Simply Economics

Whether it's the Federal Reserve or the ECB, talk is building that central banks are facing the need to boost policy stimulus. The latest (mostly disappointing) economic numbers out of the US and Europe are discussed.

The Federal Reserve has shifted strongly toward future rate cuts, a move based on weakening global growth and global trade that follows Mario Draghi's warning of similar measures for the European Central Bank. The Bank of Japan and the Reserve Bank of Australia are further along their dovish paths and more of the same is the call.

Central banks are cutting rates or appear to be preparing to cut rates. Jeremy Hawkins and Mark Pender discuss the effects of trade wars and also what to look for in coming central bank meetings including personnel developments at the European Central Bank.

The shift out of the center and away from the establishment shakes up the outlook for European economic policy and financial assets. The nuts and bolts of coming post-election events in Europe and the UK are also discussed.

Our panel discusses what appears to be an approaching rate cut in Australia and the effect the US-China trade breakdown are having in Asia. Weak data out of the US and what this means for Federal Reserve policy are also discussed as are risks to the euro from the pending European Parliament elections.

How will the hikes underway in US-China tariffs affect the world's two largest economies and how is Europe responding? Jeremy Hawkins and Mark Pender also update the latest economic data and key pending data to come.

A slew of European data show improvement to what are still, however, modest rates of growth. Data out of the US have been less strong than the headlines would suggest especially regarding the consumer. For global monetary policy, the outlook remains wait-and-see with perhaps a dovish tilt.

The US and China may be on the rebound though growth in Europe is uneven and is being held back by German manufacturing. Whether slowing in trade and weakness in manufacturing is being offset by strength in domestic services is a topic of discussion as are risks tied to the coming Spanish election and extended Japanese holiday.

Whether the Federal Reserve or the Bank of India, executive power has been flexing its muscle in an effort to loosen monetary policy. Jeremy Hawkins and Mark Pender also discuss the latest economic numbers especially from the manufacturing sector where revisions have improved the European outlook.

Solid snap backs for U.S. employment and European industrial production hint at momentum going into the second quarter and raise the question whether seasonal adjustments are to blame for the fourth-quarter slowdown. The outlook for central bank policies are also discussed and the very latest on Brexit is updated.

The outlook for interest rates in India and whether politics are at play is one of our panel's topics as well as housing in Australia and what trade talks mean for China. Soft data are the theme in the U.S. and what they may or may not mean for Friday's employment report, while Europe is headlined by weak core inflation, contraction for German manufacturing, and the continuing saga of Brexit.

How much of a risk is mounting red ink in the U.S. and how much good news, amid Brexit uncertainty, may already be priced in the pound? Our panel also discusses central bank responses to the global slowdown.

Status quo may be the expectation but surprises and nuances at this week's round of central bank meetings are always possible. And surprises are the norm for Brexit where the latest twists and turns, and what they would mean for the pound, are explored.

Whether it's the U.S. employment report or retail sales or European industrial production, large swings are appearing in the monthly reports that are reawakening questions over the reliability of seasonal adjustments during the winter months. Our panel also discusses unfolding events over Brexit and how they already have and may in the future affect economic performance.

The U.S. may be the new victim of the global slowdown at the same time that incoming data from Europe and Asia aren't showing improvement. Jeremy Hawkins and Mark Pender go through the latest numbers and discuss what they mean for central bank monetary policy.

Global central banks are increasingly taking note of slowdowns including in Europe where industrial production is sinking and the Italian economy in recession. U.S. growth is still solid with demand for labor unusually strong though a second government shutdown and escalating trade actions against China remain major wild cards.

Jeremy Hawkins assesses the latest economic data out of Europe and outlines contagion risks tied to technical recession in Italy, while Mark Pender updates indications on the U.S. outlook and discusses the Federal Reserve's shift to neutral.

Our panel discusses the outlook for Asia and whether the Reserve Bank of Australia will indeed stick to its tightening bias, which is a similar question for the FOMC and how dovish they might sound at this week's meeting. For Europe, risks include general slowing especially for Italy and of course Brexit and how the markets and the Bank of England are reacting to events.

Chinese GDP is slowing, European industrial production is at a standstill and the Washington shutdown is holding back the United States. Discussion includes why U.S. indicators are still favorable and what the best indicator is to judge Brexit developments.

The Brexit question for the U.K. may or may not be in a late end game as Jeremy Hawkins explores the political issues and economic risks. For the U.S., Mark Pender talks about what economic numbers are still available and what the outlook is for coming employment data and whether they will be affected by the government shutdown.