U.S. February CPI - Core rate has slowed, but inflation not yet defeated

March 11, 2026 1:00 PM UTC

February CPI is in line with expectations at 0.3% overall, 0.2% ex food and energy, with the respective gains before rounding being 0.267% and a reasonably subdued 0.216%. Yr/yr rates are unchanged at 2.4% overall and 2.5% ex food and energy. The data is not alarming but inflationary pressures remai

South African Economy Grew by 1.1% in 2025 Supported by Stronger Agriculture, Trade and Finance Activities

March 10, 2026 4:35 PM UTC

Bottom Line: Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) released the Q4 2025 and full-year GDP growth figures on March 10. Following a revised 0.3% q/q expansion in Q3, the economy grew by 0.4% q/q (0.8% y/y) in Q4. For the full year, the economy expanded by 1.1%—its fastest pace in three years—supporte

U.S. February Existing Home Sales - Stronger than expected, trend fairly flat

March 10, 2026 2:14 PM UTC

February existing home sales with a 1.7% increase to 4.09m are stronger than expected and while the rise does not fully erase January’s decline, that drop has been revised to -5.9% from -8.4% making the net gain well above expectations.

U.S. February Employment - Decline follows an above trend January, trend near flat

March 6, 2026 2:24 PM UTC

February’s non-non-farm payroll with a 92k decline is well below expectations but needs to be seen alongside a 126k increase in January, and in the context of bad weather between the two surveys. Unemployment edged up to 4.4% from 4.3% though more positive are a 0.4% rise in average hourly earning

U.S. Initial Claims remain low, Some inflationary risk visible in Q4 Productivity and Costs report

March 5, 2026 1:54 PM UTC

Initial claims are unchanged at 213k, a recent bout of bad weather having no significant impact, contrasting late January when a spell of bad weather did coincide with a rise in initial claims. Q4 productivity data is solid but this is not eliminating inflationary pressures.

Inflation Edged Up to 31.5% y/y in February as Monthly Pressures Persist

March 3, 2026 11:56 AM UTC

Bottom line: Turkish Statistical Institute (TUIK) announced February inflation figures on March 3.  After hitting 30.7% annually in January, Turkiye’s inflation surged to 31.5% in February due to rising food, transportation and housing prices. Our average inflation forecast for 2026 stands at 2

EZ HICP Review: Core Rate Spikes as Upside Inflation Risks Return

March 3, 2026 10:35 AM UTC

Having dropped to 1.7% in the January data, thereby matching expectations and the short-lived Sep 24 outcome, it is likely especially in view of the Middle East conflict that the headline HICP rate may not be any lower through this year and into next.  Indeed, we headline rate rose 0.2 ppt to 1.9%

Turkish Economy Grew by 3.6% y/y in 2025

March 2, 2026 9:16 PM UTC

Bottom Line: The Turkish Statistical Institute (TUIK) announced Q4 2025 and full-year GDP growth for 2025 on March 2. Turkish economy expanded by 3.6% y/y in 2025 (3.4% y/y in Q4), underpinned by domestic demand while the main drag came from net trade as annual exports of goods and services declined

U.S. February ISM Manufacturing - January surge largely sustained, prices bounce

March 2, 2026 3:25 PM UTC

February’s ISM manufacturing index at 52.4 is only marginally down from January’s 54.6 which was the highest August 2022. We now have two straight clearly positive numbers to follow two straight negatives, a sign that manufacturing activity is picking up in early 2026.

Canada Q4 GDP slips despite strong support from government, but some positive signals

February 27, 2026 2:32 PM UTC

Canada’s 0.6% annualized Q4 GDP decline was slightly weaker than expected and further below a flat BoC projection, and came despite quite strong support from government. Q3 was revised down to 2.4% from 2.6% but this was more than outweighed by an upward revision to Q2 to -0.9% from -1.8%. 

U.S. Initial Claims at a low level between two bouts of bad weather

February 26, 2026 1:45 PM UTC

Initial claims at 212k are up from 208k in the preceding week (the latter revised up from 206k) but remain low and below the preceding two weeks that were probably lifted by bad weather. Bad weather may lift next week’s data, but the underlying picture looks quite healthy.

Q4 U.S. GDP: Lower Than Expected

February 20, 2026 2:13 PM UTC

Lower than expected Q4 GDP was mainly caused by the temporary government shutdown (-5.1% annualised), while consumer spending remained reasonable at 2.4% and AI related spending helping parts of fixed investment. However, income growth remains lower than consumption and we see this slowing the U.S.

South Africa Inflation Moderately Eased to 3.5% y/y in January

February 18, 2026 1:41 PM UTC

Bottom Line: Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) announced on February 18 that annual inflation slightly edged down moderately to 3.5% y/y in January, driven by higher housing and utilities, food and non-alcoholic beverages, and insurance and financial services. Annual core inflation came in at 3.4%

UK CPI Review: Fresh and Marked Fall Resumes as Core Slips to Cycle-Low?

February 18, 2026 10:03 AM UTC

Although most aspects of the January CPI came in a notch above BoE thinking, the clear fall in the headline rate and further looser labor market messages still point to a BoE rate cut next month, not least given the likely return to the 2% target by April. These projected falls started with these Ja

UK Labor Market: Job Losses Weighing on Wages

February 17, 2026 7:52 AM UTC

There are further signs that the labor market is haemorrhaging jobs both clearly and broadly with fresh and deep falls in the more authoritative measure of jobs covering payrolls.  Indeed, private sector payrolls are still falling, down almost a full ppt in y/y terms and more steeply so (Figure 1).

India’s CPI Overhaul: Smoother Prints, Deeper Scrutiny

February 16, 2026 6:37 AM UTC

India’s January 2026 CPI rose to 2.75% yr/yr, marking the launch of a rebased 2024=100 index that better reflects modern consumption patterns. Food’s reduced weight is likely to dampen headline volatility, while services, housing and discretionary spending will exert greater influence going forw

VAT Hike, Stubborn Food and Services Prices Pushed Russia’s Inflation to 6.0% y/y in January

February 13, 2026 5:08 PM UTC

Bottom Line: After easing to 5.6% y/y in December, Russia’s inflation edged up to 6.0% y/y in January due to VAT hike and stubborn food and services prices, the State Statistics Service (Rosstat) said. Despite Central Bank of Russia (CBR) announced that the inflation forecast for 2026 has been

U.S. January CPI - Yr/yr ex food and energy pace slowest since March 2021

February 13, 2026 2:18 PM UTC

January CPI is slightly lower than expected at 0.2% overall though the ex food and energy rate at 0.3% is on consensus, with the core rate almost spot on 0.3% even before rounding. Given a strong year ago rise, yr/yr growth slowed, overall to 2.4% from 2.7% and the core to 2.5% from 2.6%, the latter

UK GDP Review: Underlying Economy Fragility Does Continue

February 12, 2026 7:52 AM UTC

First the good news; the UK economy grew for a second successive month in December, something not seen for almost a year.  But as is familiar with recent UK real economy data, there is a negative flip side with the 0.1 m/m December advance negated by downward revisions to previous figures (November

U.S. January Employment with historical revisions - Charts and table

February 11, 2026 2:27 PM UTC

The strong payroll did see negative historical revisions, but revisions were modest to recent months.

U.S. January Employment - Stronger across the board, will keep Fed in no hurry to ease

February 11, 2026 2:21 PM UTC

January’s non-non-farm payroll at 130k is significantly stronger than expected and even more so in the private sector at 172k. An above trend 0.4% rise in average hourly earnings, a rise in the workweek to 34.3 from 34.2 hours and a fall in unemployment to 4.3% from 4.4% leave the data as stronger

U.S. December Retail Sales and Q4 Employment Cost Index show fading momentum

February 10, 2026 2:03 PM UTC

December retail sales are weaker than expected, unchanged overall, ex autos and ex autos and gasoline. This could be a sign of consumer spending losing momentum in response to real disposable income coming in near flat in both Q3 and probably Q4, given limited employment growth and resilient inflati

U.S. December Consumer Credit ends 2025 strongly

February 6, 2026 8:18 PM UTC

December saw a much stronger than expected $24.0b increase in consumer credit, a further sign that the consumer maintained momentum at the end of 2025. Tuesday will see December retail sales released.

Russian Economy Grew by 1% in 2025

February 6, 2026 6:25 PM UTC

Bottom Line: According to official announcement, Russian economy grew by 1.0% in 2025. President Putin said this slowdown was expected and intentional as part of measures aimed at curbing inflation. We think Central Bank of Russia’s (CBR) previous aggressive monetary tightening coupled with sancti

EZ HICP Review: Services Inflation Less Resilient as Core Hits Cycle-Low

February 4, 2026 11:19 AM UTC

Having been range bound for some 5-6 months between 2.0% and 2.2% until November but after a fall to 1.9% in December headline HICP inflation dropped to 1.7% in the flash January data, thereby matching expectations and the short-lived Sep 24 outcome.  The drop came in spite of higher food inflation

Turkiye Inflation Review: Inflation Softened to 30.7% in January

February 3, 2026 11:12 AM UTC

Bottom line:  Turkish Statistical Institute (TUIK) announced January inflation on February 3. Turkiye’s annual inflation edged down moderately to 30.5% in January while food, housing and education prices drove the surge. Our average inflation forecast stand at 26.5% for 2026 since inflation expec

RBA Review: More Hikes to Come

February 3, 2026 6:29 AM UTC

The RBA February meeting hike rates to 3.85% 
Cash rate forecast two more hikes this year

U.S. January ISM Manufacturing - Broad based improvement

February 2, 2026 3:18 PM UTC

January’s ISM manufacturing index of 52.6 is up significantly from 47.9 in December and the highest since August 2022. While caution should be seen on one month’s data, the improvement is broad based and backed by several reginal surveys.

U.S. November trade deficit more than fully erases October plunge, Initial Claims still low but revised higher in payroll survey week

January 29, 2026 2:20 PM UTC

After a startlingly narrow October trade deficit of $29.2bn, the lowest since February 2029, November’s deficit has seen a larger rebound than expected, to $56.8bn, which is the widest since June, though still well below the record pre-tariff deficit of $136.4bn seen in March.

U.S. January Consumer Confidence weakest since 2014, politics likely adding to employment concerns

January 27, 2026 3:30 PM UTC

The Conference Board’s Consumer Confidence Index at 84.5 in January is down from an upwardly revised December index of 94.2 (from 89.1) and the weakest since May 2014. The decline contrasts a modest increase in the January Michigan CSI which reached its highest level since August.

U.S. November Durable Goods Orders - Aircraft surge, underlying trend moderately positive

January 26, 2026 1:49 PM UTC

November’s durable goods orders report with gains of 5.3% overall and 0.5% ex transport is stronger than expected, though the picture of a strong headline field by aircraft and a continued moderately positive ex transport picture is in line with consensus.

U.S. January S&P PMIs - Close to December's, modestly positive

January 23, 2026 3:09 PM UTC

January’s preliminary S and P PMIs have shown almost no change from December, with manufacturing at 51.9 from 51.8 and services unchanged at 52.5.

U.S. Personal Income underperforming Spending, Core PCE Prices maintaining trend

January 22, 2026 3:31 PM UTC

The personal income and spending report for both October and November has been released and shows healthy spending, up by 0.5% in each month outperforming income which rise by 0.1% in October and 0.3% in November. PCE prices, both overall and core, rise by 0.2% in each month, modest, but stronger th

U.S. Initial Claims remain low in payroll survey week, GDP revised higher on inventories

January 22, 2026 2:12 PM UTC

Initial claims remain low in the survey week for January’s non-farm payroll, rising by only 1k to a lower than expected 200k.  The Q3 GDP revision to 4.4% from 4.3% is marginal, but is even stronger than an already strong pace.

U.S. December Pending Home Sales - Four straight gains erased

January 21, 2026 3:14 PM UTC

Pending home sales have seen a surprising 9.3% decline in December, completely erasing four straight gains which led a recent acceleration in existing home sales.

South Africa Inflation Moderately Surged to 3.6% y/y in December

January 21, 2026 12:29 PM UTC

Bottom Line: Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) announced on January 21 that annual inflation edged up moderately to 3.6% y/y in December from 3.5% the previous month due to higher housing and utilities; and insurance and financial services prices. The change in the consumer price index (CPI) betwe

Canada - BoC Q4 Business Outlook Survey - Mostly stronger

January 19, 2026 4:03 PM UTC

The Bank of Canada’s Q4 business outlook survey is mostly improved with the business outlook indicator of -1.78 from -2.27 the strongest since Q4 2024 while the index on future sales bounced to a positive 13 from -2, returning to the pre-tariff level seen in Q1 2025. The data, while improved, is n

Russia’s Inflation Decelerated Sharply in December but Risks Remain

January 16, 2026 7:06 PM UTC

Bottom Line: After edging down to 6.6% y/y in November, Russian inflation continued its decreasing pattern in December and stood at 5.6% y/y owing to lagged impacts of previous aggressive monetary tightening and relative resilience of RUB, the State Statistics Service (Rosstat) said. Despite Central

U.S. January NAHB Homebuilders Index - Revival losing momentum

January 16, 2026 3:08 PM UTC

January’s NAHB homebuilders’ index of 37 from 39 has seen a correction after three straight gains. The gains in Q4 appear to have been supported by Fed easing. If the Fed pauses in Q1, the housing sector revival may lose momentum too.