Paul Cavey

Japan - April consumer confidence

Korea - April exports

The China Diviner

The government's view that it is homebuilders not homebuyers who are the "speculators" has big implications for where the property cycle goes next, and what that means for the economy.

China - April PMI

Taiwan - Q1 GDP & March LI

Q1 growth was strong. The official leading indicator for March is pointing to a clear slowdown, but more gradually than the path suggested by equities.

China - April Politburo statement

Japan - April BOJ meeting

Korea - April business sentiment

Korea's April business sentiment survey reaffirms recent themes for the economy. The cycle is now slowing, but not yet weak, and in fact on its own still strong enough to keep the BOK in tightening territory. At the same time inflation risks remain high. The central bank is likely to remain hawkish.

Japan - March labour market

Korea - April consumer confidence

Japan - March trimmed mean CPI

The BOJ's calculation of trimmed mean CPI moved up in March to 1.1% YoY, equal with the previous record high in the series last reached in 2008. The details though were a little soft.

Japan - March services PPI

China - weekly update

The government, fearing inflation or perhaps CNY weakness, is stepping up easing, but trying rather furtively.

Weekly summary

Japan - March CPI

Region - March/April exports

External momentum has softened in recent months, but the downturn hasn't yet become very sharp. Data this week from across different economies suggests that there's no change yet in this picture.

China - weekly update

The government's plan right now is to get the virus under control, and then guide companies back to work, thereby lifting the economy out of the covid shock without having to commit to a whole load of new 'stimulus'.

China - March activity data

East Asia Econ. Weekly summary

The China Diviner

China - reserve requirement cut

China - March property prices

Korea - April BOK meeting

The Bank of Korea decided today to raise the policy rate by a further 25bp, the fourth hike in this current cycle. From the perspective of BOK leadership - the bank currently being between governors - this was a mild surprise. But from the point of view of the economy,

China - March foreign trade

Japan - February machinery orders

Even allowing for month-to-month volatility, Japanese machine orders in February were soft.