- The Bank of England raised its benchmark interest rate to 5.25% despite a slowdown in consumer-price rises, leading to speculation about when the central bank will end its monetary tightening.
- House prices in Britain fell by 3.8% in July compared to the same month last year, the sharpest decline since July 2009, but the average house price was still higher than earlier this year.
- The Bank of Japan raised its cap on the yield of Japanese ten-year government bonds from 0.5% to 1%, causing the yield to soar to nine-year highs.
- Turkey's annual inflation rate increased to 47.8% in July, the first rise since October, due in part to a new tax on fuel.
- The euro area's economy grew by 0.3% in the second quarter, with much of the growth attributed to changes in intellectual property shifting by multinationals based in Ireland for tax purposes. Germany's GDP growth rate was zero, and Italy's fell by 0.3%.
The flash PMI numbers for August indicate contraction in the French, German, and Eurozone manufacturing and services sectors, causing a negative impact on the Euro and Pound, as well as a spike in the US Dollar Index and increased investment in sovereign debt.
Weak European data caused the euro to decline and led to a rise in bond and share markets, while investors awaited Nvidia's results to assess the viability of the tech sector's high valuations.
UK PMI data suggests a 0.2% decline in GDP in Q3, indicating a potential recession as factory output slumps and the economy faces higher interest rates.
Germany's business activity has seen a sharp decline, leading to concerns of a recession, as the country's Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) dipped to its lowest level in over three years. This decline in activity is impacting the wider eurozone economy as well, with the region at risk of slipping into recession. This economic downturn is accompanied by a worrying uptick in inflation and slow growth, particularly in Germany.
The UK and eurozone economies are at risk of recession due to a significant slowdown in private sector activity, with the UK experiencing its poorest performance since the Covid lockdown and Germany being hit particularly hard; the US is also showing signs of strain, with activity slowing to near-stagnation levels.
The contraction in euro area business activity has intensified, particularly in Germany, leading to expectations that the European Central Bank will pause its interest-rate hike campaign; US mortgage applications for home purchases have hit a three-decade low due to rising borrowing costs; South Korea's exports continue to decline, indicating lackluster global trade; Turkey's interest-rate increase has triggered a rally in the country's assets; shrinking water levels at the Panama Canal due to climate change may cause delays in restocking inventories before Christmas.
The upcoming events include UK Bank Holiday, Australian Retail Sales, Japan Unemployment Rate, US Consumer Confidence, US Job Openings, Australian CPI, US ADP, Japan Retail Sales, Chinese PMIs, ECB Minutes, Eurozone CPI, Eurozone Unemployment Rate, US Jobless Claims, US Core PCE, Swiss CPI, US NFP, US ISM Manufacturing PMI. The US Consumer Confidence is expected to be lower in August compared to July, while the labor market data is the top priority for the Fed and markets. The Australian CPI is expected to show further disinflation. The Chinese Manufacturing PMI is expected to tick higher, and the Eurozone CPI is expected to move lower. The US Jobless Claims are expected to increase, and the US PCE is expected to be higher. The Switzerland CPI is expected to match the prior reading, and the US NFP report is the main event of the week. The US ISM Manufacturing PMI is expected to tick higher.
The US economy is expected to slow in the coming months due to the Federal Reserve's efforts to combat inflation, which could lead to softer consumer spending and a decrease in stock market returns. Additionally, the resumption of student loan payments in October and the American consumer's credit card addiction pose further uncertainties for the economy. Meanwhile, Germany's economy is facing a contraction and a prolonged recession, which is a stark contrast to its past economic outperformance.
The US Dollar performed well against major currencies, with the British Pound, Euro, and Canadian Dollar underperforming, while the Chinese Yuan and Australian Dollar fared better; the Federal Reserve's indication of a higher terminal rate and potential further borrowing cost increases contributed to the market sentiment, leading to lower US equity markets; upcoming economic data includes consumer confidence, inflation gauges from key European countries, and manufacturing PMI gauges from China.
Britain's experience with quantitative easing (QE) and monetary policy has had both positive and negative impacts, with the unnecessary prolonged period of cheap money causing damage, the kamikaze printing of money during the pandemic feeding inflation and leaving taxpayers with a large bill, but also some good news as inflation is expected to decelerate and boost spending power as real incomes rise, although second-round effects could ensure inflation's persistence. The UK economy is weak and policy should focus on averting recession and challenging consensus-thinking on future growth, as the country's composite Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) has fallen to a 31-month low, with the services sector slipping into recession and a slump in retail sales in August. Higher interest rates are causing corporate distress, suggesting the need to stop raising rates, while elevated policy rates and selling of gilts by the Bank of England will keep upward pressure on long-term yields and borrowing and mortgage rates. The expectation of positive real interest rates signals the end of cheap money and offers an opportunity in Britain to rethink fiscal and supply-side policy, encouraging investment, innovation, competitiveness, and improved skills. Overall, the outlook is characterized by falling inflation, weak growth, and the opportunity to reset monetary policy and focus on fiscal policy, the supply side, and investment.
Investors are becoming increasingly concerned about the state of China's economy as informal gauges, such as PMI surveys and soft surveys, indicate a deep-seated confidence problem and a potential miss of the country's 5% growth target this year, leading to a retreat from global assets exposed to the slowdown.
The growth in lending to euro zone companies slowed in July due to higher interest rates, signaling a potential brake on credit creation and economic growth.
The US dollar experienced a major technical reversal due to a weaker JOLTs report, leading to a drop in US interest rates, while market positioning played a role in the price action; the focus now shifts to personal consumption figures and US jobs data, with the euro and sterling firm but most other G10 currencies softer, and emerging market currencies mixed. In Asia, most large bourses advanced, but Europe's Stoxx 600 fell after rallying in previous sessions, while US index futures traded softer; European bonds are selling up, gold is consolidating, and oil prices are firm. Australia's CPI slowed more than expected, China is expected to release the August PMI, and Japan reports July retail sales. The US dollar has seen no follow-through selling against the yen, yuan, or Australian dollar, while the euro and sterling staged impressive price action. The JOLTS report saw the dollar and US rates reverse lower, and today the US reports advanced merchandise trade figures for July, with the Canadian dollar as the worst performing G10 currency yesterday.
The US dollar experienced weakness due to disappointing economic data, leading to speculation that the Federal Reserve may not need to be as aggressive in its monetary policy settings, while equities showed modest gains; Chinese PMI numbers beat estimates but concerns about the property sector lingered; USD/JPY dipped before recovering; and the DXY index stabilized after recent losses, with potential support levels identified.
The global economy is expected to slow down due to persistently high inflation, higher interest rates, China's slowing growth, and financial system stresses, according to Moody's Investors Service, although there may be pockets of resilience in markets like India and Indonesia.
China's economic slowdown is being caused by a property market downturn, softening demand for exports, and low household spending, which poses risks to financial stability and could lead to deflation and deeper debt problems. Economists are uncertain if the government's current measures, like interest rate cuts, will be enough to boost consumption and meet growth targets. Structural reforms and measures to increase household consumption are needed to address the imbalance in the economy.
British factories in August experienced their weakest month since the start of the COVID-19 crisis due to shrinking orders caused by rising interest rates, according to a survey, resulting in a decline in purchasing activity, inventory holdings, and staffing levels. However, the slowdown in domestic and export demand has alleviated inflation pressures, potentially leading to a decrease in goods price inflation. With the economy showing signs of a slowdown, the Bank of England is expected to raise rates for the 15th consecutive time, despite concerns that it may lead to a recession.
Surging interest rates in the UK have led to a slump in factory output, the biggest annual drop in house prices since the global financial crisis, and signals of distress in different sectors of the economy, posing a dilemma for the Bank of England as it decides whether to raise interest rates further.
Mortgage rates have been decreasing and could fall further this month if inflation continues to come down.
Fears about the health of the global economy have intensified as service sector activity in China, the eurozone, and the UK shows signs of weakness, leading to a drop in share prices in Asia and a decline in the pound against the US dollar.
China's economy is showing signs of slowing down, including a decrease in GDP growth rate, declining exports, deflationary consumer price index, high youth unemployment, a weakening yuan, and a decrease in new loans, which could have global implications.
HSBC economists predict that higher borrowing costs will lead to a decline of more than 1% in the euro zone's GDP by 2025, potentially causing a recession, although the British economy is expected to be less affected due to government-backed loans and healthy balance sheets.
The Eurozone construction PMI in August 2023 decreased slightly to 43.4, marking the sixteenth consecutive month of decline, while the pan-European Stoxx 600 index fell by 0.89%, led by losses in the financial services and banking sectors.
Europe's struggle with inflation and economic growth contrasts with the United States, as the European Central Bank's aggressive tightening risks pushing the euro zone into a downturn, with the manufacturing and services sectors already showing signs of contraction.
Private debt fundraising and deals in Europe are slowing down, indicating that aggressive interest rate rises may be causing funding stress and exacerbating economic pain. The European private credit industry has seen a 34% drop in new investment compared to the same period last year, and direct lenders are closing fewer transactions, leading to concerns about defaults and tighter liquidity in the future.
The US dollar's strength in the foreign exchange market, along with discussions of de-dollarization, highlights the divergence between the US and other major economies. The Dollar Index is on an eight-week rally, reaching a record high in international payments, while the euro's share has declined to a record low. In the week ahead, the US CPI and the ECB meeting are expected to be major events, with the US showing signs of inflation and weaker demand, and the euro facing challenges amid stagnation and inflation. China's CPI and PPI have shown some improvement, but the focus will be on yuan loans and real sector data. The eurozone's focus will be on the possibility of a rate hike by the ECB and the release of July industrial production figures. Japan's household consumption continues to fall, and the country may experience a contraction in Q3. The UK will release employment data and GDP details, while Canada will see data on existing home sales and the CPI. Australia will release its August employment data, and Mexico's peso positions may continue to adjust due to the winding down of the currency forward hedging facility.
The US Dollar performed strongly against major currencies, with the Euro experiencing its 8th consecutive weekly loss and the Chinese Yuan performing poorly, while global market sentiment was negative and stock markets weakened. In the coming week, market focus will be on the US inflation report, UK employment and GDP data, Australian employment data, and the ECB rate decision.
The European Commission has revised down its economic forecast, citing high prices for goods and services as a significant factor, leading to reduced growth projections for the European Union and the eurozone. Germany is expected to experience a downturn, while inflation is projected to exceed the European Central Bank's target. Weak consumption, credit provisions, and natural disasters are also contributing to the loss of momentum in the economy. However, the report highlights the strength of the EU labor market with a low unemployment rate.
The Wall Street Journal reports a notable shift in the stance of Federal Reserve officials regarding interest rates, with some officials now seeing risks as more balanced due to easing inflation and a less overheated labor market, which could impact the timing of future rate hikes. In other news, consumer credit growth slows in July, China and Japan reduce holdings of U.S. Treasury securities to record lows, and Russia's annual inflation rate reached 5.2% in August 2023.
UK gross domestic product (GDP) fell by 0.5% in July, below expectations, with services output being the main drag on the economy, indicating a potential mild recession, and causing investment banks to revise down their growth forecasts; however, some experts still believe that the economy is growing, albeit at a slower pace.
The global debt-to-GDP ratio has decreased for the second consecutive year, but the decline may be coming to an end as the post-COVID growth surge fades, according to the International Monetary Fund (IMF). China and the United States both have high debt-to-GDP ratios, and the IMF has called for strategies to reduce debt vulnerabilities in various sectors.
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) plans to advise China to address issues such as weak domestic consumption, the troubled real estate sector, and local government debt, in order to boost both Chinese and global growth, according to IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva. The IMF will urge China to shift its growth model away from debt-driven infrastructure investment and real estate and focus more on domestic consumption. China's aging population, falling productivity, and problems in the real estate sector are factors hindering its growth rate. The IMF is set to release new global growth forecasts, reflecting concerns about low GDP growth worldwide, with the United States being the only major economy to have recovered pre-pandemic levels. China's growth rate is crucial for both Asia and the rest of the world, given its significant contribution to global growth. However, there is a trend of some outflow from China, which needs to be monitored.
Germany is projected to be the most heavily impacted by the global economic slowdown due to higher interest rates and weaker global trade, according to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), with its economy likely to shrink this year alongside Argentina and experience a weaker 2024. The slowdown in China, inflationary pressures, and tightening monetary policy are among the factors affecting Germany's growth. The OECD also warned of persistent inflation pressures in various economies and called for central banks to maintain restrictive interest rates until underlying inflationary pressures subside.
UK companies experienced a challenging September with growing unemployment and recession risks, reflected by a drop in the services sector PMI to its lowest level since the pandemic lockdown, leading to the Bank of England's decision to halt interest rate hikes.
The euro zone economy is expected to contract this quarter and remain in recession as the impact of central banks' interest rate rises hampers growth, according to a survey by HCOB's flash euro zone Composite Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI), with Germany and France experiencing significant declines in business activity.
