Emerging Markets

  • The UK EU referendum threw a wrench into the EM space.

    27 June 2016

    Emerging Markets Grapple with the UK EU Referendum Outcome

    The Brexit vote is a game-changer for EM.  While the direct impact on EM is limited, the damage to market sentiment is undeniable.  In addition, to make matters worse, there will be a protracted period of uncertainty as the UK and the EU negotiate the divorce proceedings. 

    We do not think individual country stories will matter much in this new investment climate, where risk assets are likely to remain under broad-based selling pressures.  We believe that Asia will outperform, while Latam and EMEA are likely to underperform.

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  • For a 10 year period ending 2014, Ethiopia annual per capita growth was 8%.

    22 June 2016

    Ethiopia Flexes its Manufacturing Muscle

    Ethiopia seems to be attracting the attention of economists interested in Africa, and for good reason. Except for Rwanda, Ethiopia is the only African country whose economic growth has been consistently high for more than a decade without relying on a natural resource boom.

    Between 2004 and 2014, per capita growth in Ethiopia was 8% per year. This was the highest on the continent during this period, and is impressive by any standard.

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  • Uganda's budget office debacle is an example for other developing countries.

    21 June 2016

    Uganda's Budget Office Mess

    Parliamentary budget offices are meant to be watchmen that help parliamentarians by providing them with solid budget analysis. They are supposed to provide honest budget numbers based on nonpartisan evaluations. To do this they must maintain a pristine reputation free from corruption, political dealings or criminal activity.

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  • South Africa has become a terrible place to try to do business.

    16 June 2016

    Ready to Invest in South Africa...Not!

    South Africa has narrowly survived a downgrade of the rating of its government bonds. The reprieve, however, is temporary because government has been warned by the Big Three rating agencies – Fitch, Moody’s and Standard & Poor’s – to pull up its socks.

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  • Things are bad for Brazil, but can they improve?

    16 June 2016

    Brazil has Gone Sideways, but is there Hope?

    Most of the headlines in recent weeks have focused on Brazil’s troubling political crisis. However, the country is also in the midst of a deep economic recession.  The economy has been shrinking since the second quarter of 2014. It contracted by 3.8 percent in 2015 and is expected to shrink by a similar amount this year.

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  • Little action in the EM space is expected before the FOMC meeting.

    13 June 2016

    Under Pressure, Emerging Markets Likely Facing a Mushy Week

    EM ended last week under pressure.  With two potentially disruptive events (FOMC meeting and Brexit vote) still in play, we think that EM softness should carry over into this week. 

    Markets remain jittery about the June 23 Brexit vote, as a vote to leave would be very negative for risk assets such as EM.  No action is expected at the FOMC meeting Wednesday.  However, we think July remains very much in play and the FOMC statement should help keep that notion alive. 

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  • The UK referendum and July Fed meeting could knock EM off its perch.

    6 June 2016

    Emerging Markets Pop off US Jobs Data, May not Last

    EM ended the week on a firm note after the US jobs shocker.  While we view the weak reading as a fluke, shifting market perceptions of Fed tightening risk should keep EM bid near-term.  However, we think the July FOMC meeting is still very much alive.  That and the upcoming Brexit vote are potential pitfalls for EM in the coming weeks.

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