- In one line: Core pressures continue to ease.
Andrés Abadía (Chief LatAm Economist)Global
- The annual revisions to the CPI today are a black box, but they are unlikely to change the big picture.
- Core disinflation will persist, regardless of changes made to the data for last year.
- The Atlanta Fed wage tracker strongly suggests that the spike in January AHE is noise, not signal.
Ian Shepherdson (Chief Economist, Chairman and Founder)US
- The El Niño effect is pushing prices of key foods higher, but core pressures remain under control.
- Brazil’s disinflation is on track, despite the headline number surprising to the upside in January.
- Food prices are also causing trouble in Chile, and methodology changes have led to elevated noise.
Andrés Abadía (Chief LatAm Economist)Latin America
- The RBI’s MPC voted 5-to-1 to keep the repo rate at 6.50%, but Mr. Varma’s dissent is no real surprise.
- We still expect a Q2 cut; Q4 GDP likely will fall short of the MPC’s forecast and 4% inflation is imminent.
- The BoT stood pat on Wednesday, as expected, but telegraphed a big cut to its 2024 growth forecast.
Miguel Chanco (Chief EM Asia Economist)Emerging Asia
- Swiss GDP likely fell in Q4 last year; it will recover this year as real disposable income growth rebounds.
- But base effects mean GDP growth will slow to 0.7% this year, from 1.2% last year.
- Inflation will stay low, the SNB will match ECB cuts to starve off CHF appreciation.
Melanie Debono (Senior Eurozone Economist)Eurozone
- In one line: A terrible end to the year, but conditions will likely improve in Q1.
Andrés Abadía (Chief LatAm Economist)Latin America
In one line: Ugly; recession in industry will continue this quarter.
Melanie Debono (Senior Eurozone Economist)Eurozone
In one line: Output still rose in Q4, unlike in Germany and France.
Melanie Debono (Senior Eurozone Economist)Eurozone
In one line: A downward revision to Q4 GDP growth?
Claus Vistesen (Chief Eurozone Economist)Eurozone
- In one line: Holding steady, just to prove a point.
Miguel Chanco (Chief EM Asia Economist)Global
- In one line: Holding steady, just to prove a point.
Miguel Chanco (Chief EM Asia Economist)Emerging Asia
The H2 recovery in Philippine sales lost a lot of upward momentum in Q4
Miguel Chanco (Chief EM Asia Economist)Emerging Asia
- The recent past is not always a good guide to the near future, especially in the labor market.
- Rising layoff announcements and weakening hiring intentions signal slower payroll growth in the spring.
- Huge residual seasonality will push down mortgage applications this month, but the trend is rising.
Ian Shepherdson (Chief Economist, Chairman and Founder)US
- Brazilian Real — Fundamentals supportive
- Colombian Peso — Shielded by high carry
- Chilean Peso — Lower carry still the key drag
Andrés Abadía (Chief LatAm Economist)Latin America
- China’s foreign-exchange reserves reversed the rising trend and fell in January, thanks to a valuation effect.
- The favourable external conditions that drove increases in Q4 have taken a breather.
- We expect modest capital inflows in H2, thanks to narrowing interest rate differentials with the US.
Kelvin Lam (Senior China+ Economist)China+
- Germany’s economy is in a cyclical rut; it remains to be seen whether its problems are more structural.
- Nominal GDP in Germany has been soaring, but higher prices have compressed growth in real terms.
- Many politicians in Germany want to tighten fiscal policy, but will the economy allow it?
Claus Vistesen (Chief Eurozone Economist)Eurozone
