EM currencies are generally ending the year on a strong footing – enjoying the benefits of lower core policy rates, a modestly weaker dollar and many offering high carry. There is a lot of focus on the renminbi at the moment and whether China's $1tr trade surplus will drive the renminbi much stronger. For today, the focus is on US jobs and eurozone PMIs
Wage growth is slowing quickly, at a time when the wider jobs market keeps cooling. The UK is becoming less of an outlier on inflation, and we expect a rate cut on Thursday and two further moves next year
The composite PMI dropped from 52.8 to 51.9 in December, with manufacturing output declining again. Overall, this reading still corresponds to decent GDP growth for the eurozone in the fourth quarter of 2025
A 25bp cut is practically certain. It's 90% discounted. Not delivering is not really a viable option, given the way the Fed behaves. But, expect a hawkish cut, with a pause to be heavily intimated for the January meeting. It will be interesting to see next Fed liquidity management steps; likely they will need to buy more bills than the MBS roll-off requires
France passed its social security budget, but the state budget remains unresolved, and the deficit outlook is worsening
Oil prices traded to their lowest level since late October amid expectations of a surplus, while European gas prices appear to have found a floor for now
A surge in fresh vegetable prices helped propel China’s food inflation back to positive territory and headline CPI inflation to a 21-month high of 0.7% year on year in November
After this week's 'rate ripple', the focus today switches to North America. Here we have policy meetings for both the Fed and the Bank of Canada. The Fed is widely expected to deliver a hawkish cut, which leaves the risk on short-dated US rates and the dollar skewed to the upside. For the BoC, there could be some pushback against rate hikes priced for 2026
Italy’s industrial production data for October points to renewed weakness, tempering expectations of a stronger economic pickup in the final quarter of the year
Inflation in Hungary decreased in November, but this was mainly due to base effects and government measures. We might be starting on the downward part of the rollercoaster right now – but that means the ride may be set to shoot upwards next
The UK Budget announcement (12.30 GMT) will see markets weigh both fiscal and inflationary implications. Sterling faces moderate downside risks in a non-inflationary, fiscally tight scenario, and severe risks if fiscal sustainability is called into doubt. Elsewhere, the dollar has more potential to depreciate despite yesterday’s correction
The UK government's budget announcement will need to show fiscal discipline to satisfy gilt investors, and while our baseline sees enough credibility to nudge the risk premium in gilt yields lower, we are well aware of significant upside risks too. Foreign gilt investors are relatively important and could even gain in importance in the future
Positive signals from both the US and Ukraine regarding a Russia-Ukraine peace deal continue to put pressure on energy markets. However, there’s little clarity on where Russia stands on the current plan
The November FX Report has been delayed but should be released soon. We expect an emphasis on the changing approach towards a tighter scrutiny on US partners’ FX practices, but we don’t think we’ll see any FX manipulator designation by Treasury. Thailand should, however, join the Monitoring List, and Switzerland will remain a focus point for markets
Combine rebounding investment with continued strength in private spending and you have a recipe for stronger economic growth. October's set of data suggests that GDP growth in the fourth quarter is likely to beat the 3.7% year-on-year rate posted in the third. At the same time, inflation is declining, which paves the way for another rate cut in December
Intuitively, a deal with Russia would help euro rates higher, but falling gas futures are already pushing down the curve through lower inflation expectations. Tensions with Russia are likely to stay, which means risk sentiment should remain fragile
Same old story: Germany’s longest stagnation has now been confirmed. The economy will remain stuck until fiscal stimulus begins to take effecta
Oil prices rose yesterday, in step with a global equity rally. However, peace talks remain a crucial area of uncertainty for the market
A December Fed cut is back as a baseline scenario for markets, but the dollar has remained relatively strong. Our short-term valuation metrics point to significant risks of a USD correction, unless data prompts a hawkish repricing. Geopolitics will remain in focus, both for European FX (Ukraine peace talks) and the yen (Japan-China tensions over Taiwan)
The federal government has unveiled a new agreement to finalise the 2026 budget and outline the main direction for economic policy in the coming years. While these steps will help reduce the public deficit, further action will be necessary to stabilise the debt ratio
Buoyant economic growth and signs of recovering investment are paired with slowing wage dynamics, easing upside risks to the current disinflation trend. With CPI inflation approaching the National Bank of Poland's target, the central bank may continue with policy easing. We expect another 25bp rate cut in December
With dropping expectations and an only somewhat improving current assessment, the November Ifo index suggests that the German economy remains deeply stuck in stagnation at year-end
The week draws to a close on a positive note after a significant selloff in risk assets as US rate cut bets continued to decline from the Federal Reserve's December meeting.
This week, we should see more economic data from the region after a rather quiet last week.
We've been here before, but prospects of a peace deal in Ukraine are starting to show in FX. CEE FX is holding last week's gains, and EUR/CHF is now also edging back above 0.93. Lower energy prices should be supportive for the euro. Further progress on peace discussions and potentially a softer Fed Beige Book on Wednesday could see EUR/USD hold 1.1500
Oil prices are under renewed pressure amid ongoing peace talks to end the war in Ukraine
Japan's stimulus package targets inflation stabilisation, strengthening defence and diplomacy, and sustainable growth. It should spur short-term growth and reduce inflation, but may put pressure on JGBs. The BoJ's policy normalisation will likely continue, though it faces challenges and may proceed at a slower pace
The composite PMI remained broadly unchanged in November (52.4 compared to 52.5 in October), which is well above the neutral level of 50. This suggests that growth in the short run remains decent despite significant global headwinds
French business confidence and PMI indicators edged higher in November, driven by renewed optimism in the service sector. This rebound could support growth in the coming months, despite more mixed signals from industry
Euro rates are more focused on the improving macro story than on AI-driven equity jitters. This also means that Bunds may not prove an effective hedge against an equity sell-off
The Bank of Korea is expected to hold the rates steady. Meanwhile, data highlights include Chinese industrial profits, Tokyo inflation, Korean and Taiwanese industrial production and Indian GDP
Japanese data shows inflationary pressures are firm and that exports remain resilient despite tariffs. An upbeat flash purchasing manager’s index suggests the economy is on the recovery path. While these outcomes favour a Bank of Japan rate hike in December, government pressure to keep policy loose might delay a move until next year
US jobs growth was stronger than expected in September, but unemployment also rose amid workers returning to the labour market and seeking jobs. Given the Fed's recent hawkish shift and the lack of official data scheduled before the 10 December FOMC meeting, it is understandable that the market thinks the next move won't come until early 2026
As negotiations to reach a final Omnibus I proposal have started, we analyse the impact each proposal would have on European banks. Despite the variations, all three proposals suggest a single path towards major scope reductions. This would be a positive for banks no longer required to report on ESG but complicate disclosures for those still in scope
Bank Indonesia held its policy rate at 4.75% amid inflation pressures and rupiah weakness, but we expect a cut in December to support growth. Risks remain skewed toward delays if currency pressures persist or the Fed postpones easinga
UK inflation has peaked, but the latest data is a tad hawkish for the Bank of England. Food inflation was strong, which is red meat for the hawks. Services inflation rose, once volatile items are stripped out. However, we still expect the Bank to cut rates in December
Global markets are trading in a slightly nervous fashion as they brace themselves for a potential correction in US tech stocks. So far, the correction has been modest compared to the 25% fall in bitcoin, but events over the next 24 hours will have a say in whether moves extend. We'll have FOMC minutes, Nvidia earnings and the September jobs reporta
Oil prices moved higher yesterday amid lingering supply risks, and a stronger diesel market lent additional support
Equities jitters have helped to steepen curves, though all within prior ranges and a 10y UST yield above 4%. As 10y Bunds richen versus swaps, the swap rate remains near the upper end of its range while the back end is sensitive to Dutch pension fund news. Meanwhile, latest TIC data show decent buying of US assets, including foreign demand for Treasuries
Tepid pricing in the industry and weakening price dynamics in agriculture are a downward risk for consumer prices. If consumer spending remains steady, inflation is likely to hover around the target over the upcoming year. A combination of factors might result in a low-inflation environment
Gilt yields jumped after reports the UK government was scrapping plans to raise income tax, casting fresh doubt over how a £30bn gap will be plugged. We expect about half to come from upfront tax hikes, so yields may not climb much further. If we’re wrong, blame the politic
The souring in risk sentiment before tomorrow’s Nvidia earnings is hitting high-beta currencies and offering some support to the dollar ahead of Thursday’s September jobs reports. The yen is being held back by escalating tensions between China and Japan, as well as soft data and speculative flows testing the intervention threshold
Wage growth was slightly higher than expected in September. This growth in purchasing power could overcome the Hungarian economy’s Achilles heel: a lack of confidence. In the coming months, inflation will fall and wages will grow strongly
We're not overly concerned about tightness in US repo of late. It does show that the liquidity environment is uneven. It appears that eligible standing repo participants don't need it, as there are minimal asks for it. Frustrating for the Fed, as it sees the effective funds rate creeping higher. T-bill buying from 1 December is far from perfect. But it will do
At a calm press briefing, the National Bank of Romania unveiled its November Inflation Report, announcing upward revisions to its inflation trajectory. The overall message conveyed stability, indicating that the Bank remains on a steady course despite the higher projections
October inflation was confirmed at 2.8%YoY while core inflation likely moderated to 2.9%YoY from 3.2%YoY in September, driven by softer services prices as businesses face demand constraints. Disinflation is now reaching the services sector, which is a positive sign for monetary policy and gives room for more rate cuts in the coming quarters
Next week, we’ll be watching for September’s delayed US jobs report and the release of October's more hawkish Fed minutes, which could dampen hopes for a December rate cut. We also expect the National Bank of Hungary to hold rates while signalling they’ll remain high for some time, with the release of Czech PPI data also due
Romania’s economy delivered a mild upside surprise in the third quarter. The flash estimate points to 1.6% annual growth, above our expectations, although it still contracted by 0.2% versus the previous quarter. Taken together, after nine months of 2025, the economy is 0.8% above the same period of 2024
The drop in USD this week seems to be linked to expectations that US data will come in soft. But hearing Fed speakers, the move seems a bit premature, even if it looks like we could get September payrolls data soon. In the UK, the government is scrapping its income tax hike plans. GBP downside risks have suddenly increased
Euro rates are near the top of their ranges again. We don't expect the front-end to remain a driver, with now only a 30% chance of an ECB cut priced down the road despite remaining risks around the outlook. Dutch pension reforms appear to help push the 10s30s steeper as dynamics detach from the US curve
Earlier this summer, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz promised a 'Fall of reforms'. This week, the government moved to accelerate decision-making, unveiling a fresh set of policy announcements within just the past 24 hours
Bank Indonesia and the People’s Bank of China are both expected to maintain current interest rate levels. Key releases include Japan's GDP, trade figures, and inflation, Taiwan's export orders and Singapore's GDP
China's key activity indicators continued to slow across the board in October as policymakers appear to be delaying further policy support. This year's growth target is likely to require minimal additional support to be reached, but supportive policies will be necessary to achieve long-term goals
Oil prices managed to edge higher yesterday, despite several bearish data releasesa
This more than compensates for August’s fall, confirming that summer data has to be interpreted with a pinch of salt. Italy's industrial stagnation is not over yet, but the picture might improve marginally over the fourth quarter
Romanian Inflation eased marginally in October to 9.8% versus September’s 9.9%. Declines in some food prices provided relief, but services inflation remains tricky. Wage growth slowed to just 4.1% in September, acting as a clear drag on demand. We maintain our year-end inflation forecasts at 9.6% for 2025 and 4.5% for 2026
EUR/USD has held onto its gains this week – though that largely looks a function of the slightly softer dollar. Yesterday's release of the German ZEW expectations index for November was not particularly encouraging. However, the aggregate ZEW figure for the eurozone as a whole ticked up, questioning whether Germany is increasingly becoming an outlier.
The carry trade suffered a stress test yesterday, when one popular target currency, the Hungarian forint, had to cope with prospects of wider budget deficits. After selling off 0.7%, the forint is already coming back bid. With volatility expected to stay low, it's hard to see any major unwinds of carry strategies in the near term
We think markets are right to price in more Bank of England easing, but the upcoming budget on 26 November can still bring both bullish and bearish surprises. Meanwhile, concerns around the US job market are offsetting the positive impact of a likely government reopening on risk sentiment
The oil market rallied yesterday, boosted by the strength of the refined products market
South Korea’s jobless rate rose in October, but it remains below 3%. The Bank of Korea is expected to keep policy unchanged in November amid concerns about property risk and volatile foreign exchange markets
Inflation in Hungary showed signs of stagnation in October, yet this is still not a success story. With price pressures still above the central bank’s target, it is highly unlikely that we will see any interest rate cuts until autumn next year
Real retail sales growth came in weaker than expected, implying stagnation since April. This warrants some caution regarding the consumption outlook. Still, households have relatively strong resources which could support robust spending as the year approaches an end
Third-quarter GDP growth disappointed at 4.0% YoY, dragged down by weak investment and softer government spending, while exports provided temporary support. We downgrade our 2025 growth forecast to 4.7% (from 5.2%) as sentiment weakens and tariff headwinds loom, reinforcing our call for a 25bp central bank rate cut in December
It has been a mixed week for the dollar, where early-week strength finally eased a little yesterday on indications of softer US jobs data. Yet with the US government shutdown ongoing, we are still in the dark about the true labour market picture. Expect more $ consolidation and focus on regional stories such as soft China trade data and the Canada jobs release
Today's data is more evidence of the small rebound of the German economy after the summer. However, the September increase in exports is too weak to dispel concerns about persistent structural weakness
In the Eurozone, ECB’s Schnabel sees money market rates rising as system reserves decline, with banks then turning to the ECB for liquidity. It is part of the plan and could happen in mid-2026, but is more likely to happen later. Meanwhile, US Treasuries are being buffeted by contrasting impulses. It's been quite a week, but we broadly end where we started
China's deflation is expected to continue, while the government releases data on retail sales, fixed asset investment, and industrial production. South Korea will release the unemployment rate
Despite good ADP and ISM services data, the USD has corrected lower. With equities re-stabilising, the risks remain of further USD pullbacks after a rally that has exceeded what rate differentials can justify. Today, we see the BoE on hold despite mounting speculation of a pre-Budget cut. Norges Bank is likely to hold too, with low risks of guidance tweaks
Fed Chair Powell's reticence to cut in December remains a driver of sentiment. Nevertheless, Treasuries are interpreting the various crosswinds as supportive of a rise in yields. We don't think the Bank of England will cut, but markets are not fully convinced. Gilt yields have little room to move lower as the Budget risk premium has already fallen
It's the expected rebound in industrial production in September. However, it's a rebound which is too weak to mark any turnaround. Instead, even with some cyclical rebound in the making, structural weaknesses will put a lid on German industrial production for a while
As expected, NBP policymakers delivered their fourth consecutive 25bp rate cut in November, extending the scale of monetary easing this year to 150bp. Rate-setters reacted to lower current inflation, but may pause before a final adjustment to monetary policy. We see two more cuts in the first half of next year, with the target rate at 3.5-4% in 2026
In our latest update, we reassess our Hungarian economic and market forecasts at a time when we are still waiting for the end of stagnation and hoping for better days to come. The economy is starving for those order book fillings, and also a big dollop of extra confidence
Today marks the start of the US Supreme Court hearings regarding the legality of some of the US administration’s tariffs. A ruling is expected before the end of the year
Unlike the Fed or the Bank of England, the ECB looks to have more time before excess reserves reach levels where bigger shifts in banks' behaviour will become obvious. Recourse to the ECB facilities remains relatively low and upward pressure on short-term rates is still very gradual
EUR/USD continues to grind lower as it has for the last week. Rate differentials have not moved much at all this week and in fact have been mildly supportive for EUR/USD.
The risk mood has darkened a little this week, with some sizeable corrections emerging in some equity markets. There has not been one catalyst per se, but lofty valuations must be leading to some profit-taking in uncertain conditions. For today, it's all about the US ADP jobs release and what it means for the December Fed meeting. Expect FX to stay defensive
Treasuries are treading water, and really should have performed better on a risk-off Tuesday. But the 10yr seems content at above 4% for now. The 2yr has more open road to trek back down to 3.5%. Wednesday’s refunding announcement should be a box-ticking exercise. The plumbing of the money markets is where all the drama is - keep an eye on it
The National Bank of Poland (NBP) has repeatedly warned of upside risks to inflation over the medium term, but this has not prevented the central bank from cutting rates as inflation moderates. Rate-setters have cut rates at each policy meeting since July, and we expect another 25bp cut on 5 November
Yesterday's PMI showed a mixed picture in the region, with the Czech Republic's lower-than-expected, while Poland and Hungary surprised with higher-than-expected readings. Inflation in Turkey surprised the market lower (2.6%/32.9%), in line with our estimate, and inflation returned to a declining trajectory.
The slew of post-meeting ECB speakers has added little to the policy narrative. The Governing Council is broadly on the same page with the rates view, and the feeling is that some substantial data surprises are now needed to create new division among policymakers.
FX markets are struggling to find direction this week. The Fed’s doubts on whether to cut in December naturally increase scrutiny of data: this means both depressed volatility during data silence and some potential exacerbation of USD reaction to any labour indicator (like tomorrow’s ADP). Our call remains that the dollar is close to its peak
US Treasury yields look like they want to nudge higher when they can. And why not, as corporate earnings are firm, and hard macro data is being kept under shutdown wraps. New lows in euro rate volatility help spreads on European government bonds (EGBs) tighten further. Given the spread tightness, Bunds look increasingly attractive as a risk hedge
The ISM manufacturing index suggests that the US industrial sector remains under pressure from weak growth and tariff-related uncertainty. The one consolation is that inflation pressures appear to be easing, but the Fed hawks will want to see broader evidence of this before backing a December rate cut
The UN climate conference in Belém has ignited a fierce debate and highlighted serious climate policy hurdles, before it has even begun. Despite these challenges, we see COP30 as a pivotal opportunity for meaningful boardroom conversations on carbon markets, sustainable finance and renewables
Conditions in manufacturing have deteriorated for the fourth consecutive month, which can undoubtedly be viewed as a negative signal for the economy when looking ahead. Although below the expansionary threshold, the PMI is nowhere near the depressed 2023 levels. Should the hard times continue, an adverse effect on growth in 2026 is a possibility
Affordability in the German real estate market remains strained. However, the recent surge in rents and a low homeownership ratio should still support the market
The Bank looks likely to keep rates on hold on 6 November, despite better inflation and wage news. The committee is deeply divided, and we don't expect clear signals on the Bank's next steps. But assuming the Autumn Budget goes as expected, a December rate cut now looks more likely than not
The dollar remains bid as the market continues to question whether the Fed needs to cut rates to 3.00/3.25% after all. Also helping the dollar may be tight money market conditions as the US Treasury restocks its cash balances. In the absence of official data, the focus this week will be on insights into the US job market from private sector releases
Oil prices are trading stronger this morning after OPEC+ decided to keep output levels steady over the first quarter of next year. However, this could change given the uncertainty on Russian oil flows following US sanctions
Italy's October inflation numbers show a marked deceleration. This is very much an energy and fresh food story, against stable core inflation. As we don’t expect an imminent change to the pattern, we're trimming our forecast for average 2025 headline inflation to 1.6%
The Riksbank and the ECB are both in a 'good place'. However, the risks that rates will be lowered again in Sweden are even lower than in the eurozone, as the growth outlook continues to improve and the Riksbank already took rates below 2% in September. We don't expect any new guidance at this meeting, and the krona's outlook remains good into 2026
CPI inflation moderated below both our expectations and those of the market in October, thanks to a lower core rate, making yet another 25bp rate cut in November highly probable. Our baseline scenario had assumed a pause in monetary easing, but given Poland's ongoing disinflationary trend, we're bracing for another 25bp rate cut next week
Energy price developments have resulted in a tick down in headline inflation, while core inflation remains at 2.4%. Overall, the inflation environment seems to remain very stable around the ECB's target for the moment
PEC+ is scheduled to meet this weekend, with the expectation that the group will agree on an output hike for December
The Reserve Bank of Australia is expected to hold rates steady. Other highlights of the week include key data on China, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan and the Philippines
China’s manufacturing purchasing managers’ index saw a broad-based decline in October, while the non-manufacturing PMI managed to edge back into expansionary territory. Industrial activity has held up well despite soft PMI data year-to-date. Even so, this steeper downturn may raise some concerns
Higher-than-expected Japanese inflation in October, together with improvements in production and retail sales, suggests growth is bottoming out toward quarter-end, while price pressures continue to intensify. The Bank of Japan may consider an earlier rate increase
The dollar enjoyed a second round of support yesterday as Powell's relatively hawkish press conference continued to resonate with data-starved markets. But the conditions for another big leg higher in USD aren't there, in our view. Meanwhile, Japan has intervened verbally to curb JPY volatility, and GBP is looking closely at Reeves' political position
