inflation trends

Inflation outlook in Poland should improve, leading to rate cuts As expected, rates in Poland remained unchanged (reference rate still 6.75%). In the press release, the Council focused on 2H23 and 2024 – a period of more benign inflation prospects. The bank president should sound dovish at Friday's press conference, highlighting many disinflationary pressures and preparing the ground for rate cuts this year.   Communication by the central bank This month’s Monetary Policy Council statement is more concise than after the June meeting, but it speaks of a greater conviction about the decline in inflation in the second half of 2023 and 2024. Also, the MPC expresses its view that rate hikes are working and inflation is coming down to the target. National Bank of Poland President Glapiński is likely to speak in this vein tomorrow! The most important changes in the communication are: (1) a more optimistic picture of global inflation (2) more optimistic inflation trends in Poland - e.g. the sentences mentioning the still ongoing process of passing on high costs to prices have disappeared (3) a greater belief in the effectiveness of the monetary tightening, which has already started the process of bringing inflation down to the target: in the summary passage on future inflation, the MPC states that: "The Council assesses that the strong tightening of the NBP monetary policy is leading to a decline in inflation in Poland towards the NBP inflation target". Earlier, it had said that the strong tightening of the NBP's monetary policy made earlier would lead to a lowering of inflation. The statement also noted the low economic activity in the second quarter and elevated uncertainty in the global economy and the euro area. The decline in global inflation was highlighted, including a marked decline in producer price dynamics. Although still elevated CPI and core inflation was noted, there was mention that the latter is gradually declining. Regarding the domestic situation, the Council points out that the annual CPI fell once again to 11.5% year-on-year in June from 13.0% in May, while remaining unchanged for the second consecutive month in month-on-month terms. The Council estimates that core inflation also declined in June and notes a strong fall in PPI producer inflation, which will influence the CPI to fall further in future quarters.   New GDP and inflation projections In our view, the projections show a better inflation picture in the second half of the year and 2024, but the longer-term outlook is less optimistic: (1) the NBP’s CPI projection for 2023 remained unchanged, but for 2024 was revised down by 0.5 percentage points compared to the March publication, a short-term faster decline in inflation is emerging from these numbers, but the CPI projection for 2025, which has increased slightly, is of concern (see also below) (2) in our view, with average CPI projection for 2023 at 11.9% YoY, we still think that a decrease of headline CPI below 10% in August is still possible, which could lead to an interest rate cut after the summer. In contrast, annual GDP growth is expected to be -0.2 - 1.3% YoY this year (-0.1 - 1.8% assumed in March), 1.4 - 3.3% in 2024 (previously 1.1 - 3.1%) and 2.1 - 4.4% in 2025 (vs. 2.0 - 4.3%).\   National Bank of Poland projections   Our rate forecasts – we expect interest rate cuts in September and October The MPC is strongly focused on the second half of 2023 and 2024 – a period when the inflation situation looks better compared with the March projection, so we maintain our view that rate cuts are possible after the holidays, i.e. in September and October. Tomorrow, during its press conference the NBP President should sound dovish, highlighting many of the above-mentioned developments towards lower inflation and preparing the ground for rate cuts. In the longer term, we do not see a convincing weakening of inflationary pressures. With the CPI projection for 2024 at 5.3% YoY and a planned minimum wage increase of around 20%, the real minimum wage in 2024 will increase by more than 15%! We maintain our view that going down to the NBP's 2.5% target with such real wages will be difficult and long-lasting. Our models show core inflation stabilising at 5% YoY in 2024-25. At tomorrow's press conference by NBP Governor Adam Glapiński, we expect the tone to be more dovish than a month ago. It is possible that the governor will prepare the ground for interest rate cuts after the summer.

Traders will focus on the upcoming US inflation report. The US will publish key inflation reports that will trigger high volatility among dollar pairs, including the EUR/USD pair. At the end of last week, buyers actively traded as they approached the boundaries of the 10th figure. Traders interpreted June's Non-farms against the US currency, although the report itself was rather contradictory (for example, the wage component came out in the "green").   Inflation reports can restore confidence to the dollar bulls if they reflect an acceleration of the main indicators. But they can also plunge the greenback, enhancing doubts about the interest rate hike within the "post-July" period (the fact of the rate hike at the July meeting is beyond doubt, judging by market expectations). Therefore, traders will focus on the three US inflation reports that will be published during the upcoming week. All other macroeconomic reports will be of secondary importance, although they should not be ignored either.   Consumer Price Index The most important release of the week is the report on the growth of the consumer price index in the US for June (Wednesday, July 12). According to most experts, the indicator will reflect a slowdown in inflation growth. Thus, the general consumer price index in June should decrease quite sharply - to 3.1% y/y (from the previous value of 4.0%). The core index, excluding food and energy prices, should also demonstrate a downward dynamic, slowing down from the May value of 5.3% to 5.0% y/y. Take note that even if the CPI surprises market participants with unexpected growth, this fact is unlikely to fundamentally change the situation in the context of the July FED meeting. According to the CME FedWatch Tool, the likelihood of a rate hike this month is 93%.   That is, traders are practically confident in the hawkish outcome of the July meeting - the "green tint" of the inflation report will maintain (confirm) this confidence, but no more. However, if the consumer price index ends up in the "red", the dollar will be under quite strong pressure.   The fact is that the probability of another rate hike in September is now only 24% (again, according to the CME FedWatch Tool). If inflation indicators decrease at a more active pace, the probability of another increase (after July) by the end of the current year will weaken, and this fact will put pressure on the greenback. Producer Price Index, Import Price Index... and more Interestingly, the other inflation reports to be published in the coming week are also expected to reflect a slowdown in US inflation. For example, on Thursday, July 13, we will learn the value of the producer price index.   Experts believe that the overall PPI in monthly terms will come out at 0.2%, and in annual terms - at 0.4%. In annual terms, the indicator has been consistently decreasing for 11 months in a row, and June will accordingly be the 12th month. If it comes out at the forecast level, it will be the weakest result since August 2020. The core producer price index should show a similar dynamic. In annual terms, it should decrease to 2.7% (from the previous value of 2.8%). In this case, it will be the fifteenth consecutive decrease in the indicator. For comparison, it should be noted that in March of last year the base PPI was at 9.6%. On Friday, July 14, we will learn the dynamics of the import price index.   This indicator can be an early signal of changes in inflation trends, or their confirmation. In this case - more likely a confirmation. According to general forecasts, in monthly terms, the indicator will remain in the negative area, standing at -0.1%. In annual terms, the index has been below zero for three months in a row, and in June it should also remain in the negative area (-6.9%). Certainly, aside from US inflation reports, the economic calendar for the upcoming week is packed with other events: for instance, many Fed representatives (Barr, Bostic, Daly, Mester) will speak on Monday, the ZEW indices will be published on Tuesday, and a speech by Fed Reserve representative Neel Kashkari and ECB governing council member Philip Lane is expected on Wednesday. Also, we have the release of the ECB's June meeting minutes and the initial jobless claims data in the US.   On Friday, the release of the University of Michigan's consumer sentiment index and a speech by Fed Reserve governing board member Christopher Waller is expected. But all these events will serve as a kind of information backdrop. The main focus will be on US inflation. Conclusions The aforementioned inflation reports have the potential to greatly influence the dollar, especially if they end up in the "red", i.e., if the pace of inflation decline in the US accelerates. Amid contradictory Nonfarm, this would mean that the Federal Reserve may limit itself to just one additional rate hike, which will obviously occur at the July meeting.   The July rate hike has already been factored into the market, so any doubts about further tightening of monetary policy will be detrimental to the greenback. In this case, buyers will be the beneficiaries of the current situation: their path will be open not only to the boundaries of the 10th figure, but also to the 1.1080 mark (upper line of the Bollinger Bands on the weekly chart).  

A significant growth slowdown in the pipeline While we continue to expect continued economic growth for the rest of the year, we expect a significant slowdown after the strong start. Export dynamics, the major growth driver in the first months of the year, are likely to be affected by a deteriorating global economic environment and a significant rise in financing costs. While we expect a further decline in inflation, this downward trend will be tempered by upward pressure from rising wages.   The Portuguese economy in a nutshell (% YoY)

UK wages surge to a new record high in June   By Michael Hewson (Chief Market Analyst at CMC Markets UK)   There was always the likelihood that today's unemployment and wages numbers would give the Bank of England a headache when it comes to deciding what to do when it comes to further rate increases, and this morning's numbers have not just given the central bank a headache, but a migraine.   Not only has the unemployment rate jumped to its highest level since October 2021 at 4.2%, but wages growth surged in June, while the May numbers were also revised higher.   Average weekly earnings for the 3-months to June rose to a record 7.8%, while May was revised up to 7.5%, while including bonuses wages rose by 8.2%, in the process pushing well above core CPI inflation. This move to 8.2% was primarily due to NHS bonus one-off payments made in June, which is unlikely to be repeated.   The rise in wage growth saw public sector pay rise by 6.2%, while private sector wages rose 8.2% for the 3-months to June.   Inevitably this will increase the pressure on the Bank of England to raise rates again at its September meeting by another 25bps, even as headline CPI for July is expected to slow sharply below 7% in numbers released tomorrow.   On the broader employment picture there was a 97k increase in hiring during July as payrolled employees increased. On the overall UK employment rate, this fell back to 75.7%, and is still 0.8% below its pre-pandemic peak, with the economic activity rate also falling slightly to 20.9% on the quarter. Total hours work also declined.   While many people will decry the strength of these numbers and warn of the risk of wage/price spiral they rather miss the point that consumer incomes have been squeezed for months, with the gap finally narrowing, and now starting to work in consumer's favour.         Source: Bloomberg  This trend is likely to continue in the coming months as wage growth starts to slow and falling CPI starts to find a base, offering consumers some relief from the squeeze of the last 18 months.   It's also important to remember that wage price gap leading up the end of 2021, was very much in the consumers favour, however this comparison also comes with several caveats due to furlough payments and other support structures which skewed the numbers.   While today's wages data will undoubtedly grab all the headlines, there are growing signs of weakness in the labour market which may offer the Bank of England pause, and with another 2 CPI reports, one tomorrow, as well as another labour market survey before the next meeting, it doesn't mean that we can expect to see multiple rate hikes in the coming months. While the pressure on the Bank of England to hike in September has undoubtedly risen and is fully priced for September it doesn't necessarily mean we'll see more rate hikes after that. Trends are important and the Bank of England needs to think about that before it raises rates further, and inflation is trending lower. UK 2-year gilts have edged higher and back above 5.1%   The Bank of England needs to remember that they've already raised rates 14 times in the last few months and there is still a lot more tightening that has yet to kick in. On this data another rate hike does seem likely but when you look at the graph above perhaps there's a case for a pause in September given the direction of that graph above. What today's data does mean beyond little doubt is that rates will need to stay at current levels for longer. More rate hikes aren't necessarily the solution to every problem. Just because every problem is a nail, doesn't mean you need a hammer. Just leave rates where they are for longer.   Consumers are already struggling and although we've seen Marks & Spencer update its full year forecasts for profits this morning, the upgrade has come against a backdrop of a strong performance in its food business, which saw like-for-like sales rise 11%.   Clothing and home sales saw like for like sales rise by 6%, with M&S warning that a tightening consumer market could act as a headwind into the year end. Tellingly, management upgraded their outlook to show profit growth in fiscal 2022-23.  

The euro started the week on a stable note, with little response to the eurozone inflation report released on Friday. In the North American session, EUR/USD is trading at 1.0886, reflecting a minor increase of 0.13%. Given the sparse data calendar for Monday, it is expected that the euro will maintain its calm trajectory for the rest of the day. Eurozone Inflation Trends: Headline Falls, Core Remains Unchanged The past week concluded with a eurozone inflation report that brought about a mixed reaction. The euro displayed minimal volatility in response to the data. The headline inflation rate for June was confirmed at 5.3% year-on-year (y/y), down from 5.5% in the previous month. This decline marked the lowest level observed since January 2022, primarily driven by a drop in energy prices.     Markets show little reaction to Friday’s eurozone inflation report Headline inflation falls but core rate unchanged The euro is steady at the start of the week. In the North American session, EUR/USD is trading at 1.0886, up 0.13%. With a very light data calendar on Monday, I expect the euro to remain calm for the remainder of the day.   Eurozone headline inflation falls, core inflation unchanged The week ended with a mixed inflation report out of the eurozone and the euro showed little reaction. Inflation was confirmed at 5.3% y/y in June, down from 5.5% in June. This marked the lowest level since January 2022 and was driven by a decline in energy prices. Core CPI remained unchanged at 5.5% in July, confirming the initial reading. The news was less encouraging from services inflation, which rose from 5.4% to 5.6% with strong wage growth driving the upswing. The labour market remains tight and inflation is still high, which suggests that wage pressure will continue to increase. Inflation has been moving in the right direction but core inflation and services inflation remain sticky and are raising doubts, within the ECB and outside, if the central bank’s aggressive tightening cycle can bring inflation back to the 2% target. The deposit rate stands at 3.75%, its highest level since 2000. The ECB’s primary goal is to curb inflation but policy makers cannot ignore that additional rate hikes could tip the weak eurozone economy into a recession. The ECB meets next on September 14th and there aren’t many key releases ahead of the meeting. ECB President Lagarde has said that all options are open and investors will be listening to any comments coming out of the ECB, looking for clues as to whether the ECB will raise rates next month or take a pause.   EUR/USD Technical EUR/USD tested resistance at 1.0893 earlier. Above, there is resistance at 1.0940 There is support at 1.0825 and 1.0778    

In a world where economic indicators and market movements can shift with the blink of an eye, staying updated on the latest offerings and promotions within the financial sector is crucial. Today, we delve into one such noteworthy development that has emerged on the horizon, enticing individuals to explore a blend of banking and insurance services. As markets ebb and flow, being vigilant about trends and opportunities can lead to financial benefits. Let's explore this exciting promotion that brings together the worlds of banking and insurance to offer a unique proposition for consumers.     By Michael Hewson (Chief Market Analyst at CMC Markets UK) US non-farm payrolls (Aug) – 01/09 – the July jobs report saw another modest slowdown in jobs growth, as well as providing downward revisions to previous months. 187k jobs were added, just slightly above March's revised 165k, although the unemployment rate fell to 3.5%, from 3.6%. While the official BLS numbers have been showing signs of slowing the ADP report has looked much more resilient, adding 324k in July on top of the 455k in June. This resilience is also coming against a backdrop of sticky wages, which in the private sector are over double headline CPI, while on the BLS measure average hourly earnings remained steady at 4.4%. This week's August payrolls are set to see paint another picture of a resilient but slowing jobs market with expectations of 160k jobs added, with unemployment remaining steady at 3.5%. It's also worth keeping an eye on vacancy rates and the job opening numbers which fell to just below 9.6m in June. These have consistently remained well above the pre-Covid levels of 7.5m and have remained so since the start of 2021. This perhaps explain why the US central bank is keen not to rule out further rate hikes, lest inflation starts to become more embedded.                          US Core PCE Deflator (Jul) – 31/08 – while the odds continue to favour a Fed pause when the central bank meets in September, markets are still concerned that we might still see another rate hike later in the year. The stickiness of core inflation does appear to be causing some concern that we might see US rates go higher with a notable movement in longer term rates, which are now causing the US yield curve to steepen further. The June Core PCE Deflator numbers did see a sharp fall from 4.6% in May to 4.1% in June, while the deflator fell to 3% from 3.8%. This week's July inflation numbers could prompt further concern about sticky inflation if we get sizeable ticks higher in the monthly as well as annual headline numbers. When we got the CPI numbers earlier in August, we saw evidence that prices might struggle to move much lower, after headline CPI edged higher to 3.2%. We can expect to see a similar move in this week's numbers with a move to 3.3% in the deflator and to 4.3% in the core deflator.       US Q2 GDP – 30/08 – the second iteration of US Q2 GDP is expected to underline the resilience of the US economy in the second quarter with a modest improvement to 2.5% from 2.4%, despite a slowdown in personal consumption from 4.2% in Q1 to 1.6%. More importantly the core PCE price index saw quarterly prices slow from 4.9% in Q1 to 3.8%. The resilience in the Q2 numbers was driven by a rebuilding of inventory levels which declined in Q1. Private domestic investment also rose 5.7%, while an increase in defence spending saw a rise of 2.5%.             UK Mortgage Approvals/ Consumer Credit (Jul) – 30/08 – while we have started to see evidence of a pickup in mortgage approvals after June approvals rose to 54.7k, this resilience may well be down to a rush to lock in fixed rates before they go even higher. Net consumer credit was also resilient in June, jumping to £1.7bn and a 5 year high, raising concerns that consumers were going further into debt to fund lifestyles more suited to a low interest rate environment. While unemployment remains close to historically low levels this shouldn't be too much of a concern, however if it starts to edge higher, we could start to see slowdown in both, as previous interest rate increases start to bite in earnest.            EU flash CPI (Aug) – 31/08 – due to increasing concerns over deflationary pressures, recent thinking on further ECB rate hikes has been shifting to a possible pause when the central bank next meets in September. Since the start of the year the ECB has doubled rates to 4%, however anxiety is growing given the performance of the German economy which is on the cusp of three consecutive negative quarters. On the PPI measure the economy is in deflation, while manufacturing activity has fallen off a cliff. Despite this headline CPI is still at 5.3%, while core prices are higher at 5.5%, just below their record highs of 5.7%. This week's August CPI may well not be the best guide for further weakness in price trends given that Europe tends to vacation during August, however concerns are increasing that the ECB is going too fast and a pause might be a useful exercise.     Best Buy Q2 24 – 29/08 – we generally hear a lot about the strength of otherwise of the US consumer through the prism of Target or Walmart, electronics retailer Best Buy also offers a useful insight into the US consumer's psyche, and since its May Q1 numbers the shares have performed reasonably well. In May the retailer posted Q1 earnings of $1.15c a share, modestly beating forecasts even as revenues fell slightly short at $9.47bn. Despite the revenue miss the retailer reiterated its full year forecast of revenues of $43.8bn and $45.2bn. For Q2 revenues are expected to come in at $9.52bn, with same store sales expected to see a decline of -6.35%, as consumers rein in spending on bigger ticket items like domestic appliances and consumer electronics. The company has been cutting headcount, laying off hundreds in April as it looks to maintain and improve its margins. Profits are expected to come in at $1.08c a share.        HP Q3 23 – 29/08 – when HP reported its Q2 numbers the shares saw some modest selling, however the declines didn't last long, with the shares briefly pushing up to 11-month highs in July. When the company reported in Q1, they projected revenues of $13.03bn, well below the levels of the same period in 2022. Yesterday's numbers saw a 22% decline to $12.91bn with a drop in PC sales accounting for the bulk of the drop, declining 29% to $8.18bn. Profits, on the other hand did beat forecasts, at $0.80c a share, while adjusted operating margins also came in ahead of target. HP went on to narrow its full year EPS profit forecast by 10c either side, to between $3.30c and $3.50c a share. For Q3 revenues are expected to fall to $13.36bn, with PC revenue expected to slip back to $8.79bn. Profits are expected to fall 20% to $0.84c a share.         Salesforce Q2 24 – 30/08 – Salesforce shares have been on a slow road to recovery after hitting their lowest levels since March 2020, back in December last year, with the shares coming close to retracing 60% of the decline from the record highs of 2021. When the company reported back in June, the shares initially slipped back after full year guidance was left unchanged. When the company reported in Q4, the outlook for Q1 revenues was estimated at $8.16bn to $8.18bn, which was comfortably achieved with $8.25bn, while profits also beat, coming in at $1.69c a share. For Q2 the company raised its revenue outlook to $8.51bn to $8.53bn, however they decided to keep full year revenue guidance unchanged at a minimum of $34.5bn. This was a decent increase from 2023's $31.35bn, but was greeted rather underwhelmingly, however got an additional lift in July when the company said it was raising prices. Profits are expected to come in at $1.90c a share. Since June, market consensus on full year revenues has shifted higher to $34.66bn. Under normal circumstances this should prompt a similar upgrade from senior management.   Broadcom Q3 23 – 31/08 – just prior to publishing its Q2 numbers Broadcom shares hit record highs after announcing a multibillion-dollar deal with Apple for 5G radio frequency components for the iPhone. The shares have continued to make progress since that announcement on expectations that it will be able to benefit on the move towards AI. Q2 revenues rose almost 8% to $8.73bn, while profits came in at $10.32c a share, both of which were in line with expectations. For Q3 the company expects to see revenues of $8.85bn, while market consensus on profits is expected to match the numbers for Q2, helping to lift the shares higher on the day. It still has to complete the deal with VMWare which is currently facing regulatory scrutiny, and which has now been approved by the UK's CMA.

EUR: Focus on the eurozone August CPI Flash August CPI data for the eurozone is released at 11:00 am CET today and is expected to show a gradual decline in both headline and core YoY readings to 5.1% and 5.3%, from 5.3% and 5.5% respectively. However, the decline is proving gradual and we are actually starting to see expectations of one more rate hike from the European Central Bank firm up a little. These peak at around 21bp of tightening priced in for January next year. Our macro team feels that the chances of a September rate hike are under-priced (now a 43% probability) meaning that EUR/USD could get a little support from the ECB story over the coming weeks. Today, also look out for a 09:00 am CET speech from ECB hawk Isabel Schnabel, speaking at a conference on 'Inflation: Drivers and Dynamics'. We will also see the ECB minutes for the July policy meeting released at 1:30 pm CET. EUR/USD has turned a little more bid over the last few days as US jobs data has softened the front end of the US yield curve and sticky inflation has kept EUR short-dated interest rates supported. Our short-term Financial Fair Value model sees EUR/USD fairly priced near 1.0900 - suggesting a probably range-bound session into tomorrow's US NFP release. Elsewhere, we note that Switzerland is planning some new large-scale Anti Money Laundering measures for 2024. This may be a slow-burn story, but one which may ultimately weigh on the Swiss franc in 2024.

Eurozone inflation stagnates ahead of ECB September meeting Inflation in the eurozone did not fall in August, which could tip the ECB in favour of a final 25bp hike at the governing council meeting in two weeks' time. Still, overall inflation dynamics remain relatively benign, and we still expect inflation to trend much lower at the end of the year. The eurozone inflation rate was stable at 5.3% in August, with core inflation also dropping to 5.3% (from 5.5% in July). Headline inflation was slightly higher than expectations due to energy price developments which increased by 3.2% month-on-month. This will fuel concern about inflation remaining more stubborn than anticipated. The overall trend in inflation remains cautiously disinflationary though as developments in goods and services inflation were more or less as expected. By country, we see that rising prices mainly came from France and Spain, while drops in the Netherlands and Italy kept inflation broadly in check. Energy effects and how they translate to consumer prices – look at rising regulated prices in France – were important drivers of differences this month. Looking ahead, more declines in inflation are in the making. In Germany, we expect a significant drop next month as base effects from government support drop from the data. Surveys also point to a sizable disinflationary effect for goods prices, while services inflation is set to fall more slowly thanks to higher wage costs. Indeed, wage growth is still trending above a level consistent with 2% inflation. For the European Central Bank, these August inflation data were among the most important data points ahead of the governing council meeting in two weeks’ time. While inflation remains stubborn enough to make ECB hawks uncomfortable, it does look like a further deceleration in inflation is in the making for the months ahead. Given the ECB mantra over recent months that doing too little is worse than doing too much in terms of hikes, we still expect another 25 basis point rate rise, despite this being a close call.

Uncomfortably high inflation and wage growth should seal the deal on a September rate hike from the Bank of England. But emerging economic weakness suggests the top of the tightening cycle is near, and our base case is a pause in November. Markets have been reassessing Bank of England rate hikes Rewind to the start of the summer, and the view that the UK had a unique inflation problem had become very fashionable. At its most extreme, market pricing saw Bank Rate peaking at 6.5%, some 125bp above its current level. Since then, this story has begun to lose traction. The differential between USD and GBP two-year swap rates, a gauge of interest rate expectations, has halved. That reflects the growing reality that the UK inflation story looks less of an outlier than it did a few months back. Like most of Europe, food inflation has begun to slow, and further aggressive falls are likely judging by producer prices. Consumer energy bills fell by 20% in July, and another 5% decline is baked in for October. The Bank of England itself is now describing the level of interest rates as “restrictive” – a statement of the obvious perhaps, but nevertheless tells us that policymakers think they’ve almost done enough with rate hikes.   UK and US rate expectations have narrowed   A September hike is likely but November is less certain Still, we’re not quite there yet, and recent inflation data has continued to come in on the upside. Private sector wage growth – measured on a three-month annualised basis – is running at a cycle-high of 11%. Services inflation also edged higher in July, although this was partly attributable to some unusual swings in specific categories rather than broad-based moves. A September hike is therefore highly likely. Whether markets are right to be pricing another hike for November is less certain. We’ll only get one round of CPI and wage data between the September and November meetings. Wage growth is unlikely to have slowed much, but we’re hopeful for early signs that services inflation is inching lower. Various surveys suggest few service-sector firms are raising prices, and we think that reflects the sharp fall in gas prices. A lot also hinges on whether we continue to see signs of weakness in economic activity. Like Europe, the UK’s PMIs look worrisome and will have prompted some pause for thought at the Bank of England. The jobs market is also cooling, and the vacancy-to-unemployment ratio – which BoE Governor Andrew Bailey has consistently referenced – is closing in on pre-Covid highs. There’s also been an ongoing improvement in worker supply. We’re now at a point where survey numbers and various bits of official data suggest that both economic growth and inflation are losing steam. The inflation and wage growth figures aren’t there yet, but these are lagging perhaps most out of all economic indicators. A November pause isn’t guaranteed, but it remains our base case. To some extent, we’re splitting hairs. In the bigger picture, the Bank is becoming much more focused on how high rates need to go – and instead, the central goal will increasingly become keeping market rates elevated long after it stops hiking. Any further rate hikes should be seen as a means to that end.      

Inflation will likely rise again in September The chart above shows where most of the inflation came from in August. A  9.1% increase in motor fuel prices lifted the transport component by 3.6% MoM. This is likely to be repeated in September, as retail gasoline prices have continued to rise, though it may not be quite so large as indexed excise duties on fuel will not reoccur until February next year.  That same twice-yearly excise duty indexation also means that some other price rises are not likely to be repeated next month. Alcohol and tobacco prices, for example, rose 1.3% MoM in August. With rising inflation, comes a rise in excise duties. That resulted in an August jump in the price of booze and tobacco six months after excise duties were raised in February. But that won't reoccur again until next February, so this component is likely to be much flatter in September. The housing component is still rising strongly, with rents up  0.7% MoM,  the same as July, and only slightly down from their June peak growth of 0.9% MoM. Some moderation over time is probable. But with supply still constrained and strong demand in the face of a rising population, we don't expect much slowdown any time soon.  One factor that was a sizeable drag for a second consecutive month, was recreation. This is a seasonal factor. The end of the holiday season leads to a drop in the prices of hotel room charges and airfares. But it doesn't last. So this month's 3.9% MoM decline in holiday prices, after July's 3.3% decline, is likely to revert to a positive figure in September in line with past trends.    The AUD has taken some comfort from the data The AUD started the day languishing below 64 cents to the USD, but it has been buoyed by this data, and by the growing possibility of a bit more rate support from the RBA, recovering back above 64 cents. Futures markets are still undecided about the RBA, with very little chance of a rate hike priced in before the end of this year, rising to a peak of about a 66% probability for a further 25bp of tightening, though not until May 2024.  We think that if the RBA is going to hike again, it will need to be this year, as we don't believe the current inflation backsliding will last beyond the year-end. So we'd expect these cash rate futures to start pricing in more tightening sooner over the coming months, as headline inflation continues to go in the wrong direction. That may also provide some additional lift to the AUD, though for that, we also would like to see some generalised USD weakness, and the US inflation and rates story is very similar to that of Australia, so we aren't taking that for granted.

Czech inflation rises on base effects Inflation rose in October, as expected, due to the effect of government measures last year. However, the trend remains disinflationary. Inflation will fall again in November and we are likely to approach inflation targets in January. However, the central bank will probably want to have the January number in hand before cutting rates.   Seasonal effects kick-started inflation again Headline inflation accelerated again from -0.7% to 0.1% month-on-month in October, which translated into a rise from 6.9% to 8.5% year-on-year due to the base effect from last year when the government introduced measures to reduce household energy prices. The statistical office mentions that without this effect, inflation in October would have been 5.8% YoY. The result was 0.1ppt above the market's and our expectations and 0.2ppt above the Czech National Bank's forecast. However, the range of estimates was very wide and biased towards higher numbers this time.   Food prices rose for the first time since May, up 0.8% MoM, which was an expected seasonal rebound but we had expected a smaller increase. Housing prices fell 0.5% MoM dragged down by energy prices, in line with our forecast. Fuel prices were flat for the first time after a large increase in recent months. And clothing prices rose 2.4% MoM, in line with seasonal expectations.   Headline inflation breakdown (pp)   Above the CNB forecast but still close Core inflation fell from 5.0% to 4.5% YoY, according to our calculations. The CNB expects 4.0% on average for the fourth quarter, implying that today's number should be close to the central bank's forecast. However, as always, we will see the official numbers later today. Our fresh nowcast indicator for November shows 7.3% YoY, which would again be slightly above the CNB's forecast (7.1%) but less than we expected earlier. Surprisingly for us, the central bank left rates unchanged in November and, as we mentioned in the CNB review, the board seems to be more cautious than we expected. So today's numbers will not be a game changer and as we mentioned earlier, for now, we see February as the more likely opportunity for a first rate cut given that we are unlikely to see much information changing the overall picture until the December meeting.

US inflation slowdown has much more to go US consumer price inflation slowed more than expected in October. Higher borrowing costs will increasingly weigh on activity and corporate pricing power while slowing housing rents will be the main driver of disinflation over the next two quarters. With 2% inflation looking possible by next summer the pricing of rate cuts will intensify.   Inflation pressures are subsiding US October CPI has undershot market expectations for both headline and core inflation. The headline rate is 0% month-on-month/3.2% year-on-year versus consensus predictions of 0.1%/3.3% while core (ex-food and energy) is 0.2%/4.0% versus predictions of 0.3%/4.1%. The biggest component, owners’ equivalent rent, cooled to 0.4% MoM from 0.6% MoM, but we are hopeful of much more to come. Energy fell 2.5%, led by a 5% MoM drop in gasoline while both used and new car prices fell  (-0.1% and -0.8%, respectively) and airline fares fell 0.9% with hotel prices dropping 2.9%. The big uncertainty ahead of time was medical care costs and changes to methodology and history, but it doesn’t appear to have been as big a story as feared, with prices up 0.3% MoM, though still down -0.8% YoY. CPI ex food and energy MoM, 3M annualised & YoY%

CEE: Turkey hiking rates again Today's calendar in the region is basically empty. Elsewhere today, we have a central bank meeting in Turkey. We expect another rate hike of 250bp to 37.5%, which is broadly in line with expectations, but surveys show a wider range of rate hikes. The latest inflation release in October showed the underlying trend starting to improve not only for the core rate but also the headline. Accordingly, we expect the bank to consider a slower hike. However, risks are on the upside given strong tightening moves since August. In FX, yesterday brought an unexpected turn in Czech rates. The market was heavily paid across the curve, more so than elsewhere in the CEE region. The rates move thus shot the interest rate differential up for once, erasing the potential for the CZK weakness we mentioned earlier. EUR/CZK responded by moving lower and back to 24.450. For now, this seems to match the rate move exactly. However, it is hard to say where rates will head today. Yesterday's statement from the Czech National Bank, released after the rate move, suggests that the discussion about waiting for January inflation continues. On the other hand, weak economic data and a stronger koruna are reasons for lower rates and bets on an earlier rate cut. Despite the timing of the first rate cut, we think the short end of the curve should be lower, leading the CZK to weaker levels. Thus, we remain negative on the currency.

UK wages/UK CPI (Dec) – 16/01 and 17/01 Since March of last year headline CPI in the UK has more than halved, slowing from 10.1%, with November slowing more than expected to 3.9%, prompting speculation that the Bank of England might be closer to cutting rates in 2024 than had been originally priced. The decline in headline inflation is very much welcome, however most of it has been driven by the falls in petrol prices over the past few weeks. Inflation elsewhere in the UK economy is still much higher although even in these areas it has been slowing. Food price inflation for example is still much higher, slowing to 6.6% in December, while wage growth is still trending above 7% at 7.2%. Services inflation is also higher at 6.3% while core prices rose at 5.1% in the 3-months to November.   This week's wages and inflation numbers are likely to be key bellwethers for the timing of when the Bank of England might look at starting to reduce the base rate, however the key test for markets won't be on how whether we see a further slowdown in inflation at the end of last year, but how much of a rebound we see in the January numbers. Whatever markets might look to price as far as rate cuts are concerned the fact that wages are still trending above 7% is likely to stay the Bank of England's hand when it comes to looking at rate cuts. It's also important to remember that at the last rate meeting 3 members voted for a further 25bps rate hike. That means it will take more than a further slowdown in the headline rate for these 3 MPC members to reverse that call, let alone call for rate cuts. Expectations are for wages to slow to 6.7% and headline CPI to come in at 3.8%.  

Bank of Japan opens the door to ending negative rates, but timing uncertainty remains The Bank of Japan stood pat on monetary policy today as widely expected. But the market is now paying attention to a more positive tone on the wage and inflation outlook, as well as an upgrade to the FY2024 inflation outlook which lays the groundwork for policy normalisation. We still see a slightly higher chance of a first hike taking place in June than in April.   No surprise that the BoJ kept its policy rate and 10-year yield target unchanged We think the Bank of Japan's modest change in its view on inflation hints that policy normalisation is approaching. The BoJ assessed its statement that the likelihood of achieving the price goal has “continued to gradually rise.” Governor Kazuo Ueda’s comments on wages and inflation were also more positive than in previous meetings, signalling that a path to policy normalisation could be underway. Markets were likely pleased to hear that the central bank would consider whether negative rates should remain if the price goal is in sight and that it can make policy decisions without all small firm wage data.   Quarterly outlook report Aside from the policy decision itself, the BoJ’s quarterly outlook report was closely watched by market participants. As we expected, the BoJ lowered its core inflation outlook for FY 2024 from 2.8% to 2.4% while upgrading the outlook for FY 2025 from 1.7% to 1.8%. The government's efforts to curb inflation and the recent weaker-than-expected global commodity prices will likely drag down the price for early 2024, but the BoJ still sees underlying inflation pressures remaining through FY 2025, induced by solid wage growth. This tells us that a rate hike is only a matter of time – but with the BoJ reconfirming its patient easing stance, the timing remains uncertain.     BoJ outlook Market bets on an April rate hike increased sharply after today’s decision, but for now, we retain our long-standing view of the first rate hike materialising in June. Of course, this could change depending on upcoming inflation trends and growth conditions. There was no change in the forward guidance from today’s statement, and we don’t think the BoJ will deliver any policy changes at its next meeting in March. We also don't expect it to make any noise by delivering a surprise policy change at the end of the fiscal year. Governor Ueda has stated that more information will be available ahead of the April meeting than in March, so we're inclined to think that the latter is probably off the table. There are several areas to follow to gauge the precise timing of the BoJ’s policy change, but inflation should be considered the most important of them all. In our view, the inflation path up until April will be quite bumpy, exacerbated by the government’s energy subsidy programmes. Consumer inflation has slowed over the past two months as the government renewed some of the subsidy programmes from last November, combined with softening oil prices. We expect inflation to move even lower in January (vs 2.2% in December) but pick up quite sharply again in February. April CPI is a key piece of data for judging the inflation trend, but by the time the April meeting is held, the nationwide CPI report won't yet be available. April is also in the middle of the wage-negotiating Shunto season. While Governor Ueda mentioned that there isn't any need to wait to gather all data from small firms, we belive that the BoJ will wait a couple of more months to see if the wage growth could actually lead to sustain inflationary pressure – particularly in service prices. The BoJ will take orderly steps, including forward guidance being revised before any action is taken. We think that this revision will likely happen in April. Taking these factors into consideration, we still expect the Bank of Japan to announce its first rate hike in June for now.     Choppy inflation is expected at least for 1Q24   FX: Not hawkish enough USD/JPY held pretty steady after the release of the BoJ decision but dropped around 0.7% as Governor Ueda hinted that wages and prices were heading in the direction of price stability. The same thing occurred in the JGB market, with 10-year JGB yields edging about 3-4bps higher around the same time as USD/JPY sold off. As above, market expectations of a shift in BoJ policy will now roll on to the 26 April meeting, when the next set of CPI forecasts will be released. Today’s price action, where the yen is now handing back its short-term gains, suggests the market will be happy to park the BoJ policy normalisation story until April. Given further upside risks to US rates over the next month – including the risk of higher Treasury yields next week, should the US quarterly refunding announcement shine a light on the US fiscal deficit – USD/JPY can probably continue to trade around this 147/148 area. And BoJ intervention remains a threat should USD/JPY trade over 150 again. We currently have USD/JPY forecasts at 140 for the end of March and 135 for the end of June. We certainly like that direction of travel – particularly if the short-end of the US curve starts to break lower ahead of the first Fed hike, which we forecast in May. The risk is that mixed market sentiment and low volatility keep interest in the carry trade and keep the yen softer than our end-of-first quarter target. However, we suspect carry trade investors will be increasingly turning to the Swiss franc as their preferred funding currency. The Swiss National Bank wants a weaker currency and may be the first to ease. The BoJ wants a stronger currency and will now be the only G10 central bank to hike.