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January 21, 2025 9:12 AM UTC
While the new executive orders from president Trump were focused on immigration and energy issues, the threat of 25% tariffs against Mexico and Canada by Feb 1 raises the stakes in North America negotiations in the coming weeks. China tariff threats will likely become more concreate in Q1, though
January 21, 2025 5:03 AM UTC
The Indian rupee has slumped to an all-time low of 86 against the US dollar, underscoring the pressure on emerging market currencies as the dollar index surges to multi-month highs. For India, this currency depreciation signals potential disruptions in financial markets, with equities and bonds—no
January 20, 2025 8:15 AM UTC
Brazil debt market has two domestic crises rather than a spillover from the U.S. in the form of inflation and fiscal policy. Very restrictive BCB policy can help produce some disinflation and we forecast 4.1% for 2026, which some allow some rate cuts in H2. Brazil risk premium will likely be reduced
January 17, 2025 2:15 PM UTC
Though China hit the 2024 GDP growth target of 5.0%, monthly data shows the economy unbalanced. Industrial production/exports and state investment support the economy, with residential property investment negative and consumption sluggish. With monetary policy ineffective, we see Yuan3-5trn fis
January 16, 2025 2:32 PM UTC
December’s personal income and spending report will be largely old news at the time of the release, with Q4 totals due with the GDP report on January 30. Ahead of the GDP data we expect a 0.2% increase in core PCE prices, and 0.4% gains in both personal income and spending.
January 16, 2025 2:27 PM UTC
India’s retail inflation eased to a four-month low of 5.22% in December 2024, driven by a seasonal decline in food prices, particularly vegetables and cereals. With inflation within the RBI’s target range, all eyes are on the upcoming monetary policy review for potential rate cuts.
January 16, 2025 1:58 PM UTC
December retail sales with a 0.4% increase overall and ex auto, 0.3% ex autos and gasoline, are on the weak side of expectations but maintain respectable momentum, particularly in the control group which contributes to GDP, which rose by 0.7%. A strikingly strong January Philly Fed manufacturing ind
January 16, 2025 1:27 PM UTC
As the account of the December 11-12 Council meeting noted, a fourth 25 bp discount rate cut was agreed but there appeared to be a minority wanting a 50 bp move. But this account also shows some confusion as to just what the advertised change in forward guidance (in which the ECB accepts that on-tar
January 16, 2025 11:05 AM UTC
BOE QT is 3.4% of GDP and means the 2025 total funding is 8% of GDP, which helps explain part of the current pressure on gilt yields (here). This pace is unlikely to change before the BOE review in September 2025, but the QT is partial monetary tightening and will offset some of 125bps of BOE rate
January 15, 2025 8:10 PM UTC
The FOMC looks set to keep rates on hold at 4.25-4.5% at its January 29 meeting. The statement is unlikely to give much away but the message is likely to be one of cautious optimism on inflation, suggesting further easing is likely but dependent on incoming data. Policy uncertainty under the incomin
January 15, 2025 2:04 PM UTC
While December’s headline CPI is in line with expectations with a 0.4% increase, the core rate ex food and energy is subdued at 0.2% following four straight gains of 0.3%, and a downside surprise is quite comfortable with the gain before rounding being 0.225%. Price data did however pick up in Jan
January 15, 2025 1:17 PM UTC
President Claudia Sheinbaum’s “Mexico Plan” targets USD 270 billion in investments, aiming to reduce poverty, boost sustainability, and expand Mexico’s economy. Key goals include nearshoring, increasing domestic production, and fostering U.S. trade relations. However, private investment stag
January 15, 2025 8:15 AM UTC
Treasury yields look to have reached a level that the divergence in valuations means that equities are on the defensive. Unless U.S. Treasury yields come down then the S&P500 looks to be heading to 5400-5600 near-term. This is most likely a correction given that the Fed is likely to still leave th
January 14, 2025 8:15 AM UTC
The EUR real exchange rate is well above the 2014 low, while ECB officials are guiding that more rate cuts are coming. 2yr German yields are unlikely to rise much further and will likely come back down in Q2 (here). A January 30 ECB cut will likely build more easing expectations, though more of
January 13, 2025 8:10 AM UTC
A major cyberattack is a tail risk, while a huge AI misinformation crisis is a modest crisis in our view. Russia/China and Iran are less likely to launch a state sponsored cyberattack for geopolitical reasons and also uncertainty over president elect Donald Trump’s response. A huge AI mis
January 10, 2025 2:00 PM UTC
December’s non-farm payroll with a 256k increase, 223k in the private sector, is significantly higher than expected and suggests the economy has significant momentum entering 2025, adding to an already strong case for a Fed pause in January. The unemployment rate slipped to 4.1% from 4.2% but a 0.
January 10, 2025 8:10 AM UTC
· UK Gilts have been dragged higher by rising Treasuries and market concerns that BOE rate cuts will be limited (here), while 10yr Bund yields have also been dragged higher by Treasuries concerns on Fed rate cuts/budget deficit and tariffs. Multi quarter we see this as overdone. We
January 9, 2025 9:40 AM UTC
· 10yr Gilts yields are rising on concerns of UK fiscal slippage, but also higher U.S. yields and funding pressures as GBP100bln of BOE QT adds to the budget deficit targeted at 4.5% of GDP in 2024/25. Chancellor Reeves will likely recommit to the fiscal rules (ie further small correc
January 9, 2025 8:14 AM UTC
The Reserve Bank of India's (RBI) Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) is currently navigating a complex economic landscape marked by rising inflation and sluggish growth. The recent appointment of Sanjay Malhotra as the new RBI Governor adds another layer of intrigue to the central bank's policy directi
January 7, 2025 8:35 AM UTC
China’s authorities are reluctant to see too quick a decline in the Yuan, as it could accelerate capital outflows and cause political unrest for the communist party. Thus the preference remains for controlled declines in the Yuan with declines followed by periods of forced stabilization. We do
January 6, 2025 8:10 AM UTC
· For financial markets, 2025 will likely be a game of two halves. US exceptionalism will likely drive US equities to extend outperformance in H1, while the USD rises further as tariffs (threats and actual) escalate. However, 10yr U.S. Treasury yields will likely push higher in H2, which can
January 3, 2025 9:31 AM UTC
It is not clear why China’s authorities are slow in announcing fiscal policy measures, but it could be either acceptance of 5% GDP trajectory or just below or alternatively a desire to see the timing and scale of extra U.S. trade tariffs on China from the incoming Trump adminstration. We see a t
January 2, 2025 8:05 AM UTC
Brazil and South Africa suffer from debt servicing costs outstripping nominal GDP, which will remain a concern unless a consistent primary budget surplus is seen – though S Africa enjoys a much longer than average term to maturity than Brazil. India and Indonesia, in contrast, enjoy nominal
December 31, 2024 8:15 AM UTC
• As 2025 progresses the budget bill is likely to cement prospects of an 8-9% budget deficit in the U.S. for years to come. This will likely hurt Treasuries most just before the budget deficit expands quarterly Treasury issuance in Q4 2025/Q1 2026. Worse we have a non-consensus call of
December 20, 2024 1:59 PM UTC
November PCE prices at 0.1% overall and core has sharply underperformed gains of 0.3% in both overall and core CPI, easing some of the inflationary concerns generated by two straight gains of 0.3% in September and October core PCE prices. Gains of 0.3% in personal income and 0.4% in spending are als
December 20, 2024 12:06 PM UTC
Bank Indonesia held its key interest rate at 6% in its December meeting. The decision to hold rates steady is primarily influenced by the need to stabilize the Indonesian rupiah. Inflation remains within target, and GDP growth forecasts are steady. Future rate cuts depend on US Federal Reserve actio
December 20, 2024 10:00 AM UTC
· EM currencies on a spot basis will remain on the defensive in H1 2025, as we see the U.S. threatening and then introducing tariffs on China imports – 30% against the current average of 20%. China’s response will likely include a Yuan (CNY) depreciation to the 7.65 area on USD/CN
December 20, 2024 8:28 AM UTC
· Bottom Line: Recent strong US data has bolstered the USD, with the Trump election victory also supportive due to expectations of tax cuts and tariffs which are seen leading to less Fed easing than previously expected. While we still see the USD weakening through 2025 as Fed easing red
December 19, 2024 2:30 PM UTC
We expect November to see a 0.2% increase in the core PCE price index, underperforming a 0.3% core CPI as is usually the case but was not so in September and October. We expect 0.5% increases in personal income and spending.
December 19, 2024 12:07 PM UTC
• 2yr U.S. Treasury yields can decline initially as the Fed finishes easing (Figure 1), but as the sense grows that the rate cut cycle is stopping, we see the 2yr swinging to a small premium versus the Fed Funds rate – as the market debates the risks of a future tightening cycle. For 10y
December 19, 2024 9:25 AM UTC
· The U.S. economy momentum remains reasonable before President elect Trump’s policies impact in 2025 and 2026. While high uncertainty exists on the scale and timing of policies, the strategic bias is clear – sizeable tax cuts that will boost the budget deficit; tariffs (threats
December 19, 2024 8:01 AM UTC
• The U.S. economy, consumer spending in particular, has continued to show surprising resilience, and is growing at a pace probably in excess of long-run potential near 2.0%. Inflation has fallen significantly from its highs, with core PCE inflation now running slightly below 3.0%, but rema
December 18, 2024 8:35 PM UTC
The FOMC statement, FOMC medians and Powell during the Q/A left the impression that Fed easing will slow down into H1 2025. We now see two 25bps cuts in March and June 2025 driven by a Fed’s desire to avoid too much labor market slack occurring, but then pausing for the remainder of 2025 at a 3.75
December 18, 2024 10:05 AM UTC
· The glory days of exceptionalism for U.S. equities will likely extend in Q1 2025 to bring the S&P500 to 6200-6300. The problem is that valuations have now become stretched with S&P500 ex magnificent 7 on a forward P/E of 19 and valuations out of line with real bond yields (Figure 1)
December 17, 2024 4:27 PM UTC
We expect November to see a 0.2% increase in the core PCE price index, underperforming a 0.3% core CPI as is usually the case but was not so in September and October. We expect 0.5% increases in personal income and spending.
December 17, 2024 1:47 PM UTC
November retail sales with a 0.7% increase are stronger than expected overall but the 0.2% gains in the core rates both ex autos and ex autos and gasoline are weaker than expected, though an as expected 0.4% rise in the control group suggests a healthy contribution to GDP. Revisions are marginally
December 17, 2024 11:00 AM UTC
We do see a package of stimulative fiscal policy measures for 2025 including Yuan1-3trn infrastructure spending; Yuan1trn funds to buy completed homes for affordable housing and Yuan1trn capital injection to the big six state banks. Some modest measures for low-income households and to boost soci
December 16, 2024 7:34 AM UTC
China November Retail sales disappointed with a low +3.0% Yr/Yr rise, due to broad based weakness outside of autos and home appliances – the latter boosted by trade in programs, which will likely be extended into 2025. The data underlines the imbalance between demand and supply, which argues for
December 12, 2024 3:02 PM UTC
A fourth 25 bp discount rate cut at this latest Council meeting, to 3%, was also the third in a row. But this meeting was important for the (as we expected) change in forward guidance in which the ECB accepts that on-target inflation is likely to be durable enough so that it no longer has to pursue
December 12, 2024 10:12 AM UTC
The Brazilian Central Bank raised the policy rate by 100bps to 12.25%, with plans for two more 100bps hikes, reaching 14.25% by early 2025—the highest in 18 years. The decision reflects fiscal concerns, inflation risks, and a 10% depreciation of the Real. The BCB aims to curb inflation and protect
December 11, 2024 7:47 PM UTC
The FOMC meets on December 18 and we expect a 25bps easing to a 4.25-4.5% range. Fed commentary has generally suggested that rates are moving lower while cautioning against assuming easing at any meeting is a done deal. Absence of major surprises in recent employment and CPI data probably clears the
December 11, 2024 1:56 PM UTC
November CPI is in line with expectations at +0.3% both overall and ex food and energy, with both up by 0.31% before rounding. Core CPI with four straight 0.3% gains is still a little high for comfort but the data is probably subdued enough to allow the FOMC to deliver a 25bps easing next week, thou
December 11, 2024 8:03 AM UTC
A U.S./China trade war looks highly likely in H1 2025. We would feel that Trump will threaten and then introduce across the board tariff of around 30% on all China imports versus an average of around 20% currently. China will likely respond with targeted tariffs and more restriction on rare eart