The Q211 GDP data released recently by Statistics South Africa has confirmed many of my suspicions about the state of the South African economy. The recovery is losing momentum and moreover, it is uneven with the supply side in the doldrums while the demand side continues to post robust growth. The economy as a whole… [Read more]
My concerns about a sharp slowdown in economic activity in the eurozone are rising following the release of disappointing Q2 2011 real GDP growth figures for Germany on August 16. Following hot on the heels of flat French Q2 GDP data on August 12, Germany’s economy posted just 0.1% quarter-on-quarter (q-o-q) growth (seasonally adjusted) in… [Read more]
China is foremost on my mind. Regular readers of our online service will know that my colleagues and I at Business Monitor International (BMI) are well below consensus in predicting only 7.5% real GDP growth in 2011. Below, I list some thoughts on this subject: Growth slowdown: The notion of a ‘hard landing’ for China’s… [Read more]
On Friday, August 6, Business Monitor International’s Head of Research Terry Alexander guest hosted Closing Bell Europe. Key points of discussion included the latest Eurozone GDP releases and asset class strategies amid a rallying bond market.
On this week’s Business Monitor Podcast, we continue our theme of ‘top emerging market picks’ with a focus on Latin America. BMI’s Head of Country Risk and Financial Markets Justin Patrie discusses the region with Head of Latin America Analysis Richard Hamilton and Latin America Analyst Martha Stickings. Specific countries discussed include Colombia, Brazil, Panama… [Read more]
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]
The outlook for the eurozone is looking steadily worse. Key European economies have thus far failed to capitalise on the bounce in headline growth seen in the US and emerging markets. Concomitantly, a brewing sovereign crisis in Greece has highlighted serious problems of overleverage in Portugal, Spain and Italy. On this week’s podcast, Business Monitor… [Read more]
