Pantheon Macroeconomics

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China+ Publications

Below is a list of our China+ Publications for the last 6 months. If you are looking for reports older than 6 months please email info@pantheonmacro.com, or contact your account rep

Please use the filters on the right to search for a specific date or topic.

Daily Monitor Kelvin Lam (Senior China+ Economist)

23 April 2024 China+ Monitor China leaves benchmark lending rates unchanged due to tight NIMs

  • China’s loan prime rates were left unchanged in April after the PBoC’s earlier decision to hold the MLF.
  • The PBoC has less room to cut rates in the near term as market bets on a delayed Fed cut rate increase.
  • Early Korean export data show strong memory-chip demand; US shipments remain solid.

Kelvin Lam (Senior China+ Economist)China+

18 April 2024 China+ Monitor Solid Japanese exports lifted by Chinese demand and a weak yen

  • Japan’s exports grew solidly in March, thanks to burgeoning Chinese demand and a weaker JPY.
  • Demand from the US and EU slowed, car-related shipments fell sharply, but chip exports soared.
  • The export recovery will be safeguarded by the ICT upturn, while capital goods demand should improve.

Kelvin Lam (Senior China+ Economist)China+

12 April 2024 China+ Monitor China's latest inflation prints underscore weak domestic demand

  • China’s inflation data point to lacklustre domestic demand post-New Year, while supply rose.
  • Core CPI dropped sharply to half its long-run average; industry is still facing deflationary pressure.
  • The US economy is steaming ahead, giving the PBoC
    a dilemma: lower rates or keep RMB stable.

Kelvin Lam (Senior China+ Economist)China+

5 April 2024 China+ Monitor Japan's Tankan survey points to still-tepid manufacturing activity

  • Japan’s Tankan for large manufacturers deteriorated for the first time in a year.
  • The silver lining is optimism for the non-manufacturing sector, storming to its highest since 1991.
  • Nothing in the survey will surprise the BoJ, and we expect interest rates to reach 0.20% by end-2024.

Kelvin Lam (Senior China+ Economist)China+

28 March 2024 China+ Monitor China's industrial profits surge on base effects; awaiting spending boost

  • China’s industrial profits soared, on the low base last year when the country emerged from zero-Covid.
  • Capital equipment and consumption goods manufacturing make up most of the profit improvement.
  • We expect a firmer recovery after the implementation of the action plans to upgrade consumption.

Kelvin Lam (Senior China+ Economist)China+

20 March 2024 China+ Monitor BoJ marches towards normalisation, scrapping negative rates and YCC

  • The BoJ raised interest rates for the first time in 17 years, while ending YCC and risky asset purchases.
  • At the press conference, Governor Ueda’s rhetoric on the future path of the policy rate was neutral.
  • Japan’s monetary policy should stay accommodative unless significant inflationary pressures mount.

Kelvin Lam (Senior China+ Economist)China+

12 March 2024 China+ Monitor China's CPI bounces; upstream industries still see deflationary pressure

  • China’s CPI rebounded due to the timing of Lunar New Year and stronger demand in food and services.
  • By contrast, PPI slid further as deflationary pressure on upstream industries persists.
  • We expect headline CPI disinflation to resume, and China continues to export deflation to rest of world.

Kelvin Lam (Senior China+ Economist)China+

8 March 2024 China+ Monitor China exports more to emerging markets in January and February

  • China’s export growth increased in January-to-February, partly due to the low base from last year.
  • Exports to emerging markets have risen noticeably, while shipments to ASEAN were flat.
  • New measures are being proposed at the NPC to prop up domestic demand and the property market.

Kelvin Lam (Senior China+ Economist)China+

5 March 2024 China+ Monitor Korean working-day-adjusted export growth vigorous, due to chip upturn

  • Underlying growth in Korean exports was stronger in February, adjusted for working-day differences.
  • Surging demand for semiconductors drove exports higher, thanks to a sustained ICT upturn.
  • The BoK will start lowering rates only in Q3, owing to inflationary pressure and household-debt risks.

Kelvin Lam (Senior China+ Economist)China+

22 February 2024 China+ Monitor North Asian exports benefiting from semiconductor 'up-cycle'

  • Korean 20-day export annual growth fell sharply in February, due to the holiday effect...
  • ...Working-day-adjusted data show exports actually increased, led by semiconductor shipments.
  • Japan’s exports rose in January due to base effects, tallying with the chip ‘up-cycle’ in Korean trade.

Kelvin Lam (Senior China+ Economist)China+

16 February 2024 China+ Monitor Japan enters technical recession as Q4 GDP shrinks unexpectedly

  • Japan’s economy enters technical recession as it saw two successive quarters of negative growth.
  • Despite lacklustre domestic demand, growth was supported by nascent recovery in external demand.
  • BoJ is likely to remove negative rates in Q2 after the Shuntō wage rounds despite weak fundamentals.

Kelvin Lam (Senior China+ Economist)China+

8 February 2024 China+ Monitor China's foreign reserves whiplashed by dollar strength and stock market

  • 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+

6 February 2024 China+ Monitor Caixin services PMI pointing to slower growth, while output prices are falling

  • China’s January Caixin services PMI fell short of market expectations and signalled slower growth.
  • Output prices fell for the first time in 21 months; firms are facing more market competition.
  • Japan’s service industry is expanding faster than expected, but growth is largely based on tourism.

Kelvin Lam (Senior China+ Economist)China+

30 January 2024 China+ Monitor China's industrial profits continue to improve amid slow economic recovery

  • Chinese industrial profits have been recovering on a year-to-date basis since August 2023...
  • ...On improvements in profit margins and industrial value-added, as well as easing producer deflation.
  • Industrial profits will likely benefit from further stimulus measures slowly trickling through in H1.

Kelvin Lam (Senior China+ Economist)China+

3 January 2024 China+ Monitor Chinese Manufacturing Activity Continues to Flounder

  • December’s NBS manufacturing PMI fell for a third straight month, to the weakest level since June.
  • The divergence between the official and the Caixin measures continues, especially on export orders.
  • The government will rely more on fiscal policy in 2024. The PSL deployment is a quasi-fiscal example.

Kelvin Lam (Senior China+ Economist)China+

22 December 2023 China+ Monitor Lumpy Exports of Vessels and Chips Drive Korean Shipments Higher

  • Korea’s 20-day exports rose sharply in December on base effects, and jumps in vessel and chip exports.
  • Exports to China and Hong Kong continue to recover, while shipments to the EU tanked.
  • Any improvement in Korea’s exports hinges on how sustained the ICT rebound and China’s recovery are. 

Kelvin Lam (Senior China+ Economist)China+

21 December 2023 China+ Monitor China Keeps Lending Rates Steady, As Fiscal Policy Is in the Driver's Seat

  • The PBoC kept one-and five-year LPRs steady in December, after standing pat on MLF rates earlier.
  • Japan’s exports dipped back into negative growth in November following two months of expansion.
  • Exports to the US and EU slowed significantly, while car exports continue to grow, albeit less strongly.

Kelvin Lam (Senior China+ Economist)China+

30 November 2023 China+ Monitor China's Industrial Profits Improve for the Third Straight Month

  • October’s industrial profit recovery was slower than expected, due to base effects and rising costs.
  • Fading reflation impetus from producer prices also contributed; manufacturing sector profits improved.
  • While October’s data is more upbeat than the year- over-year data implies, the recovery remains bumpy.

Kelvin Lam (Senior China+ Economist)China+

22 November 2023 China+ Monitor Korea's Export Recovery Continues, as Chip Shipments Turn Around

  • Korea’s 20-day exports continue to recover, but growth in shipment values slowed in November.
  • Intra-regional exports are falling, bar those to China; Vehicles exports remain the main upward driver.
  • We expect Korean exports to recover only gradually on a soft global outlook and uneven chip demand.

Kelvin Lam (Senior China+ Economist)China+

17 November 2023 China+ Monitor Japan's Weak Q3 GDP Another Headache for the BoJ

  • Japan’s Q3 real GDP was weaker than expected, due to slower inventory growth and a rising deflator.
  • Private domestic demand remains sluggish, with consumption and investment missing expectations.
  • Interest rates will be kept low for longer, effectively delaying the end of the negative rate policy to Q2.

Kelvin Lam (Senior China+ Economist)China+

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