GlobalSource Partners | Country Insights

Just two weeks after the government announced much-better-than-expected 7.8% GDP growth in 1Q2013, which bucked the regional growth slowdown, local stock prices grabbed headlines with the worst one-day dive since the Lehman crisis in October 2008.Many were stunned by the steep fall, especially fo...

Monetary authorities kept policy stance accommodative

PHILIPPINES · In Brief · 13 Jun 2013

Monetary authorities kept policy stance accommodative amid outflow of capital from the region. On balance, recent global financial developments positive for the Philippines providing breathing room for overbought financial markets (peso depreciated, interest rates up, stock prices down). If sus...

Retail Sales: Modest Recovery

BRAZIL ECONOMICS · Report · 13 Jun 2013

The seasonally adjusted retail sales numbers for April show slightly stronger growth: in the restricted concept sales grew 0.5% and in the augmented concept (including cars and construction materials) they expanded 1.9% (Graph 1). Over the past 12 months through April, the rates are lower than in...

Dominican Rep: in spite of announcements, public spending remains sluggish

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC · In Brief · 13 Jun 2013

New figures on public spending for April show that in spite of the announcements made by the government that it will accelerate spending in public infrastructure, during that month, total spending remained as sluggish as during the first quarter. Most likely, that meant a month of slow growth, a...

May Political and Economic Overview

MEXICO · Report · 13 Jun 2013

Executive SummaryThe setback in headline inflation sentiment index can largely be explained by increasing erosion of consumer expectations. That signals that consumer spending will stay weak through Q2.Flagging consumer hopes for household finances, and the broader economy, will evolve over the n...

Strategy For Financial Reform Is Becoming Visible

INDIA · Report · 11 Jun 2013

Executive SummaryFor the last decade, financial reforms in India have floundered. The game plan that now seems to be clearly visible comprises of a long term strategy and a two-pronged short term strategy. The long-term strategy is to enact some version of the draft Indian Financial Code, a new l...

Zooming in on Manufacturing

SOUTH AFRICA · Report · 11 Jun 2013

Executive SummaryA favorable performance of the South African manufacturing sector is indispensable for achieving robust and sustained domestic economic growth. This is evidenced by the fact that a poor performance of the domestic manufacturing sector largely contributed to a shocking Q1 2013 gro...

Economy Says, End Taksim Peacefully

TURKEY · Report · 11 Jun 2013

Two important data prints were released today: GDP grew by a better-than expected 3% in Q1, y/y, while April current account deficit was a wider than expected $8.2 billion.Both prints are problematic in our view, as they yield signs of a struggling economy on two fronts: a not so healthy growth d...

Q2 Health is an Illusion

ARGENTINA · Report · 11 Jun 2013

Executive SummaryAppreciation of the parallel exchange rate, and a temporary fall in inflation, have moderated economic instability. But inflation and FX dynamics were mostly driven by unsustainable price controls, aggressive FX intervention in the blue-chip swap, and monetary contraction, bolste...

States and Municipalities Add to the Fiscal Expansion

BRAZIL ECONOMICS · Report · 10 Jun 2013

The weak economic growth and expansionary fiscal policy that have raised the risks of dangerous growth of the public debt were responsible for the change in the Brazilian outlook from stable to negative by S&P. In addition to the decline in the primary surplus of the central government, which was...

Change Course?

BRAZIL ECONOMICS · Report · 10 Jun 2013

Executive SummaryConcern over inflation has led the Central Bank to signal a more intense monetary tightening cycle is in store, with the yield curve last week indicating the cycle might end with the SELIC rate at 9.25%. The high inflation is being driven by the steep increase in absorption in pr...

What to look for in the new week

TURKEY · In Brief · 10 Jun 2013

What to look for in the new week: Gul has until Tuesday 5 pm to decide what to do with the bill restricting alcohol sales and consumption. Erdogan declared war on banks and speculators who caused the collapse in the stock market last week. BRSA or capital Markets Board could initiate probes ...

Weekly Tracker: June 9-15

TURKEY · Report · 09 Jun 2013

Executive Summary This weekly has been written in the manner of a strategy piece, focusing on the political, economic and market implications of ongoing Gezi Parki protests, together with potential spillovers from the region. In addition, we took a quick look at the key data releases of the week:...

Ready, Set, Go!

PANAMA · Report · 08 Jun 2013

All the Cards are on the Table: Governing Party has a chosen OneAccording to the two main polls in Panama, Ditcher & Neira and IPSOS, as of May 2013, there has been a significant change in the political scenario; however, both polls reflect such change in a somewhat different perspective. Accordi...

S&P Changes Brazil’s Outlook from Stable to Negative

BRAZIL ECONOMICS · Report · 07 Jun 2013

S&P announced a change in Brazil's outlook from stable to negative. The decision was based on the fact that, in the absence of corrective measures, the weak GDP growth combined with a continually expansionary fiscal policy (including off-budget measures) generates the risk of weakening the countr...