There is no question that China’s economy is booming, with growth spiking to 11.9% in the first quarter. The world’s largest country (by population) appears to have swept off the global recession with aplomb and many an analyst are counting on Chinese demand to drive a new global growth cycle. But is this growth sustainable [Read more...]

 

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New property market cooling measures announced by China’s State Council on April 15 seek to curb speculative demand for real estate by raising down payment requirements and mortgage rates, while giving local government officials the responsibility for failing to stabilise property prices. If the measures work, which I think they might, then property prices in [Read more...]

This week the People’s Bank of China tried to send a clear signal that it is starting to tighten monetary conditions as the economic recovery takes hold. Stuart Allsopp, BMI China analyst, explains the significance of the bank’s  move to raise its 3-month bill financing rate and reserve requirement ratios for the monetary policy outlook [Read more...]

 

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While I had not been pencilling in another interest rate hike this year, the Reserve Bank Of Australia (RBA)’s decision to raise its policy rate by 25 basis points (bps) for a third consecutive month to 3.75% on Tuesday was not wholly unexpected. Indeed, Business Monitor Online stated on November 30 that [Read more...]

As we enter the fourth quarter, Terry Alexander returns with an outlook on near-term market dynamics, and why we are not yet ready to change our long-held bullish view. Stuart Allsopp joins this podcast to give a little more fundamental insight into what is driving the rally in Gold.

 

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Thursday marks the 60th anniversary of the foundation of the People’s Republic of China, and is an opportune time to reflect on where China is going. There is a widespread belief that China is on course for global domination, and this is best captured in the title of a recent book, When China Rules The [Read more...]

The fundamental factors supporting the Hong Kong property market, from a shortage of houses to record low mortgage costs, are well known. However, similar arguments were used to justify the residential property market in the US in 2006, and in Hong Kong itself in 1997. In the latter, when the bubble popped, real estate prices [Read more...]