China Property Update - Prices Still Chugging Along in May

China's online real estate website, SouFun, recently released its monthly 100-city property price index, showing that property prices continued to rise in May. Property prices rose by 0.52% month on month in May to 8,819 Yuan per square meter, compared to an increase of 0.40% in April. This placed the annual percentage increase at about 5% (the index was first published in June last year). The data showed that prices rose in 76 cities, while 3 cities saw no change and 21 cities experienced lower prices in May.

http://seekingalpha.com/article/273650-china-property-update-prices-still-chugging-along-in-may

Top 5 Graphs: Aussie GDP, U.S. and China PMI, Monetary Policy

This week we start by checking out a dismal Q1 GDP result for Australia. Then we examine the slight fall in China's manufacturing PMI (purchasing manager index), as well as the U.S. manufacturing PMI shocker. Following that is a quick check in on US consumer confidence and housing market. Finally a review of some monetary policy decisions over the past week is checked out, before the flurry of policy activity due next week.

http://seekingalpha.com/article/273464-top-5-graphs-aussie-gdp-u-s-and-china-pmi-monetary-policy

Economic Calendar: Monetary Policy, GDP, Inflation and China Trade Data

Here's the economic calendar for the week commencing the 30th of May 2011. This week there’s a number of monetary policy decisions due from both emerging market and developed market central banks. There are also further revisions to Q1 GDP data due out from Japan and the eurozone. Among other data points due out this week is employment data from Canada and Australia, international trade flows for China, and some inflation metrics for Germany, the UK and US.

http://seekingalpha.com/article/273428-economic-calendar-monetary-policy-gdp-inflation-and-china-trade-data

Economic Calendar: Here Comes June and the PMIs

Here's the economic calendar for the week commencing the 30th of May 2011. This week we say goodbye to May, as such there's the May PMI numbers due out, with China, the US, and most other major economies reporting. There's also more GDP data from Canada, Switzerland, and Australia. In the US there's nonfarm payrolls, S&P/Case-Shiller house price index, and consumer confidence. In terms of monetary policy, the central banks of Russia, Canada, and Thailand are due to announce rate decisions.

http://seekingalpha.com/article/272431-economic-calendar-here-comes-june-and-the-pmis

Economic Calendar: GDP Revisions, Japan Data and U.S. Data

Here's the Economic Calendar for the week commencing the 23rd of May 2011. This week there's more GDP results (revisions) for 1Q 2011 with Germany, the U.K., and the U.S. all due to report. In the U.S. there's new home sales, house price index, pending home sales, University of Michigan Consumer Sentiment, and Personal consumption expenditure data due out. In Japan there's international trade data, consumer price index (inflation) numbers and retail sales results, while China has industrial profits figures.

http://seekingalpha.com/article/271288-economic-calendar-gdp-revisions-japan-data-and-u-s-data

The U.K. Consumer: An Important Barometer

In most developed economies, the sector that hurt the most during the financial crisis and ensuing recession tended to be the consumer sector. Ironically, in the lead up to the crisis, it was the excesses of this sector that helped create the conditions that led to the crisis. But while the recession was largely a structural phenomenon, and has led many to call for a rebalancing of developed economies away from such a consumer-centric model, the fact remains that the consumer sector still matters.

http://seekingalpha.com/article/270912-the-u-k-consumer-an-important-barometer

Time to Go Long Vietnam With VNM?

Vietnam briefly slipped into the headlines this week with yet another interest rate increase, bringing its refinancing rate to 15.00% (up 100bps). The move follows a series of 100 basis point increases in interest rates and is driven by a surge in prices, with annual inflation reaching 17.5% in April. These events rightfully bring into focus the merits of investing in this emerging (or frontier?) market, at least in the short term, but also in view of the longer term prospects...

http://seekingalpha.com/article/270596-time-to-go-long-vietnam-with-vnm

Should You Invest in Chile?

The Banco Central de Chile just increased its monetary policy interest rate by 50 basis points to 5.00%. So what is going on in the Chilean economy? This report provides a brief insight into the monetary policy decision, the state of Chile's economy, and how investors can gain exposure to this market.

http://seekingalpha.com/article/270004-should-you-invest-in-chile

Economic Calendar: EU CPI, Japan GDP, U.S. Housing Market

Here's the Economic Calendar for the week commencing the 15th of May 2011. This week brings more inflation results from the eurozone, the U.K., and Canada. There's also Q1 GDP from Japan, which also has industrial production figures out, and an interest rate decision due from the Bank of Japan. The U.S. has housing starts, building permits, and existing home sales data due this week. Elsewhere there's retail sales figures due from the U.K. and Canada, and foreign direct investment numbers from China.

http://seekingalpha.com/article/269963-economic-calendar-eu-cpi-japan-gdp-u-s-housing-market

Why Poland's Central Bank Increased Interest Rates

The National Bank of Poland increased its reference rate by 25 basis points to 4.25% (and increased its other interest rates by 25bps: lombard rate 5.75%, deposit rate 2.75%, and rediscount rate 4.50%). The move marks the Bank's 3rd interest rate increase this year as the emerging East European economy faces rising inflation pressures.

http://seekingalpha.com/article/269545-why-poland-s-central-bank-increased-interest-rates

Is This China's Last Trade Surplus?

China reported a trade surplus for the month of April at $11.4B, up from virtually 0 in March. Exports rose to a record $155.7B (up 2% m/m, 30% y/y) from $152.2B in March and $119.9B in April 2010. Imports slipped month-on-month to $144.3B (down 5% m/m, up 22% y/y), from $152B in March, and $118.2B in April 2010. The return to a monthly surplus will likely accentuate pressure from the US for China to alter its yuan policy, but there are other forces at work which will drive both upward and downward pressure on China's trade balance.

http://seekingalpha.com/article/268994-is-this-china-s-last-trade-surplus

A Brief Look at Yuan Valuations

With China continuing to see high inflation and the PBOC implementing a series of monetary policy tightening moves, the Yuan (or particularly the Yuan-Dollar exchange rate) has been highlighted as a potential inflation fighting tool. To be sure, there is also the ongoing chorus from the US urging China to allow a more flexible exchange rate. They say the exchange rate is artificially kept high; granting China an advantage in trade. So with these points in mind, and noting the impending talks between China and the US, it is timely to take a look at some Yuan data, and perhaps developing an informed view.

http://seekingalpha.com/article/268830-a-brief-look-at-yuan-valuations

Economic Calendar: China Data, U.S. Inflation, and EU GDP

Here's the Economic Calendar for the week commencing the 8th of May 2011. This week features China's monthly economic data release with PPI, CPI, industrial production, retail sales, fixed asset investment, and international trade stats due out from the world's second largest economy. Elsewhere there is an emphasis on inflation data with CPI due from Germany, France, Switzerland, and the US, there's also PPI data due from those countries. The other key data pieces will be eurozone GDP, and industrial production data from the eurozone, UK, Italy, France, and of course China.

http://seekingalpha.com/article/268736-economic-calendar-china-data-u-s-inflation-and-eu-gdp

China Property Update: Small Positives Today to Become Small Negatives Tomorrow?

A quick check-in on the Chinese property market shows prices continued to rise in April, but apparently at an increasingly slower pace. According to SouFun/China Real Estate Index System, the average property price across 100 cities rose 0.40% in April to CNY 8,773 per square meter. The results compare to 0.59% in March where property prices rose to 8,738 per square meter. The average price per square meter six months ago was 8,418 Yuan, i.e. average prices are now 355 Yuan higher. For a 100 square meter place this would translate to about a 35,500 Yuan (US$5500) increase in the total purchase price.

http://seekingalpha.com/article/268630-china-property-update-small-positives-today-to-become-small-negatives-tomorrow

Reading Between the Lines of Reserve Bank of Australia's Rate Announcement

The Reserve Bank of Australia gave the market no surprises today when it held the cash rate unchanged at 4.75%, offering no respite for those lamenting the strong Australian dollar. But there were a number of assumptions in the accompanying media release that might be considered bold at best. It is fitting, then, that in this release the Bank added another sentence to the final paragraph: "In future meetings, the Board will continue to assess carefully the evolving outlook for growth and inflation." But more on that later.

http://seekingalpha.com/article/267322-reading-between-the-lines-of-reserve-bank-of-australia-s-rate-announcement

Three Cs Going Crazy in Commodities

With silver spiraling out of control, it's worth checking in on some of the other commodities. Indeed the agricultural or soft commodities have, as a group, been surging in recent times, sending the Dow Jones UBS commodities index up over 30% year on year...

http://seekingalpha.com/article/267070-three-cs-going-crazy-in-commodities

China PMI Heralds Further Policy Tightening and Possible Opportunities

China's April PMI stats just came out and were more or less flat compared to March. The official CFLP manufacturing PMI came in at 52.9 in April, down slightly from 53.4 in March, and below the Bloomberg consensus of 53.9. The preliminary HSBC/Markit reading was 51.8, the same as the March reading. The readings show the manufacturing sector in China still in expansionary mode, which bodes well for the Chinese economy. Paradoxically perhaps, in the short term it will likely mean further monetary policy tightening with an increasing likelihood of an additional interest rate hike as the economy proves relatively resilient to the inflation fighting efforts to date.

http://seekingalpha.com/article/267013-china-pmi-heralds-further-policy-tightening-and-possible-opportunities

Economic Calendar: PMI Numbers, Monetary Policy, and Employment Data

Here's the Economic Calendar for the week commencing the 1st of May 2011. The week ahead sees PMI (Purchasing Managers Index) data due out from a range of key economies including China, the U.S., the Euro Zone collectively and country-by-country, and others. On the monetary policy front there's the Reserve Bank of Australia, Bank of England, and European Central Bank among those reviewing policy settings. There's also employment data from the U.S., Canada, and New Zealand.

http://seekingalpha.com/article/267021-economic-calendar-pmi-numbers-monetary-policy-and-employment-data

Economic Calendar: U.S. and U.K. GDP, More Inflation Data, and the Fed

Here's the economic calendar for the week commencing the 24th of April 2011. The week ahead holds a range of key economic events including much anticipated Q1 GDP results for the U.S. and U.K. Monetary policy meetings in the U.S., Japan and New Zealand. House price data and consumer confidence numbers in the U.S. And inflation numbers from Australia, Japan, and much of the Euro-Zone economies.

http://seekingalpha.com/article/265145-economic-calendar-u-s-and-u-k-gdp-more-inflation-data-and-the-fed

Economic Calendar: Inflation, Property Markets, And Spending Recoveries

Here's the Economic Calendar for the week commencing the 17th of April 2011. The week ahead brings more inflation data with New Zealand and Canada reporting CPI, and Australia and Germany reporting PPI. Retail Sales figures are also due out for the UK, Canada, and Italy. On monetary policy, the Reserve Bank of Australia and Bank of England will release their recent meeting minutes. Elsewhere, there's China property prices, EU PMI, US housing starts, Japan exports, and US existing home sales.

http://seekingalpha.com/article/263967-economic-calendar-inflation-property-markets-and-spending-recoveries