 2022. The Atlanta Fed’s nowcast is a little stronger than our view at 2.5%, though when we made our 2.4% forecast in Fe
Preview: Due April 18 - U.S. March Existing Home Sales - Correcting a sharp February increase
April 8, 2024 1:24 PM UTC
We expect existing home sales to see a 3.0% March decline to 4.25m, correcting a 9.5% February increase that was similar to a sharp 11.3% rise in February 2023. The February 2023 surge was subsequently gradually reversed over several months, with March 2023 falling by 4.0%.
Turkiye’s March Inflation Ticks Up to 68.5% Despite Continued Tightening
April 3, 2024 9:16 AM UTC
Bottom Line: Turkish Statistical Institute (TUIK) announced on April 3 that Turkish CPI surged to 68.5% annually and 3.2% monthly in March, and annual inflation swung to a 16-month high due to increases in food and education prices, coupled with the lingering impacts of the minimum wage hike on the
EZ: Labour Costs in Retreat Amid Hoarding and Workforce Jump
April 2, 2024 9:46 AM UTC
It is ever clearer how the labour market (and particularly labour costs) are the dominant theme for the ECB is assessing the policy backdrop and outlook. While HICP inflation continues to subside amid an economy backdrop which is flat at best, the labor market still looks apparently unmoved, with
Headwinds To Long-term Global Growth
April 26, 2024 9:30 AM UTC
Bottom line: While much focus is on the cyclical economic position to determine 2024 monetary policy prospects, the 2025-28 structural growth trajectory differs to the pre 2020 GDP trajectory for major economies. While global fragmentation has a role to play, aging populations are already having a
FOMC Preview For May 1: Signaling Concern on Inflation, Tapering Quantitative Tightening
April 25, 2024 7:04 PM UTC
Bottom Line: The FOMC meets on May 1 and rates look sure to remain at the current 5.25%-5.50% target range. The statement is likely to see some adjustments to reflect recent disappointment on inflation while repeating that more confidence on inflation moving towards target is needed before easing. I
Q1 U.S. GDP Slows on Imports and Inventories, Core PCE Prices Stronger on the Quarter
April 25, 2024 1:14 PM UTC
Q4 GDP has come in weaker than expected at 1.6% annualized but with a stronger than expected 3.7% annualized increase in the core PCE price index. Weaker inventories and stronger imports are the main reason for the GDP slowing so the data is not a clear signal of underlying weakness. Lower initial (