GBP review: Western Union

Mar 18, 2015 16:48 pm UTC| Commentary

The pound fell below $1.47 to fresh five-year lows after key U.K. events today seemingly pushed further into the future the timing of a local interest rate hike. Meanwhile, BoEs March minutes voiced concern that sterling...

SNB likely to mark down its growth and inflation outlook

Mar 18, 2015 15:56 pm UTC| Commentary

Switzerland economic outlook has deteriorated on the back of the CHF appreciation. Consumer prices dropped further into negative territory in February, whereas the effect of the latest CHF appreciation has yet to be fully...

SNB likely on hold in its 19 March meeting

Mar 18, 2015 15:14 pm UTC| Commentary

The Swiss National Bank will be setting policy for the first time following its unexpected decision to abandon the EURCHF floor on 15 January 2015.SNB is likely to keep its policy rate unchanged at -0.75% and preserve the...

BoE MPC concerned by tightening monetary conditions and sterling’s appreciation

Mar 18, 2015 14:48 pm UTC| Commentary

Minutes of the MPCs March meeting revealed that the decision of the Committee to leave policy unchanged was again unanimous.The line from the February minutes that one member thinks the next change in the stance of...

Benefits from weak euro still to be felt

Mar 18, 2015 14:22 pm UTC| Commentary

Euro-zone non-seasonally-adjusted trade surplus rose from 0.1bn in Jan 2014 to 7.9bn - its strongest Jan outturn since the single currencys creation. But this was only because the 5.6% y/y fall in imports outpaced the 0.4%...

Energy Market Review: Commerzbank

Mar 18, 2015 12:43 pm UTC| Commentary

Brent this morning is trading at $53 per barrel, i.e. only marginally above the six-week low it recorded at the beginning of the week. In other words, the "gains" generated by the contract rollover are already evaporated....

First hike from BoE likely in August

Mar 18, 2015 12:40 pm UTC| Commentary

The economy is growing at a solid pace, the slack in the labour market is diminishing and inflation is mainly being pulled down by temporary factors.The falls in energy and food prices should drop out of the inflation rate...