Podcast – Bank of Japan finally tightens
It’s taken them 17 years to do it but the BoJ has finally raised key interest rates. Max Sarto, Econoday’s Japan expert, discusses what they did and what it means for the economy and [...]
March SNB MPA preview: A very close call
The consensus is no change but there is significant speculation that the SNB might announce a 25 basis point cut in its policy rate at Thursday’s Monetary Policy Assessment (MPA). Further falls in already low [...]
March BoE MPC Preview: Still too soon to cut
Forecasters are convinced that there will be no change in Bank Rate this week. At February’s announcement the MPC’s principal dove, Swati Dhingra, was the sole voice calling for a 25 basis point cut. She [...]
High points for US economic data scheduled for March 18 week
At the midpoint of the March 18 week is the release of the FOMC statement and summary of economic projections (SEP) at 14:00 ET on Wednesday followed by Chair Jerome Powell’s press briefing at 14:30 [...]
Global data hitting forecasts; weak activity offset by firm inflation
Econoday’s global Relative Performance Index (RPI) held unchanged in the week at a perfect zero score, perfect that is for Econoday’s consensus forecasts that on net are exactly matching actual outcomes. But there’s a separation [...]
Global RPI at zero indicating data are hitting forecasts
Improvement for both the US and China last week lifted the global Relative Performance Index (RPI) by 20 points to zero indicating that global data, on net, are exactly hitting Econoday’s consensus forecasts. When excluding [...]
High points for US economic data scheduled for March 11 week
The communications blackout period around the March 19-20 FOMC meeting goes into effect at midnight on Saturday, March 9 and runs through midnight on Thursday, March 21. Fed speakers will be absent from the public [...]
Podcast – The credibility brake on interest rate cuts
Many central banks still seem to attach more risks to easing too early than too late. And while that will reflect the perceived economic fallout from either action, the prospective impact on policy credibility [...]
March ECB meeting preview: Focus on the forecasts
At the ECB’s January meeting, there was a unanimous decision to leave key interest rates on hold and forecasters anticipate the same neutral outcome this week. Thursday’s announcement is widely expected to leave the deposit [...]
High points for US economic data scheduled for March 4 week
The March 4 week has two reports that are likely to inform the tone of the deliberations at the upcoming March 19-20 FOMC meeting. However, these will be overshadowed by Fed Chair Jerome Powell’s upcoming [...]