Japan's factory index falls, focus shifts to BOJ meet
Jan 22, 2016 04:05 am UTC| Commentary Central Banks
Preliminary factory index reading reveals Japans manufacturing sector remained in a solid expansionary state in January though declined slightly from December. The Nikkei-Markit Flash Japan Manufacturing Purchasing...
Most Asian markets open with positive note, Oil price rebounded
Jan 22, 2016 03:27 am UTC| Commentary
Rebounding oil prices and dovish comments from the President of the European Central Bank (ECB) helped stock in Japan to open sharply higher Friday. The benchmark Nikkei 225 has risen 3.12% to 16,516.65 since the...
US existing home sales are expected to bounce back to ‘normal’
Jan 22, 2016 03:12 am UTC| Commentary Real Estate
Todays (December) US existing home sales are likely to bounce back to normal after a 10% (MoM, sa) collapse in November wasnt corroborated by any of the other housing data. The trend in (new and existing) home sales has...
ECB signals more stimulus is in the pipeline
Jan 22, 2016 02:58 am UTC| Commentary Central Banks
ECB struck a dovish tone yesterday, lifting European and US markets. In light of heightened growth and inflation risks, ECB President Draghi signalled that more stimulus was in the offing and could be undertaken as early...
Bank Negara Malaysia is reducing the statutory reserve requirement ratio from 4.00% to 3.50%
Jan 22, 2016 02:21 am UTC| Commentary Central Banks
Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) is reducing the statutory reserve requirement (SRR) ratio from 4.00% to 3.50%. This is also the first time since July 2011 that BNM had adjusted the SRR and this move will come into effect on 1...
Indonesia's gross FDI at 3.3% of GDP in 2015
Jan 22, 2016 01:59 am UTC| Commentary
Total foreign direct investment (FDI) reached USD 29bn last year (circa 3.3% of GDP), according to the data from the Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM). This is slightly higher than the USD 28bn recorded in both 2014 and...
US Fed continues trying to achieve 2% inflation in 2016
Jan 21, 2016 23:31 pm UTC| Commentary Central Banks
U.S. consumer prices unexpectedly fell in December 2015 as the cost of energy products and food declined, offering signs of weak inflation that further diminish expectations of a Federal Reserve interest rate hike in...
‘We have thousands of Modis’: the secret behind the BJP’s enduring success in India