Recovering external demand supports Malaysian manufacturing in Q1 Domestic export growth falls on subdued commodity prices
Moorthy Krshnan (Senior Asia Economist)Emerging Asia
Sharp drop in pharmaceuticals drags on Singaporean exports
Indonesian retail sales benefit from an election pop in February
Moorthy Krshnan (Senior Asia Economist)Emerging Asia
- Singaporean export growth plummeted in March, but our advice is to take the figure in your stride...
- ...As the headline was dragged down by a series of one-off factors that should unwind in April.
- Indonesian retail sales growth spiked during the February election; don’t expect any follow-through.
Miguel Chanco (Chief EM Asia Economist)Emerging Asia
- Net sales growth in the Philippines remains in the red; remittances now look unlikely to save the day.
- The consumer debt binge is lasting much longer than we thought, but the payback is looming.
- The much-needed savings rebuild looks to be reversing, and confidence is now plunging.
Miguel Chanco (Chief EM Asia Economist)Emerging Asia
- Indian industrial production growth rebounded in February, but the climate remains challenging…
- …The inventory-to-sales ratio continues to deteriorate, while consumer demand is sagging.
Core inflation fell to a new low in March; thankfully, food-price stickiness isn’t impacting expectations.
Miguel Chanco (Chief EM Asia Economist)Emerging Asia
- In one line: Little real good news from the smallest deficit in nearly a year.
Miguel Chanco (Chief EM Asia Economist)Emerging Asia
- In one line: A simultaneous easing in manufactured products and fuel & power deflation.
Miguel Chanco (Chief EM Asia Economist)Emerging Asia
- In one line: LPG price cut pulls inflation down below 5% for the first time since October; don’t be fooled by the jolt in IP growth.
Miguel Chanco (Chief EM Asia Economist)Emerging Asia
Singaporean GDP growth picks up in Q1 on recovering external demand
MAS opens the door to easing in Q4
Base effects are now dominating Philippine sales growth, masking weak marginal trends
Moorthy Krshnan (Senior Asia Economist)Emerging Asia
- Below-consensus Q1 GDP growth in Singapore, despite friendly base effects, was no surprise to us...
- … As the uneven recover y in electronics and weaker construction activity continue to weigh on growth.
- The MAS has star ted making noise about easing in Q4, but we remain unconvinced, for now.
Moorthy Krshnan (Senior Asia Economist)Emerging Asia
Base effects are masking lacklustre momentum in Philippine trade
Miguel Chanco (Chief EM Asia Economist)Emerging Asia
In one line: Export growth leaps back to double-digits.
Moorthy Krshnan (Senior Asia Economist)Emerging Asia
- In one line: Independence sufficiently proven, prep for a June cut.
Miguel Chanco (Chief EM Asia Economist)Emerging Asia
- The BoT yesterday sprang no surprise, keeping its policy rate at 2.50% in another five-to-two split…
- …But its latest forecasts and rhetoric betray waning confidence; we continue to see the first cut in June.
- Taiwanese export growth rebounded strongly in March; watch the boom in AI-related shipments.
Miguel Chanco (Chief EM Asia Economist)Emerging Asia
In one line: Festive demand-driven increases unwind.
Moorthy Krshnan (Senior Asia Economist)Emerging Asia
- Headline inflation in Taiwan nosedived to 2.1% in March, after jumping to 3.1% in February…
- …As positive Lunar New Year demand effects reversed sharply; food base effects helped too.
- Food prices should drag more on the headline, but upward risks from energy and services have risen.
Moorthy Krshnan (Senior Asia Economist)Emerging Asia
- The BSP held rates yesterday but sounded more hawkish, raising its 2024 inflation forecast to 4.0%.
- We still expect 100bp in cuts this year, with the first in June; food inflation will start co-operating in May.
- Another day, another Lunar New Year boost to February retail sales growth; this time in Malaysia.
Miguel Chanco (Chief EM Asia Economist)Emerging Asia
Festive spending boosts Singaporean retail sales growth in February
Moorthy Krshnan (Senior Asia Economist)Emerging Asia
