Economics

A flood of data comes in the week ahead.  The US reports consumer prices, retail sales and industrial output figures. The Eurozone reports industrial production and the final August CPI.  Germany releases the ZEW.  The UK reports consumer prices, the...

The prosperity that we are enjoying today could largely be attributable to the industrial revolution of the 18th and early 19th centuries. Yet this enhancement of our standard of living has come at a steep price: the creation of the...

What started, as a pompous affair of five nations coming together in support of one another’s infrastructural needs, now appears to be more of a promotional event. What started, as a pompous affair of five nations coming together in support...

The global capital markets are subdued as the week draws to a close.  Asian stocks, while European bourses are heavier.  Bonds are firm.  The dollar itself is little changed against the major currencies.  The global capital markets are subdued as...

The RBNZ cut rates 25 bp to 2.75%.  It was already discounted, but what punished the kiwi was the intimation by Wheeler of scope for additional rate cuts.  Another cut looks likely by the end of the year.  The New Zealand...

Recession. Recession. Recession. In Canada, Belgium, Czech Republic, Italy, Japan, Portugal, Taiwan, Slovenia, the Netherlands, Brazil and Russia. They’ve all either had recent recessions, are in deep danger, or have one now. Who’s next? Not us. We hope. Australia has...

A baby boom is a sustained increase and then decrease in the birth rate. The United States, the UK and other industrialized economies have experienced only one such baby boom since 1900 – the one that occurred after World War...

Are Japan–China relations on a collision course? The two thorny issues between Japan and China are history and security. Despite these problems, there is a case for cautious optimism for the time being. Are Japan–China relations on a collision course?...

Another year of presidential campaigns, another round of China bashing. In the wake of China’s stock market crash in August 2015, Republican presidential candidates have turned their attention towards China. Citing China’s ‘active manipulation’ of its economy as contributing to...

Eurozone economies saw a modest resurgence of growth in the second quarter, but mounting tensions over migrant inflows are steering political focus away from growth. Exports and consumer spending helped drive European growth higher, according to new statistics from Eurostat,...

After months of hinting at interest rate hikes, many Americans consider the prospect of an increase in the prime rate a certainty. However, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has warned the world's largest economies, including the United States, against raising...

In December 2014, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) returned to government after a snap election. At that time, Abe positioned himself to continue as prime minister for another four years until the end of 2018, giving...

1.  China's reserves fell by almost $94 bln in August.   This was a little more than the Bloomberg consensus but not as large as the $200 bln some had suggested.  Valuation considerations, often ignored in discussions of Chinese reserves, did...

Significant legislative and practical challenges in enhancing consumer product safety law remain in many parts of Southeast Asia. But liberalising trade within ASEAN and with its outside trading partners has led to major progress in consumer protection standards. Significant legislative...

On 25–27 September, less than 3 weeks from now, heads of state of 192 nations will sign up for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) which will succeed the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) as the new global development agenda. Notwithstanding such...