Fitch warns global growth will be slowest since 2009 September 30, 2015 Credit ratings agency Fitch has warned global growth is set to be the slowest since the depths of the financial crisis this year. Fitch said it expects the global economy will grow by just 2.3 per cent this year, the weakest since 2009, and less than the agency's June forecast. The weakness will come from [...]
Global steel price drops to lowest level in over a decade September 30, 2015 It's been a bad month all round for commodities, and steel is the latest metal to show the scars of economic turmoil. The overall price of the commodity dropped to its lowest level in 11 and a half years in September, according to the MEPS steel price index. Read more: SSI to close Redcar [...]
Standard & Poor’s thinks the European Central Bank will extend its quantitative easing programme September 30, 2015 Credit ratings agency Standard & Poor's (S&P) has said it sees signs the European Central Bank (ECB) could extend its quantitative easing programme beyond September 2016. S&P said the euro has strengthened against the currencies of slowing emerging market economies. This will make it harder for the ECB to meet its inflation target of just [...]
Eurozone inflation unexpectedly turns negative in September September 30, 2015 Large falls in energy prices pushed the Eurozone back into deflation for the first time in six months, according to an initial estimate from the official statistics agency. Consumer prices across the single currency bloc fell to minus 0.1 per cent in September, more than economists expected, and down from plus 0.1 per cent a [...]
Pound wobbles as UK GDP growth is revised lower for the second quarter September 30, 2015 Mixed news from the Office for National Statistics, after its final estimate of UK GDP held second-quarter growth at 0.7 per cent, but revised year-on-year growth for the quarter down to 2.4 per cent, from the 2.6 per cent it originally thought. The pound fell to a five-month low against the US dollar to $1.51 [...]
Global markets on track for worst quarter since 2011 September 30, 2015 The commodity price rout, fresh concerns over the Chinese economy as well as its shock devaluation, and the prospect of the first interest rate rise from the US Fed since 2006 are some of the factors which made this summer a white knuckle ride for investors. Given this, it's hardly surprising that global markets are [...]
Global markets on track for worst quarter since 2011 September 30, 2015 The commodity price rout, fresh concerns over the Chinese economy followed by its shock devaluation, uncertainty surrounding the Greek bailout deal, the prospect of a September interest rate rise from the Fed were some of the factors that made this summer a white knuckle ride for investors. Federal Reserve's first interest rate rise since 2006. [...]
Market economy status for China is a disaster for Europe September 29, 2015 What is a market economy? A system in which free trade and enterprise are encouraged to thrive, or one that is closely controlled by a powerful central government, repeatedly guilty of anti-competitive conduct and hostile towards new entrants. That is the question facing Brussels policy-makers, who are currently deciding whether to recognise China as [...]
World view September 29, 2015 From capital flight to monetary wobbles, we highlight the figures that matter from around the world UNITED STATES 13 of 17 FOMC members predict a Fed rate rise in 2015. $1 trillion Total US car loans outstanding reached a record level, rising by $119bn in the second quarter. SOUTH AMERICA Junk S&P’s rating of Brazil [...]
End of the world’s biggest ever credit boom means there will be more “Glencores” ahead September 29, 2015 It’s the great unwind show. Admittedly, Glencore’s latest problems may run deeper and look more specific, but together with Vale and Rio, the other great international mining houses plus their suppliers, like America’s Caterpillar, all are suffering the fall-out from the end of the world’s biggest ever credit boom. Oil is testing recent lows and [...]