Indonesian exports are improving, but demand still isn’t firing on all fronts
Plenty of reassuring details from India’s December WPI
Miguel Chanco (Chief EM Asia Economist)Emerging Asia
- CPI inflation in India rose modestly in December, to 5.7%, on the back of a—final—leap in food inflation.
- The core inflation picture keeps improving; ultimately this will dictate the path of the headline.
- The year-long upswing in industrial production growth is over, leaving aside the acute Diwali noise.
Miguel Chanco (Chief EM Asia Economist)Emerging Asia
- PM Srettha’s call for cuts is reasonable, but the BoT now has more reason to hold firm in the short run.
- Domestic demand in the Philippines ended 2023 on a bad note, based on a number of indicators.
- The EuroCham BCI for Vietnam rose minimally in Q4, which doesn’t bode well for Q1 GDP growth.
Miguel Chanco (Chief EM Asia Economist)Emerging Asia
- In one line: The CPI report has yet to pick-up the correction in onion prices; don’t panic over the Diwali-related crash in IP growth.
Miguel Chanco (Chief EM Asia Economist)Global
- In one line: The CPI report has yet to pick-up the correction in onion prices; don’t panic over the Diwali-related crash in IP growth.
Miguel Chanco (Chief EM Asia Economist)Emerging Asia
Indonesian sales growth is barely keeping its head above water
A welcome widening of the Philippines’ trade deficit in November
Miguel Chanco (Chief EM Asia Economist)Emerging Asia
- We look for a massive downward surprise in India’s December CPI, as onion prices have collapsed.
- Unofficial core inflation likely softened further too, falling below 4% for the first time since end-2019.
- Indonesian retail sales growth slowed unexpectedly in November; sub-zero prints are around the corner.
Miguel Chanco (Chief EM Asia Economist)Emerging Asia
The fledgling U-turn in Philippine sales is already losing steam
Miguel Chanco (Chief EM Asia Economist)Emerging Asia
- India’s 7.3% advance estimate for 2023/24 GDP growth implies a consensus-beating Q4 and Q1...
- ...But the PMIs already point to a big expectations miss in Q4; at least core price pressures are fading.
- Base effects and vehicle sales play starring roles in Singapore’s retail sales in November.
Miguel Chanco (Chief EM Asia Economist)Emerging Asia
India’s PMIs for Q4, overall, point to sub-6% GDP growth
Singaporean consumer demand looks subdued, despite the November jump in sales growth
Deflation in Thailand deepens, but December should be the low
Philippine inflation returns to the target range, finally
Miguel Chanco (Chief EM Asia Economist)Emerging Asia
- Indonesian inflation should fall below BI’s new 2.5% target in Q1, with food base effects turning.
- Thai deflation surprisingly deepened in December, but this should be the low, as food will soon U-turn.
- Target-range inflation in the Philippines is finally here, making a mockery of the BSP’s hawkishness.
Miguel Chanco (Chief EM Asia Economist)Emerging Asia
- Vietnam’s scorching Q4 GDP print is no ‘mission accomplished’; the result is somewhat misleading.
- Sequential momentum appears to have peaked in Q3, and the Q4 jump in industry looks fragile.
- The second half of 2023 benefited hugely from the initial—and likely unrepeatable—bounce in exports.
Miguel Chanco (Chief EM Asia Economist)Emerging Asia
- In one line: The H2 rise in food inflation is finally over.
Miguel Chanco (Chief EM Asia Economist)Global
- In one line: Entering 2024 with negative momentum.
Miguel Chanco (Chief EM Asia Economist)Global
- India’s tight job market poses a risk to our downbeat 2024 outlook, but the devil is in the details.
- Vietnam’s economy will grow the most this year, assuming the surge in NPLs doesn’t get in the way.
- Disruption to key global shipping routes risks hitting the nascent export recovery in developed ASEAN.
Miguel Chanco (Chief EM Asia Economist)Emerging Asia
INDIA’S ROSY GDP HEADLINES REMAIN A FARCE
- ...BOT FINALLY PAUSES, WHILE BSP’S HEAD IS M.I.A.
Miguel Chanco (Chief EM Asia Economist)Emerging Asia
- Bank Indonesia’s rebranded benchmark rate—the BI rate —was held at 6.00%, as universally expected.
- BI understandably urged caution on food inflation, but base effects here will soon give a helping hand.
- With the core still subdued, the headline should fall below BI’s new target in Q2, paving the way for cuts.
Miguel Chanco (Chief EM Asia Economist)Emerging Asia
- The slump in Indonesian export growth eased more in November, with the commodities hit still fading…
- …This dynamic is helping imports, too, masking the grow th slowdown in consumer and capital goods.
- The crash in Philippine exports in October isn’t as bad as it looks, while the import jump is deceptive.
Miguel Chanco (Chief EM Asia Economist)Emerging Asia
- In one line: We told you not to panic about October’s record deficit; you’re welcome.
Miguel Chanco (Chief EM Asia Economist)Emerging Asia
