- US - Does Chair Powell still see no signs of cracks in the labor market?
- EUROZONE - Higher GDP won’t impede first rate cut in June, as core inflation falls
- UK- Forecast Review: strong growth and stubborn services
- CHINA+ - BoJ stands fast, refusing to bow to currency-market pressure
- EM ASIA - A strong—but frankly foolish—policy response from BI
- LATAM - Mexico to hold rates amid inflation surprise and economic rebound
Ian Shepherdson (Chief Economist, Chairman and Founder)Global
- The FOMC will likely take a hard line on easing today, despite abundant warnings of a weaker labor market.
- The disappointing Q1 ECI is not definitive; leading indicators signal downward pressure on wage growth.
- Ignore the ADP and JOLTS job openings today; the JOLTS quits rate matters far more.
Ian Shepherdson (Chief Economist, Chairman and Founder)US
- Mexico’s Q1 GDP shows growth momentum is slowing rapidly, amid economic concerns.
- Tighter financial conditions and a still-challenging external backdrop are real threats.
- The labour market performed well in Q1, but higher real interest rates will dent its resilience.
Andres Abadia (Senior International Economist)Latin America
- Taiwan’s consensus-beating Q1 GDP print was driven by a strong recovery in net trade…
- …But less friendly base effects and still-soft export volumes point to growth slowing from Q2.
- All told, we have raised our 2024 GDP growth forecast to 3.7%, from 3.4%, after Q1’s hot print.
Moorthy Krshnan (Senior Asia Economist)Emerging Asia
- EZ core inflation fell further in April; the June rate cut looks safe, but July’s is hanging in the balance.
- EZ GDP rose by 0.3% in Q1, in line with our forecast; country data suggest net trade was the main boost.
- Southern economies did the heavy lifting, again, and likely will continue to outperform this year.
Claus Vistesen (Chief Eurozone Economist)Eurozone
- The renewed rise in mortgage rates in April suggests the March pick-up in secured credit demand will reverse...
- ...But stronger demand for unsecured credit is here to stay; debt levels remain very low relative to incomes.
- The March jump in corporate-bond issuance likely was a one-off, but the outlook for capex is benign.
Rob Wood (Chief UK Economist)UK
In one line: Headline in line; services inflation a touch higher than we anticipated.
Claus Vistesen (Chief Eurozone Economist)Eurozone
- Year-over-year growth in the ECI likely fell below 4% in Q1, almost back to its inflation target-consistent rate.
- California fast food price rises driven by the minimum wage hike will have a microscopic impact on the CPI.
- Ignore the 3.9% Q2 growth forecast from GDPNow; its estimates are often way off this early in the quarter.
Ian Shepherdson (Chief Economist, Chairman and Founder)US
- Thailand’s customs trade balance missed widely in March; the adjusted gap sank to a 19-month low…
- …Export leading indicators remain lacklustre, while import growth is getting a lift from global oil prices.
- Vietnam’s trade surplus collapsed in April; it looks like export growth truly has peaked, for now.
Miguel Chanco (Chief EM Asia Economist)Emerging Asia
- Early April HICP data in Spain and Germany confirm that energy inflation rose, while core inflation dipped.
- We’re lowering our EZ headline inflation forecast by 0.1pp, to 2.4%; the core likely fell by 0.4pp, to 2.5%.
- The Irish economy sprang back to life in Q1; we still look for EZ GDP to have risen by 0.3% in the quarter.
Claus Vistesen (Chief Eurozone Economist)Eurozone
- We expect quarter-to-quarter GDP growth to average 0.3% this year, driven by consumer spending.
- Energy price cuts will pull inflation below 2% in May; strong services will push inflation to 2.3% in Q4.
- We expect the MPC to cut Bank Rate three times this year, starting in June, but the risk is it eases only twice.
Rob Wood (Chief UK Economist)UK
- - CHINA’S RECOVERY MAKING HEADWAY
- - JPY PRESSURE GIVING THE BOJ A HEADACHE
- - STRONG EXPORTS LIFT KOREAN GROWTH
Kelvin Lam (Senior China+ Economist)China+
In one line: Down, in contrast to the rise in the PMI.
Melanie Debono (Senior Eurozone Economist)Eurozone
In one line: Downside surprise in Spain; bang on consensus in Germany.
Claus Vistesen (Chief Eurozone Economist)Eurozone
Downward pressure on the Thai baht continues to intensify
Correction in Vietnamese exports bleeds into Q2
Ignore the headline; retail sales growth in Vietnam is still wobbling
Expect a further leg up in Vietnamese inflation in May, the likely peak
Miguel Chanco (Chief EM Asia Economist)Emerging Asia
Tokyo inflation slows due to implementation of free high school education and cooling food inflation
Duncan WrigleyChina+
The BoJ resists JPY market pressure in keeping the policy rate target range steady
Duncan WrigleyChina+
