- US - How seriously should we take the PMI’s slowdown signal?
- EUROZONE - The establishment in Germany wins one last chance to get it right
- UK - Increased NICs will be manageable for firms and consumers
- CHINA+ - Policy support driving China’s credit growth; property loans cool
- EM ASIA - Not long until BI eases again, especially given Prabowo’s cuts
- LATAM - Mexico’s economic outlook worsens amid external and domestic risks
ian shepherdson (Chief Economist, Chairman and Founder)Global
- Inflation in Brazil rose less than expected in February, despite a spike in electricity tariffs.
- Weakening domestic demand will keep inflation pressures in check, but a range of issues remain.
- Mexico’s external accounts are under control, but both external and domestic issues cloud the outlook.
Andrés Abadía (Chief LatAm Economist)Latin America
- Huge volatility under the hood of German Q4 GDP; inventories and net trade are key for H1.
- We see full-year 2025 growth of 0.5% in Germany, lower than previously but above consensus.
- EZ negotiated wage growth retreated in Q4, after the one-off-related jump in Q3; further falls are likely
Melanie Debono (Senior Eurozone Economist)Eurozone
- Ofgem’s 6.4% hike to the utility price cap from April is 0.8pp higher than the MPC assumed.
- The news would boost the MPC’s inflation forecast by 3bp, leaving it unchanged to one decimal place.
- We continue to expect CPI inflation to accelerate to 3.5% in April and 3.7% in September.
Rob Wood (Chief UK Economist)UK
- In one line: Underlying inflation pressures remain under control.
Andrés Abadía (Chief LatAm Economist)Latin America
- Core inflation is under control, allowing Banxico to eye a 50bp rate cut, but trade tensions loom.
- The benign February inflation report reinforces the dovish stance, yet US tariffs could cloud the outlook.
- In Argentina, Mr. Milei’s austerity is keeping the fiscal recovery on track, but trade tensions are rising.
Andrés Abadía (Chief LatAm Economist)Latin America
- The failure of FDP and BSW to reach 5% paves the way for a CDU/CSU and SPD coalition in Germany.
- Germany’s new government has its work cut out; fiscal reform and defence are at the top of the list.
- EZ inflation rose in January, but a sharp fall in energy inflation will pull the headline down in February.
Claus Vistesen (Chief Eurozone Economist)Eurozone
- Households say that now is almost as good a time to save as during the 2008 financial crisis.
- But we are not worried, because saving intentions have been a very poor consumer-spending indicator.
- Confidence in personal finances is solid, and major purchase intentions signal solid retail volumes growth.
Rob Wood (Chief UK Economist)UK
In one line: A local high, but still no perfect landing at 2%.
Claus Vistesen (Chief Eurozone Economist)Global
In one line: A local high, but still no perfect landing at 2%.
Claus Vistesen (Chief Eurozone Economist)Eurozone
In one line: Steady; not a reflection of firms’ attitudes to election result.
Melanie Debono (Senior Eurozone Economist)Eurozone
Decision-making on hold until the federal policy outlook becomes clearer.
Samuel TombsUS
- In one line: A bad end to the year, and downside risks have increased.
Andrés Abadía (Chief LatAm Economist)Global
- In one line: A bad end to the year, and downside risks have increased.
Andrés Abadía (Chief LatAm Economist)Latin America
- In one line:Retail sales recover from pre-Budget worries, more gains lie ahead as wages rise solidly.
Rob Wood (Chief UK Economist)UK
