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May 16, 2024
U.S. April Industrial Production - Underlying picture looks flat
May 16, 2024 1:31 PM UTC
April industrial production was unchanged with a downward revision to March offset by an upward revision to February. Manufacturing was weak at -0.3% though outside a negative correction in autos the drop was only 0.1%, leaving a fairly flat underlying picture.
Brazil: Possible Impacts of the Floods
May 16, 2024 1:07 PM UTC
Unprecedented floods in Rio Grande do Sul, a state that contributes 6.4% to Brazil's GDP and 13.3% to its agricultural production, have submerged several cities. The immediate halt in economic activity may reduce Brazil's Q2 GDP by up to 0.4%. The federal government is increasing aid, potentially ra
U.S. Initial Claims, Housing Starts, Philly Fed - No real surprises but consistent with a modest slowing
May 16, 2024 1:00 PM UTC
The latest data is all close to consensus, initial claims partially correcting a sharp rise last week, housing starts correcting a sharp fall last month but permits seeing a second straight dip while the Philly Fed corrected from a strong preceding month but remains positive. All this is consisten
France and Japan: Debt Fuelled Growth Problem
May 16, 2024 10:30 AM UTC
Most of the surge in debt/GDP in Japan and 40% in France is due to higher government debt and this should not be a binding constraint provided that large scale QT is avoided – we see the ECB slowing QT in 2025 and are skeptical about BOJ QT in the next few years. The adverse impact of higher deb
May 15, 2024
Preview: Due May 16 - U.S. Apr Housing Starts and Permits - Housing sector losing momentum
May 15, 2024 2:02 PM UTC
We expect April housing starts to rise by 4.5% to 1380k after a 14.7% March decline while permits fall by 1.2% to 1450k after a 3.7% March decline. This would be consistent with the housing sector losing some momentum entering Q2 in response to rising mortgage rates in Q1.
Argentina CPI Review: Monthly Inflation Drops to One Digit
May 15, 2024 12:18 PM UTC
Argentina's April CPI dropped to 8.8% after six months above 10%, with Y/Y CPI at 289%. Key rises included housing (+36%) and communication (+14.2%). Javier Milei's program and fiscal adjustments have reduced monetary emissions to zero, easing inflation. The Central Bank cut the policy rate to 40%.
Eurozone: Consumers - Still Missing?
May 15, 2024 10:34 AM UTC
Revised national account data confirmed the upside surprise in the preliminary data with EZ GDP rising 0.3% q/q. The question is whether this emergence from the modest H2 2023 recession is the start of more sustained momentum. We think not, mainly due to what are still weak consumer fundamentals
China: Too Much Debt In Some Sectors
May 15, 2024 9:55 AM UTC
While part of corporate debt is quasi government (SOE and LGFV’s) and China creditors can be pursued to rollover by the authorities for larger borrowers, households and part of the private sector are focused on the previous buildup of debt. With China authorities reluctant to aggressive ease fis
May 14, 2024
Preview: Due May 24 - U.S. April Durable Goods Orders - Underlying trend remains near flat
May 14, 2024 6:01 PM UTC
We expect April durable goods orders to fall by 0.8% after a rise of 0.9% in March (after annual revisions were released on May 14) with a 0.3% increase ex transport to follow an unchanged March. Underlying trend remains close to flat.
Preview: Due May 22 - U.S. April Existing Home Sales - No signals for a strong move
May 14, 2024 3:29 PM UTC
We expect existing home sales to be unchanged at 4.19m in April, pausing after a 4.3% decline in March corrected a strong 9.5% increase in February. We expect to see trend move lower in the coming months, but there are no clear signals for a second straight decline in April.
Preview: Due May 15 - U.S. April Retail Sales - Pause after a strong month
May 14, 2024 2:02 PM UTC
After a 0.7% increase in March, we expect April retail sales to rise by only 0.3%. Ex autos we expect a 0.2% increase to follow a 1.1% rise in March, while ex autos and gasoline we expect sales to be unchanged after a 1.0% increase in March which was the strongest since October 2022.
Preview: Due May 15 - U.S. April CPI - Core rate not quite as strong as the preceding three months
May 14, 2024 1:48 PM UTC
We expect April CPI to rise by 0.4% overall for a third straight month but with the ex food and energy pace slowing to 0.3% after three straight months at 0.4%. We expect the strong start to the year to fade as the year progresses, though April PPI strength was disappointing and inflationary pressur
U.S. April PPI - Worrying strength, even if surprise in part offset by March revision
May 14, 2024 1:17 PM UTC
April PPI surprised on the upside with gains of 0.5% overall and ex food and energy, with ex food, energy and trade up by 0.4%. The upside surprise is however largely offset by downward revisions to March, both overall and ex food and energy to -0.1% from +0.2%, though March ex food, energy and tr
UK Labor Market: Further Signs of Resilient Wage Pressure But Soggier Activity More Notable
May 14, 2024 8:40 AM UTC
As we have underscored repeatedly, the BoE has come to regard the official ONS average earnings data with some suspicion given response rates to the surveys that have fallen towards just 10%. But the BoE will not be able to dismiss the latest earnings data given that alternative (and more author
India Inflation Review: Sticky Prices to Keep RBI Cautious
May 14, 2024 3:54 AM UTC
India’s consumer price inflation eased amrginally to 4.83% yr/yr in April, reflecting lower fuel and light prices. The government cut prices of LPG cylinders in India ahead of the elections. However, food price pressures persist despite various supply side measures, underscoring the sticky nature
The Aussie Chapter 3: Risk
May 14, 2024 12:00 AM UTC
In "The Aussie", we will look into the "well-known "correlation among the Aussie and well-known benchmark to give our readers a closer look towards factors that have been affecting the movement of the Australian Dollar. In Chapter 3, we will look into the performance of the Aussie against major equi
May 13, 2024
Preview: Due May 14 - U.S. April PPI - New Year strength fading
May 13, 2024 12:26 PM UTC
We expect a 0.3% increase in April’s PPI, with gains of 0.2% in the core rates ex food and energy and ex food, energy and trade. The core rates would match March’s outcome which slowed from above trend gains in January and February.
UK CPI Inflation Preview (May 22): Inflation to Fall Further and More Broadly
May 13, 2024 12:10 PM UTC
It is very clear that labor market and CPI data are crucial to BoE thinking about the timing and even existence if any start to an easing cycle. But perhaps the CPI data is the most crucial making the looming April data all the more important for markets as they weigh the chances of an initial rat
Watts at Stake: India's Looming Power Shortage
May 13, 2024 6:58 AM UTC
India's power sector faces rising demand and power shortages, sparking fears of the most significant power shortfall in a decade. With coal imports continuing to rise and hydropower generation declining, India's aim to become a manufacturing hub could become challenging. Energy transition is likely
May 10, 2024
Preview: Due May 21 - Canada April CPI - Headline stable but BoC core rates falling
May 10, 2024 2:44 PM UTC
April CPI will be closely watched as the last CPI release before the June 5 Bank of Canada meeting. We expect the yr/yr pace to be unchanged from January at 2.9% which was also the pace in January before February saw a brief dip to 2.8%. However we expect continued steady downward progress in the Bo
U.S. May Michigan CSI - Lowest since November, inflation expectations highest since November
May 10, 2024 2:12 PM UTC
May’s preliminary Michigan CSI of 67.4 from 77.2 is the weakest since November 2023 and hints at a loss of momentum in the economy, but with higher inflation expectations, the 1-year view up significantly to 3.5% from 3.2% and the 5-10 year view up marginally to 3.1% from 3.0%.
Asset Allocation 2024: Tricky Seven Months Remaining
May 10, 2024 1:06 PM UTC
Fed easing expectations for 2025 and 2026 can shift from a terminal 4% Fed Funds rate towards 3%, as the U.S. economy slows due to lagged tightening effects. Combined with Fed easing starting in September this should mean a consistent decline in 2yr yields. However, 10yr U.S. Treasury yields wil
Canada April Employment - Trend still solid, suggesting no urgency for BoC easing
May 10, 2024 12:58 PM UTC
Canada’s 90.4k increase in April employment is well above expectations and raises doubt over the case for a June rate cut, this being the last employment report the Bank of Canada will see before its June 5 meeting. Unemployment was unchanged at 6.1% but wage growth (hourly wage fir permanent empl
Banxico Review: Hold Rates
May 10, 2024 12:44 PM UTC
Banxico's decision to maintain the policy rate at 11% reflects a cautious stance amidst rising inflation and a slowing economy. Despite external volatility, the MXN remains resilient. The main concern is services inflation being stickier. With a revised inflation forecast indicating a longer period
Benign Inflation Allows BNM to Hold Rate
May 10, 2024 9:24 AM UTC
In its latest decision, the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) opted to keep the overnight policy rate (OPR) steady at 3.0%, marking the seventh consecutive meeting without a change. This decision aligns with market projections and underscores BNM's commitment to support g
UK GDP Review: Clearer Growth Momentum But Mainly Import Led?
May 10, 2024 6:26 AM UTC
The economy may have been in only mild recession in H2 last year, but the ‘recovery’ now evident is much clearer than any expected with GDP growth notably positive. Indeed, coming in more than expected, and despite industrial action, GDP rose by 0.4% m/m in March accentuating the upgraded boun
May 09, 2024
BoE Review: Data Dependent Easing Bias Clearer?
May 9, 2024 12:52 PM UTC
There was little surprise that Bank Rate was kept at 5.25% for the sixth successive MPC meeting, nor that the dissent in favor of an immediate rate cut doubled to two as a result of Dep Gov Ramsden confirming more dovish leanings. The updated projections at least validated the rate path discounted
CBRT Lifts End-Year Inflation Forecast to 38%
May 9, 2024 10:22 AM UTC
Bottom Line: Central Bank of Turkiye (CBRT) released the second quarterly inflation report of the year on May 9, and lifted end-year inflation prediction from 36% to 38% citing that the rebalancing process for demand will be more delayed compared to what was projected that in the first inflation rep
May 08, 2024
U.S. Q2 GDP to Increase by 2.0% Annualized Before Slowing In the Second Half
May 8, 2024 1:36 PM UTC
In our quarterly outlook on March 22 we looked for Q1 US GDP to rise by 2.4% annualized followed by growth of near 1.0% in the remaining three quarters. While Q1 at 1.6% came in weaker than expected details were constructive for Q2 for which we now expect a 2.0% annualized gain. We continue to expec