GDP growth, inflation, interest and exchange rates.
The economic picture during November and December reveals some divergence between Europe, on the one hand, and the US and Japan, on the other hand.
Almost one year ago, we labeled 2023 as ‘a year of transition to what?’ based on the view that inflation would decline, that official interest rates would reach their peak and a concern that the disinflation process could be bumpy. 2023 has brought us many surprises: the resilience of the labour market in the US and the Eurozone, the extent of monetary tightening, the risk appetite of investors. The biggest surprise was the growth performance of the US economy. Towards the end of the year, the changing message from the Federal Reserve -and to a lesser degree of certain ECB governing council members- with respect to the monetary policy outlook has brought us a another favourable surprise and a hopeful note for 2024.
GDP growth, inflation, exchange and interest rates
In two podcasts Daniel Morris, Chief Market Strategist of BNP Paribas Asset Management discusses with William De Vijlder, Group Chief Economist of BNP Paribas the impact of geopolitical uncertainty on the economy. In this first podcast, they look at economic and geopolitical uncertainty, why it matters and how it can be measured.
In the second podcast on geopolitical uncertainty and its economic consequences, Daniel Morris and William De Vijlder look more closely at the impact of geopolitical uncertainty on firms, households and financial markets.
As the year is drawing to a close, time has come for economists to look back and to assess to what extent 2023 has been in line with expectations or has brought us many surprises. Let's start with the first part, 2023 in line with expectations. Well, the first dimension, the first dynamic, very important is disinflation.Headline inflation has declined very significantly thanks to a base effect, the decline in energy prices, but also core inflation.
According to its final estimate, the S&P Global Composite PMI improved slightly in November, wiping out almost all the decline recorded in October. The November index stood at 50.4 (compared to 50.0 in October and 50.5 in September), ending a five-month decline. This is a slightly positive signal for global growth in the middle of Q4 2023.This modest improvement can be seen in both manufacturing and services.
Updated data on GDP growth, inflation, interest and exchange rates.
The evolution of international trade is sending rather reassuring signals about the state of global demand. New machinery and equipment orders from South Korea, as well as export orders from Taiwan – generally seen as two reliable indicators of global manufacturing activity – rebounded sharply in October.
Whether one likes it or not, China has a key role in the “green” industrial revolution that will take economy to climate neutrality. In the transition to all-electric, particularly as it is happening in Europe, it is even strengthening its positions. The planned ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel cars will bring the end of a technological barrier that has thus far allowed European manufacturers to excel, whilst keeping Chinese-made vehicles away from their markets.
In the United States, economic policy uncertainty, based on media coverage, increased in October for the second month in a row. The rise is probably related to the ongoing risk of a US government shutdown, and also to some uncertainty around the tone of the Fed’s statement after the FOMC meeting of 31 October-1 November.
The range of first estimates of Q3 GDP growth is quite broad, ranging from a very positive figure in the United States (1.2% q/q) to a return to stagnation in Europe (-0.1% q/q in the euro area and 0% q/q in the United Kingdom), after a temporary acceleration in Q2. At the same time, Japanese growth posted a clear correction (-0.5% q/q) after two very positive quarters.
US household consumption was 10% above its pre-Covid-19 level in the third quarter of 2023 when French one was only slightly above (1%). This dynamism across the Atlantic is based on a somewhat more favourable trend in purchasing power but, above all, on a fall in the personal savings rate. American households have apparently showed a greater sensitivity to improving labour market conditions. As the latter are becoming less favourable and US households now have fewer extra savings to cushion the impact of monetary tightening, US growth could lose significant support.
Latest data on GDP growth, inflation, interest and exchange rates.
Several central bankers have recently insisted that the ‘last mile’ in the marathon towards the inflation target may be the most challenging. After an initial swift decline of headline inflation on the back of favourable base effects due to lower energy prices, further disinflation may take more time. Corporate pricing power, inflation expectations and wage growth play a key role in this respect. By insisting on the ‘last mile’, central bankers probably want to avoid sounding too optimistic on disinflation. Otherwise, financial markets might price in early rate cuts, which would cause an easing of financial conditions in capital markets that would neutralize part of the monetary tightening
The fall in the global composite PMI index continued in October. It hit the dividing line between the expansionary and contractionary zones (50.0, from 50.5 in September). This is a sign that global economic activity is flatlining in this early part of the fourth quarter of 2023.
Updated GDP, inflation, interest and exchange rates data.
Global exports have levelled off for almost two years, after a strong increase in 2021. Export growth has stagnated in both emerging and advanced economies. However, the CPB data show a slight rebound in exports in volume terms in August, at 1.1% m/m, although the annual rate is still negative at -2.3%. The monthly increase was driven by China (+5.3% m/m) and the United States (+1.3% m/m),
GDP growth, inflation, interest rates and exchange rates
The geopolitical risk index, which is based on the number of newspaper articles mentioning adverse geopolitical events, has recorded a huge increase in October. Whether this influences decisions of households and firms depends, amongst other things, on the (ir)reversibility of these decisions. Based on empirical research on the consequences of a significant increase in uncertainty, there is a concern that the recent jump in geopolitical uncertainty would directly and indirectly -via energy price uncertainty (oil, gas)- weigh on discretionary household spending and hiring decisions by companies, with both reactions potentially reinforcing each other. Considering that these decisions are easily reversible, the impact could be rather swift
Data on GDP, inflation, interest and exchanges rates.
Faced with the urgency of climate change, many countries have begun their ecological transition, with the war in Ukraine only accelerating the movement. After soaring in 2022, investment in “clean” energies is set to reach a new record in 2023: around USD 1,800 billion worldwide, or 1.7 points of GDP, according to estimates by the International Energy Agency (IEA). Although the search for new fossil fuels has not yet come to a halt, it is now mobilizing less capital (around USD 1,200 billion).
