Archive

Growth Broadly Back In The Black

• PMI recoveries extended in June, taking averages above 50 as manufacturing is its strongest since Sep-22, and services almost align with its averages of recent years.
• The UK survey balances suffered from bad vibes, so they are the primary beneficiary of sentiment improving. Their recovery can extend further as vibes improve.
• Broad expansion helps labour demand to keep pace with supply, denying doves proof of a disinflationary demand shock. Without that, cuts roll later and may not resume.

By Philip Rush

HEW: Playing For Time

• US diplomacy with Iran has been given two weeks, bringing it close to the reciprocal tariff deferral date. Both may roll later, while central bankers wait to see the impact.
• Unsurprising UK and EA inflation data offered little direction, nor did the BoE or Fed. Brazil and Norway delivered opposite surprises outside a flood of cautious statements.
• Next week is much quieter for data and decisions (TH and MX). The flash PMIs are the main global highlight, although some HICP and PCE data are notable on Friday.

By Philip Rush

BoE Still Seeking Evidence

• Guidance around an unsurprisingly unchanged BoE rate preserved the necessary uncertainty about when it might ease again, albeit with a broad bias to do more later.
• Dave Ramsden joined the dovish dissent, taking it to three for a 25bp cut, but none of them are in the MPC majority revealed in May as leaning towards a slower pace of cuts.
• We believe the August decision remains finely balanced for the majority. Ongoing data resilience, discouraging the Fed and ECB from easing, should also keep the BoE on hold.

By Philip Rush

Philippines: 25bp Rate Cut to 5.25% (Consensus 5.25%) in Jun-25

• The Bangko Sentral Ng Pilipinas (BSP) reduced its Target RRP Rate by 25 basis points to 5.25%, a move that aligned with consensus forecasts and was prompted by a sharply lower inflation outlook for 2025.
• The decision reflects growing concerns over a global economic slowdown, persistent US trade policy uncertainty, and a widening domestic output gap, all of which argue for a more accommodative monetary stance.
• Future rate decisions will hinge on inflation dynamics, external policy shifts—especially from the US Federal Reserve—and the effectiveness of monetary easing in supporting domestic growth without compromising price stability