Pantheon Publications
Below is a list of our Publications for the last 5 months. If you are looking for reports older than 6 months please email info@pantheonmacro.com, or contact your account rep.
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Duncan Wrigley
Plunge in Caixin manufacturing gauge won't trigger a knee-jerk policy response
- China’s May manufacturing PMI readings diverged, as activity gradually revived post-May 12’s tariff truce.
- Small exporters are likely being hit harder by the trade-policy oscillations, and the détente is already fraying.
- Sentiment has held up surprisingly well, and improved slightly in both manufacturing gauges.
Korean PMI shows domestic demand tanking, but sentiment is improving thanks to tariff war pause
- Tokyo consumer inflation was flat in May, as fresh food inflation cooled but rice inflation soared.
- The new rice-reserve-release plan looks good though, and should lower inflation in the coming months.
- The BoJ is likely to stay put, amid sluggish growth and with little chance of a big upside trade surprise in H2
- China’s residential sales have cooled gradually since the late-September round of policy support.
- May’s cuts to lending rates should pep up sales, but it won’t be the last round of support.
- Broad inventory likely still has two years to bottom out, though the recovery should begin earlier.
Core inflation ticks up after removal of energy subsidies
Core inflation nudges up, after energy subsidies end
- China’s April industrial profits ticked up a notch, helped by the consumer goods and equipment policies.
- But auto profits are still falling, despite rising sales, owing to fierce competition and excess supply.
- The tariff-war impact is likely to be felt in the coming months, hitting the profits of export sectors.
- Japan’s core consumer inflation ticked up in April, due to the removal of energy subsidies for households.
- The BoJ will probably hold rates steady to help growth, amid tariff uncertainty, and despite elevated inflation.
- Soaring bond yields, partly due to political risks, may yet force the Bank to intervene.
- In one line: China's PMI data offers little cause for celebration
- China’s April retail sales, investment and industrial production point to flagging growth.
- Policymakers saw this coming, hence the PBoC’s May 7 announcement of interest rate and RRR cuts.
- The slowdown stems more from existing issues, with the direct impact of the tariff war still emerging.
China to stick to targeted easing, despite broad cooling in April activity growth
- The PBoC yesterday announced targeted policy-rate and RRR cuts to bolster growth ahead of trade talks.
- The interest rate cut came earlier than we expected, capitalising on room created by CNY strength.
- The Bank is guiding to targeted mortgage rate cuts to support the stumbling ‘ordinary’ housing market.
Caixin services PMI points to business jitters over tariff worries
- Industrial profitability improved further in Q1, on the back of strong manufacturing production.
- China’s industrial output was bolstered by stimulus demand and tariff front-loading activity.
- External uncertainty does not bode well for producers’ profit outlook, as overcapacity issues are worsening.
BoJ's newly bearish tone on inflation risks supports our view that rate hikes are on hold this year
BoJ's newly bearish tone on inflation risks supports our view that rate hikes are on hold this year
- The Bank of Japan left rates on hold yesterday to no-one’s surprise, but adopted a more bearish outlook.
- Governor Ueda denied that the prospect of delay in attaining the inflation goal means delayed rate hikes.
- It probably does for this year, but Ueda is maintaining room to shift policy in light of trade uncertainty.
Manufacturing activity bashed by tariff war
Manufacturing activity bashed by tariff war
Non-manufacturing activity slows
