What's on the horizon for the global economy?

Our weekly updated overview highlights the key releases of global economic market data from around the globe and provides an economic outlook for 2025 by region.

  • Our Week Ahead podcast explores the key themes driving global markets next week
  • Our Global Economic Markets Data Calendar shows upcoming events happening over the week
  • We provide an outlook overview region by region
Global Markets Data Calendar

Our view in a nutshell

Japan

  • Japan’s economy will likely remain on a recovery path in line with potential of around 0.5% annualized.
  • Higher US tariffs make us more cautious about the downside risks to Japan’s economy.
  • The third set of results of the shunto showed that 2025 will see slightly stronger wage hikes than 2024.
  • We expect the BOJ to hike in January 2026 and stay put thereafter, considering a possible slowing in wages in 2026.

Asia

  • Tariffs, policy uncertainty and weak global demand are likely to slow Asia’s export and capex growth sharply in H2 2025.
  • Open economies (Thailand, Singapore, Taiwan, Korea) are most vulnerable, while India and the Philippines are more insulated.
  • Disinflation should sustain, due to lower oil prices, weak demand, and a redirection of Chinese exports to the region.
  • The soft growth-inflation backdrop calls for a frontloaded and deeper rate cutting cycle in the region, with fiscal support also on tap.
  • Korea: Amid deepening growth concerns, we expect the BOK to deliver another 50bp (two 25bp) of rate cuts by end-2025.
  • India: Negative output gap and on-target inflation should lead to 100bp of further rate cuts, while trade diversion is a positive.
  • Indonesia: Populist measures of the new government raise fiscal risks while current account deficits continue to widen.
  • Australia: Growth has steadied, but risks now tilt to more easing, rather than less, given recent global developments.
  • New Zealand: With inflation near target and global uncertainty elevated, we expect two more 25bp rate cuts, in May and July.

China

  • We see strong headwinds after Q1, dragged by extorbitant US tariffs, payback from consumption stimulus, and the property fallout.
  • We cut our 2024 GDP growth forecast from 4.5% to 4.0%, given the rapidly worsening US-China trade war.
  • Beijing need to speed up and increase fiscal spending to bolster domestic consumption to offset drag casued by trade tensions.
  • Clearing the property sector should still be Beijing’s top priority.
  • Reforms to the social security system would be the most effective policies to boost consumption in the long run.

United States

  • President Trump’s reciprocal tariff announcements were more severe than our expectations.
  • Increased downside risks to growth and a front-loaded inflation shock should allow cuts to resume sooner than we had expected.
  • We see a 25bp cut in December, followed by back-to-back cuts in Q1 2026.
  • We expect Congress to extend expiring tax cut provisions, but substantial incremental fiscal stimulus is unlikely.
  • The labor market is slowing, and risks remain skewed to the downside. Gradual cooling is more likely than a sharp deterioration.

Canada

  • We now expect the BoC to deliver a 25bp cut in June 2025. A protracted trade war could lead to a deeper cutting cycle.
  • Inflation has returned to the BoC’s target range. Elevated shelter inflation is likely to moderate gradually as the BoC eases policy.
  • The unemployment rate is likely to remain elevated, while downside risks to growth due to tariffs have increased.

Euro Area

  • While fiscal policy should be growth-positive in the medium term, higher tariffs make the near-term view more challenging.
  • We see core inflation above target in 2025. There are upside risks from a tariff response, but downside risks from China.
  • After the tariff announcement, we now see 25bp cuts in both April and June, for a terminal depo rate of 2.00% (was 2.25%).
  • The ECB began full roll-off of APP portfolio redemptions in July 2023 and PEPP portfolio redemptions in January 2025.

United Kingdom

  • GDP growth lost momentum in the second half of 2024. Surveys point to slow growth in coming quarters.
  • Downside risks include higher yields, tariffs, weak confidence. Upside risks from low unemployment and strong wage growth.
  • Headline inflation is rising again, partly due to base effects and energy, but we see underlying price momentum slowing.
  • After commencing the easing cycle in August 2024, we expect quarterly cuts until early 2026. Markets expect fewer cuts.

For more information read our weekly report here.

Contributor

    Aichi Amemiya

    Aichi Amemiya

    Senior US Economist

    George Buckley

    George Buckley

    Chief UK & Euro Area Economist

    Ting Lu

    Ting Lu

    Chief China Economist

    Kyohei Morita

    Kyohei Morita

    Chief Economist, Japan

    Euben Paracuelles

    Euben Paracuelles

    Week Ahead Podcast Host and Chief ASEAN Economist

    David Seif

    David Seif

    Chief Economist for Developed Markets

    Rob Subbaraman

    Rob Subbaraman

    Head of Global Macro Research

    Sonal Varma

    Sonal Varma

    Chief Economist, India and Asia ex-Japan

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