Know What's Happening in Emerging Markets
Know What's Happening in Emerging Markets
Taiwan Secures New LNG Supply Commitments Amid Middle‑East Tensions
Taiwan’s economy minister said a major LNG‑producing country has pledged to meet the island’s natural‑gas needs and will provide extra cargoes on request. The agreement with the United States adds a delivery of 1.2 million tonnes of LNG each year, diversifying Taiwan’s import mix as the Iran war threatens Middle‑East supplies.
Invesco’s PXH ETF provides diversified exposure to roughly 350 emerging‑market stocks using a fundamental size weighting. It trades at markedly lower valuation multiples than the benchmark iShares MSCI Emerging Markets ETF (EEM) while delivering a 4 % yield. However, 58 % of its assets are concentrated in China and Taiwan, adding notable geopolitical risk. The fund has marginally outperformed EEM since inception but recently lagged over the past year.
The Philippine Stock Exchange index edged higher on March 24, gaining 37.02 points (0.63%) to close at 5,936.20, led by mining stocks as gold prices rose, while trading volume slipped to 634 million shares worth roughly $102 million. The rally was sparked by...
With the Iran conflict now in its 4th week, an important angle worth noting: President Trump’s family business (Trump Organization) has substantial licensing deals across the GCC - Trump Towers, hotels & golf resorts in Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar & Oman,...
Saudi Arabia and Kuwait are pressing ahead with multibillion‑dollar energy transactions despite Iran’s recent attacks on regional oil and gas assets. Kuwait Petroleum aims to raise up to $7 billion by leasing part of its pipeline network, attracting private‑equity and infrastructure...
African policymakers are urged to adopt a "coastal‑first" development strategy, mirroring China’s early focus on seaports and special economic zones. The article argues that concentrating investment in coastal hubs lowers trade costs, attracts foreign direct investment, and creates surplus revenues...
The episode reviews Tuesday’s market outlook, focusing on how geopolitics—especially President Trump’s remarks about renewed U.S.-Iran talks and the still‑closed Strait of Hormuz—are driving oil prices and, in turn, equities, bonds, and the dollar. Crude’s recent dip below $88 per...
South Korea and Mongolia are working to accelerate a stalled comprehensive economic partnership agreement (CEPA) that would deepen cooperation on critical minerals. Negotiations have been at an impasse since November 2024 over market‑opening concerns and rules of origin. Korean trade officials...
Growth is accelerating, but not where most expect. Moldova is projected to lead global GDP per capita growth with +53% by 2030. Alongside countries like Guyana and Turkmenistan, emerging economies dominate the percentage rankings. But the more interesting signal is where speed meets scale. Countries...
Goldman Sachs trimmed its 2026 Indian growth outlook to 5.9%, down from a pre‑war 7% estimate, citing higher oil prices and prolonged disruption in the Strait of Hormuz. The bank now projects inflation at 4.6% and expects the Reserve Bank...
GAC used the Automorrow 2026‑Egypt International Motor Show to showcase its EMZOOM, EMPOW and GS4 MAX models, aligning its product lineup with Egypt’s rising demand for new‑energy vehicles. The Egyptian NEV market is expanding at a 12.03% compound annual growth rate,...
China’s Belt and Road and the China‑ASEAN FTA have made Southeast Asia its largest trading partner, with roughly $126 bn of Chinese investment over the past decade. Yet the region’s trade deficit with Beijing has swelled to about $140 bn in 2024...
President Donald Trump postponed a threatened strike on Iran, prompting a brief market rally, but analysts quickly shifted focus to the memory‑chip sector. AI‑driven demand for high‑bandwidth memory (HBM) and advanced DRAM has turned the traditionally cyclical memory market into...
President Donald Trump’s 48‑hour ultimatum for Iran to fully reopen the Strait of Hormuz has run out without compliance. He announced a five‑day suspension of planned attacks on Iranian energy sites, citing “very good and productive conversations,” as the closure...
Israel launched airstrikes on Beirut’s southern suburbs, killing at least one civilian and capturing two Hezbollah operatives. The attacks, part of a broader Iran‑Israel war, have heightened regional tensions and sparked concerns in emerging‑market capital flows.
Rising oil prices sparked by the U.S.-Israel conflict with Iran are prompting consumers worldwide to consider electric vehicles as a cost‑effective alternative. Analysts say the price shock could accelerate EV adoption, directly benefiting Chinese automakers who recently overtook Japan as...
IDB Invest is providing up to $14 million senior loan to Empresa Portuaria Austral to expand and modernize ports and ferry ramps in Chile’s Magallanes Region. The funding will upgrade the Arturo Prat and José Santos Mardones terminals, increasing berthing and cargo capacity. Improvements...
Important nuance before assuming the stage is set for US-Iran negotiations: ❓ How unified is Iran’s top leadership at present — across the legislative branch, the military (especially the IRGC), and the religious establishment? ❓ Does Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf hold...
African export restrictions on battery metals are a blow to Chinese companies that have spent billions of dollars developing mines there to dominate supplies https://t.co/yoI9r6fpaN
Thailand’s baht is projected to weaken further, potentially reaching 33.5 per U.S. dollar this week as geopolitical tensions in the Middle East intensify. The dollar’s safe‑haven appeal and rising U.S. bond yields are bolstering its strength, while regional currencies slide...
President Trump announced a five‑day postponement of planned strikes on Iranian power infrastructure, saying recent talks with Tehran were “very good and productive.” Iran’s parliament speaker rejected the claim, stating no negotiations had taken place and accusing the United States...
I spend a lot of time tracking dollar reserve growth. Probably more time than anyone at the Fund. And I absolutely believe that the surge in reserve growth contributed to the rise in imbalances before the...
Admiral James Stavridis, vice‑chairman of Carlyle, says investors are already mapping out opportunities in a post‑war Iran, citing a roughly two‑thirds chance that negotiations will reopen the Strait of Hormuz and revive oil trade. He likens Iran’s potential reconstruction to South...
Month two. No de-escalation. More troops. Kharg Island occupation being planned. In my experience, markets that price short conflicts and get long ones reprice quickly and painfully. Kharg Island handles 90%+ of Iran's oil exports. The implicit assumption built into current market prices...
Thai authorities are negotiating with the United States to address the 10 % global tariff and a Section 301 investigation that could trigger new duties, while preparing a written response by mid‑April. The U.S. tariff expires in July, intensifying the urgency of...
Prime Minister Narendra Modi told Parliament that India is actively negotiating with global partners to guarantee safe passage for vessels carrying oil, gas, fertilizers and other essential commodities through the Strait of Hormuz. The government is expanding its strategic petroleum...
Moody’s Analytics lowered its Philippine GDP outlook to 4.9% for 2026 and 5.2% for 2027, revising down from 5.1% and 5.4% respectively, while keeping the 2028 forecast at 5.3%. The new projections fall short of the government’s 5‑6% target for...
A newly released playbook titled "Economics for the Real World" argues that traditional macro models must be replaced with data‑driven, policy‑focused frameworks. The authors illustrate the approach with case studies, notably India’s recent economic surge, where GDP grew roughly 8%...
China’s State Council released a December white paper outlining an expanded partnership with Latin America, moving beyond traditional trade in natural resources to strategic sectors such as AI, digital tech, renewable energy, and defense. The document builds on earlier 2008...
Electricity consumption in the Democratic Republic of the Congo jumped 18.2% in 2024, outpacing a 0.4% dip in generation caused by a technical shutdown at the Inga II hydropower plant. The surge reflects expanding industrial activity, especially in the Maluku Special...
War in the Middle East and Houthi attacks have forced carriers to avoid the Suez Canal and the Red Sea, prompting a surge of vessels rerouting around the Cape of Good Hope. This shift has dramatically increased demand for ship‑refuelling...
Guatemala is advancing a $7 billion private "dry canal" called the Guatemalan Interoceanic Corridor (GIC), a 372‑kilometer land route linking a new Pacific port at San Luis with the Caribbean port of San Jorge. The project, backed by the Guatemalan Interoceanic...
"US objectives remain unclear, making it impossible to measure progress (and thus the likely length of the war). Statements from top US administration officials give different and at times contradictory assessments of the war; in the absence of measurable objectives,...
Johns Hopkins PhD Trita Parsi is on to something. What Parsi reports helps explain why the Iranian Rial has soared by 12% against the USD during the first 3 weeks of the US-Israel war on Iran.
India and Russia reaffirmed their ambition to lift bilateral trade from $68.7 billion to $100 billion by 2030, emphasizing a balanced and sustainable approach. Both ministers highlighted that 96 percent of current trade is settled in national currencies, bypassing Western payment systems. Ongoing...
The risk of an escalation in the Gulf seem reduced for at least a few days. So maybe there will be a bit of interest in my (somewhat novel) reevaluation of the relative contribution of Europe and China...
Jet fuel prices have DOUBLED to over $200/barrel since the Iran war. Asian airlines and energy suppliers face MAJOR SHORTAGES. SIGNS OF A MAJOR CRISIS ARE APPEARING: Thousands of flights have already been canceled AIRLINES SHOULD SEND A BILL FOR DAMAGES TO...
More than 30 U.S. executives, including Apple’s Tim Cook and Eli Lilly’s David Ricks, attended the China Development Forum in Beijing, signaling a renewed push into China’s consumer market. Apple reported a 23% year‑on‑year rise in iPhone sales, while Eli Lilly announced...
War is entering month 2. No de-escalation signals. More troops being deployed. Kharg Island occupation being planned. Markets priced a short conflict. They haven't priced a long one. $SPY https://t.co/Vbt33yVHPd
While there is clear doubt around the market's confidence in the US-Iran having productive talks, the prediction markets have shown a jump (from 39% to 55%) in the probability of a ceasefire by April 30th. Still, that implies a further...
The United States’ decision to engage militarily with Iran has sparked a sharp rise in global oil prices. Analysts argue that the price surge disproportionately benefits Russia, whose economy relies heavily on hydrocarbon exports. The influx of revenue bolsters Moscow’s...
It's amazing what getting backstopped by the U.S. can do for a nation with a currency crisis.
India rupee: 94/USD. Rs 80,000 crore of foreign capital pulled from India in March alone. DXY near 100. Oil at $112. That combination is an emerging market wrecking ball. Few understand this. https://t.co/urDfdNX6YF
Delcy Rodriguez, Venezuela’s vice‑president, executed a sweeping cabinet reshuffle, replacing roughly half of the ministers and dismissing the entire military high command. Long‑time defense minister Vladimir Padrino Lopez, a key power broker for over a decade, was removed from his post....
funny how things change. This is how Fed staff assessed the risks to dollar after Iraq invaded Kuwait in 1990 https://t.co/XydwiGbPI5
A new geopolitical equilibrium could emerge in the Middle East that includes almost constant kinetic action and YET markets could be OK with that. The 1980 Iran-Iraq war is a good example of that. All that matters is whether ships...
NEW: The US and China put parts of the global economy at risk in 2025 through their trade war over critical minerals & technology. Here I explore a novel path for Washington and Beijing to 'cooperate' over *HOW* they reduce their...
At the height of the tariff stand-off with China in April 2025, Trump was essentially negotiating with himself - threatening escalation and then pulling back - while China stayed silent. We're at that stage now on Iran. China won the...
Thanks to the US-Israeli attack on Iran, the Strait of Hormuz is ‘closed’. As a result, countries worldwide are facing a gas supply CLIFF-EDGE. LNG from Qatar is NOWHERE TO BE FOUND. US-ISRAELI WAR ON IRAN = MASSIVE COLLATERAL DAMAGE. https://t.co/qE8zgTwxgC
Top market watcher on why this may be a real inflection point in the Iran war https://t.co/mltKPnPYb8 thanks from @AcadSecurities @MorganLBrennan for having us on! The segment, despite being before the 5 day pause post, hasn't aged too badly :)
Iranian media denied that negotiations had taken place, according to Bloomberg. Some bond yields went flat briefly on this news.
