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Economics

Finance and insurance job market strengthens

KARREN VERGARA  |  MONDAY, 27 MAR 2017
Recruitment firm Robert Half believes the demand for finance and insurance professionals is forecast to grow in 2017.

Obamacare one, Trump nil

BENJAMIN ONG  |  MONDAY, 27 MAR 2017
The problem is that financial markets and economic agents have tied the repeal of Obamacare to progress in Trump's pro-growth agenda.

Kristin's correct call

BENJAMIN ONG  |  FRIDAY, 24 MAR 2017
Following earlier reports of stronger than expected UK inflation, fresh updates showed a re-acceleration in retail spending.

Confidently improving

BENJAMIN ONG  |  FRIDAY, 24 MAR 2017
After dropping to a reading of -6.2 in February (from -4.8 in January), the flash estimate of the Directorate General for Economic and Financial Affairs (DG ECFIN) consumer confidence indicator for the euro area improved to a reading of -5.0.

Less than expected but good

BENJAMIN ONG  |  THURSDAY, 23 MAR 2017
The Ministry of Finance released data showing the country recording a ¥813.4 billion trade surplus in February, up from a ¥1,086.9 billion deficit in the previous month and a ¥235.5 billion surplus in the same month last year.

RBNZ on ice

BENJAMIN ONG  |  THURSDAY, 23 MAR 2017
The RBNZ kept the official cash rate unchanged at 1.75% at its March policy meeting as widely expected.

Price-pressured

BENJAMIN ONG  |  WEDNESDAY, 22 MAR 2017
Along with the low unemployment rate -4.7% in the three months to January 2017 - the continued upswing in consumer price inflation do, indeed, argue for at least a small increase in interest rates.

Higher and higher

BENJAMIN ONG  |  WEDNESDAY, 22 MAR 2017
Admittedly, these are dated stats but more up-to-date figures from the CoreLogic RP Data Daily Home Value Index show continuing price rises.

Not off the boil

BENJAMIN ONG  |  TUESDAY, 21 MAR 2017
Latest figures show that the average price of new homes in 70 Chinese cities rose by 0.3% in the month of February following four straight months of decline.

Labour costs rising

BENJAMIN ONG  |  TUESDAY, 21 MAR 2017
If the recent growth trend in hourly labour costs continues, it may not need a "substantial degree" of policy accommodation for long.