Today's Emerging Markets Pulse
India and U.S. forge $20 billion critical minerals framework
India and the United States signed a bilateral framework in New Delhi on May 26 to cooperate on critical minerals and rare‑earth supply chains. The pact covers mining, processing, recycling and project financing and could mobilise up to $20 billion, tapping India’s estimated 13 million tonnes of monazite deposits.
Where Sango Capital Sees Opportunity in Africa
Richard Okello, founder of Sango Capital, outlines a new risk‑focused playbook for African private equity. The firm now oversees just under $1 billion, targeting consumer, fintech and renewable‑energy opportunities in fast‑growing markets. Okello stresses local partnerships and data‑driven market selection to navigate political and macro‑economic volatility. Recent exits in telecom and agribusiness have generated roughly double‑digit returns, validating the strategy.
Nvidia's B300 AI Server Hits $1 Million Price in China, Doubling U.S. Cost
Nvidia's B300 AI server is now priced at roughly $1 million in China, about double the $550,000 U.S. price, reflecting soaring demand, tighter U.S. export controls and a crackdown on gray‑market shipments. The premium highlights both Nvidia's pricing power and growing...
Foreign Investors Pull $7.4 Billion From Indian Equities in April, Favor AI Hubs
Foreign portfolio investors dumped Indian equities worth ₹60,847 crore ($7.4 bn) in April, marking a second straight month of heavy outflows. Analysts link the shift to soaring AI‑related investments in South Korea, Taiwan and Japan, a trend that could reshape underwriting and...
Trump Doubts Iran's New 14‑point Peace Proposal as Tehran Seeks De‑escalation
U.S. President Donald Trump announced he will review a fresh 14‑point peace plan from Tehran but said he cannot imagine it will be acceptable, hinting at possible renewed strikes. Iran’s proposal, which separates maritime de‑escalation from nuclear talks, comes as...
Dubai Hotel Closures Surge as Tourism Slumps, Triggering $600 M Daily Losses
A wave of closures at seven five‑star hotels and a plunge in occupancy to as low as 5% have left Dubai’s hospitality sector hemorrhaging an estimated $600 million per day. The downturn follows the February U.S. strike on Iran, which sparked...
RBI Mulls Dollar Deposit Scheme and Tax Cut to Stem Rupee Slide
The Reserve Bank of India is studying two measures – a revived dollar‑deposit program and the removal of a 5% withholding tax on foreign investors in Indian government bonds – to attract dollar inflows and shore up reserves as the...
Bitcoin Surpasses $80,000, Hits Three‑Month Peak on Asian Market Rally
Bitcoin broke the $80,000 barrier on Monday, reaching $80,393—the highest price since Jan. 31—while Asian stock markets neared record highs. The price jump, driven by a 1.9% rise in Singapore, lifted other major tokens and revived investor interest in the crypto...
Two Worlds Collide: The Regulatory Battlefield Hanging over the EU’s Ties with China
A Norwegian mine experiment that let Chinese‑made Yutong buses be remotely accessed sparked fresh EU alarm over cyber‑vulnerabilities in Chinese technology. The incident helped catalyse a wave of EU legislation, including a ban on funding Chinese inverters and the Industrial...
Inspired Evolution Backs CrossBoundary Energy
Inspired Evolution announced a $40 million investment via its Evolution III fund into CrossBoundary Energy, a developer of distributed renewable power for commercial and industrial clients across sub‑Saharan Africa. The capital will fund new solar, battery storage and hybrid projects, including...
Projecting Confidence
The daily Geopolitical Dispatch highlights five key developments: President Trump’s “Project Freedom” offers a narrow humanitarian corridor for vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, while the Pentagon orders the withdrawal of 5,000 troops from Germany, reshaping the US‑NATO posture. Ukraine’s...
Putting Africa’s Savings to Work for Its People
African economies sit on roughly $1 trillion of long‑term capital held by pension funds, insurers, sovereign wealth funds and banks, yet 60‑70% of that pool is locked in short‑term sovereign bonds because scalable domestic investment platforms are missing. Development banks can...
Artificial Stupidity in the Persian Gulf
The United States backed a $3.3 GW AI compute corridor in the Persian Gulf, promising cheap $0.10/kWh power, low‑latency connectivity and up to 70,000 Nvidia chips for American firms. The plan was intertwined with a $2 billion Trump‑linked stablecoin deal and a...
Taiwan Sends Largest Delegation Again to U.S. Investment Summit
Taiwan sent its largest foreign delegation to the 2026 SelectUSA Investment Summit, with 113 companies and a record 207 representatives. Minister of Economic Affairs Kung Ming‑hsin highlighted that Taiwan has topped foreign delegations for four consecutive years. The summit includes...
Chinese Banks Stuck Between US Sanctions and Beijing Orders
US Sanctions Just Hit a Whole New Level: China's No-Win Crossfire Trap China’s banks are now caught in the sanctions crossfire. Beijing just activated its blocking law & ordered firms to defy US sanctions on its refiners. Comply with US sanctions? Chinese courts...
Trump Triggers Iran’s Hormuz Closure Strategy, Prolonged Energy Disruption
Trump has put his foot in an iranian bear trap.🐻🇮🇷 They were always going to close the Strait of Hormuz. This was never a side development. It was central to the strategy. Because the objective isn’t just confrontation - it’s disruption: energy flows, shipping routes,...
Iran Says Will "Respond Harshly", Warns the US Against Entering the Strait of Hormuz
Iran warned the United States that any naval move into the Strait of Hormuz will be met with a "harsh response" and demanded that all commercial ships and oil tankers coordinate with Iranian forces before transiting the waterway. Tehran said...
Indian Private Sector New Order Growth Quickens in April but Remains Slowest in 4 Years: PMI Survey Shows
India’s private‑sector manufacturing PMI rose to 54.7 in April, up from 53.9 in March, indicating modest expansion as the new fiscal year began. The improvement was driven by stronger new orders and output, with export orders hitting a seven‑month high....
India to Host 4th India-Africa Forum Summit After a Decade, Focus on Strategic Partnership, Investment and Innovation Across Africa
India will host its fourth India‑Africa Forum Summit in May, the first such gathering in a decade. The event, themed “India‑Africa Strategic Partnership for Innovation, Resilience and Inclusive Transformation (IA SPIRIT),” will feature high‑level ministerial talks, a business track and the...
Closure of the Strait of Hormuz Continues to Impact Energy Prices
The ongoing closure of the Strait of Hormuz, compounded by the US‑Israel‑Iran conflict, is keeping oil prices volatile near US $100 per barrel. Coal prices have followed, trading in a US $100‑110 band, while 6.5 % sulfur petcoke has risen to US $106 per...
Asia Now Holds Six of World's Top Ten Stock Markets
The Asia Century 20 years ago, just 2 of the world's 10-largest stock markets came from Asia. Today, 6 out of the top 10 are from the region. China's equity market, which didn't make the top 10 list in 2006, is about...
China Directs Firms to Defy U.S. Sanctions
"China has ordered its companies to ignore US sanctions, an unprecedented act of defiance...." https://t.co/OAdUIaZIyP
Global Fragmentation Is Rewiring Asia’s Economic Future
Asia’s post‑war boom thrived on predictable globalization, cheap energy and integrated supply chains, lifting millions out of poverty. Today, escalating U.S.–China rivalry and geopolitical friction turn that interdependence into a conduit for shocks, from oil disruptions in the Strait of...
Hormuz Closure Triggers Global Trade Shifts and Fertilizer Push
The Strait of Hormuz has been closed for 65 days. At around 90 days, the shock turns global. Structural adjustments are on the way: trade routes are shifting, stockpiling is rising, and nations are boosting efforts to produce fertilizer domestically....
West Bengal Firms Poised to Gain Under Nationalist Rule
Any West Bengal companies in mind, whose fortunes could change with the Nationalist / Patriotic government in power?
Middle East Crisis: Poison for the World, but Meat for East Africa’s Oil Dreams?
The Strait of Hormuz crisis has pushed East African leaders to fast‑track a regional oil‑refining strategy centered on Tanzania’s Tanga Refinery Hub and the 1,445 km East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP). Kenyan President William Ruto, Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni and Nigerian...
Turkey Alone Boomed While Iran Lagged Post‑attack
Before the US-Israeli attack on Iran, the Iranian economy was doing slightly better than Iraq. Turkey was the only economy that BOOMED. https://t.co/9TQo3gHwn7
Taiwan Set to Outsize India by 2026, Korea Follows
At this rate, Taiwan is likely to surpass India’s market in terms of size before the second half of 2026. Korea is not far behind Taiwan and could there soon after. https://t.co/Zq7jUioSjt
213. Ups and Downs at the Port of Los Angeles
In this episode, host Chad Bowne tours the Port of Los Angeles with executive director Gene Soroka, exploring the port’s massive scale, its role in moving roughly $1 billion of cargo daily, and its critical impact on the U.S. economy—supporting about...
Currency Weaponization Forces Risk Managers to Rethink Sanctions
Weaponization of currency. As the global order becomes increasingly fragmented more countries will look to protect their interests from the failing US hegemony. This is increasingly important for global risk managers who need to address how their operations map against...
Sumitomo to Sell 54% of Madagascar’s Ambatovy Nickel Project, New Investors Loom
Sumitomo Corporation announced it will sell its 54% majority stake in the Ambatovy nickel‑cobalt operation in Madagascar before the fiscal year ending March 2027. The divestment will trigger a $445 million accounting charge and has already attracted a wave of new investors...
Peru’s Mining Exports Surge 59% to $13.8 Bn in Jan‑Feb 2026, Led by Gold and Copper
The National Society of Mining, Oil and Energy (SNMPE) reported that Peru’s mining exports climbed 59% to $13.831 bn in January‑February 2026, with gold and copper accounting for the bulk of the increase. The surge lifts mining to 74% of the...
OPay Taps Citi, Deutsche Bank, JPMorgan for $4 Bn U.S. IPO
Nigeria’s fintech super‑app OPay has hired Citigroup, Deutsche Bank and JPMorgan Chase to manage a U.S. initial public offering targeting a $4 bn valuation. Backed by SoftBank, the deal marks one of the largest African tech listings in recent memory and signals...
Iran Weaponizes Hormuz to Disrupt Oil, Raise Prices
Tanker in Strait of Hormuz hit by "unknown projectiles" Doesn't matter if it happened or not This is IRGC's MO & strategy You don’t shut Hormuz. You make it uninsurable. Flows slow. Prices rise. Control achieved. #OilMarkets #Hormuz #IranWar #EnergyIsTheEconomy #Macro
OPEC+ Lifts Output by 188,000 Bpd as Kuwait Halts Exports Amid Hormuz Blockade
OPEC+ members agreed in principle to raise June oil output by about 188,000 barrels per day, a symbolic move while the Strait of Hormuz remains closed. At the same time, Kuwait Petroleum Corp declared force majeure, stopping roughly 2 million barrels...
Young Chinese VCs Cite AI Valuations and IPO Momentum as Deal‑Making Shifts
At the 20th China Investment Annual Conference on April 22, younger Chinese venture capitalists warned that soaring AI valuations and a rebound in IPO exits are forcing funds to pool capital and rethink deal tactics. The panel highlighted a market...
Sri Lanka's Economy Still Stagnant After 2019 Crisis
Until the currency crisis hit Sri Lanka in 2019, it was growing on par with India. Contrary to reports in the Western media, since the crisis and the IMF’s intervention, the economy has never recovered. https://t.co/HTdlhPOpEm
Kazakhstan’s AIFC Discussing Stock-Trading Links with Shanghai, Hong Kong
The Astana International Financial Centre (AIFC) is negotiating with Hong Kong and Shanghai exchanges to launch cross‑border stock‑connection schemes, likely beginning with ETFs denominated in tenge and yuan. Kazakh investors are keen on Chinese tech giants like Tencent and carmaker BYD,...
Philippine Manufacturing Shrinks in April as War-Driven Costs Bite
The Philippines’ manufacturing PMI slipped to 48.3 in April, its first sub‑50 reading since November 2023, indicating contraction. The decline was driven by a sharp fall in new orders—the steepest since August 2021—and a surge in input‑price inflation, the fastest...
BoT Chief Calls for Targeted Stimulus Package
Bank of Thailand Governor Vitai Ratanakorn urged the government to craft a stimulus package that mixes cash transfers with sector‑specific investment to offset rising energy costs from the Middle‑East conflict. He warned that a premature rate hike, despite the BoT’s...
Saudi Arabia, Turkey, UAE Advance New Overland‑Sea Corridor to Bypass Hormuz
Saudi Arabia, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates announced a coordinated push to build an overland‑sea logistics corridor that sidesteps the Strait of Hormuz. The plan links UAE and Oman ports to Saudi rail lines, Jordan, and ultimately the Suez...
DRC to Ship 500,000 T of Copper to U.S., Civil Society Flags Corruption Risks
The state‑owned miner Gécamines announced a plan to send 500,000 metric tons of copper to the United States – a five‑fold jump from the 100,000‑ton commitment made in January. Civil‑society leaders warn the surge could repeat past corruption patterns and...
RBI Governor Warns of Global Debt Risks as India’s Economy Shows Resilience
Reserve Bank of India Governor Sanjay Malhotra told the 25th FIMMDA‑PDAI conference that India’s macro fundamentals remain strong while soaring sovereign debt in the US and Europe poses systemic risks. He outlined a roadmap for deeper liquidity, broader participation and...
Trump Says the US Will 'Guide' Stranded Ships From the Strait of Hormuz, Starting on Monday
President Donald Trump announced "Project Freedom," a U.S. operation to guide stranded commercial vessels and roughly 20,000 seafarers out of the Iran‑blocked Strait of Hormuz starting Monday. The effort will involve guided‑missile destroyers, more than 100 aircraft and about 15,000...
Russia Rises to Fourth‑Largest Economy by PPP, Led by Agriculture and Chemicals
Russia’s gross domestic product measured by purchasing power parity has moved to fourth place worldwide, overtaking Japan, as agriculture, chemicals and manufacturing rebound after sanctions. The shift, highlighted by Stolypin Institute expert Anton Sviridenko, signals a re‑ordering of the global...
India’s Sensex Jumps 6.9% and Small‑Cap Indexes Surge Over 18% in Record April Rally
India’s Sensex rose 6.90% and the Nifty 50 climbed 7.46% in April, marking the strongest monthly rally since December 2023. Small‑cap and micro‑cap indices outperformed, delivering double‑digit gains despite continued foreign institutional outflows.
Indian Startups Raise $660M in April, up 3.2% YoY as Late‑stage Deals Dominate
Indian startups secured $660 million in April 2026, a 3.2% increase from the same month last year. Late‑stage deals accounted for more than half the capital, while IvyCap Ventures, Accel and Unicorn India Ventures each participated in three deals, underscoring sustained...
Uzbekistan Receives Major Asian Development Bank Economic Assistance Package
The Asian Development Bank announced a $12.5 billion assistance package for Uzbekistan, spanning a partnership program through 2030. The funding will boost private‑sector growth, a stable mortgage market, and entrepreneurship among youth and women. At the same meeting, ADB unveiled a...
South Korean Economy Highly Exposed to US Ally Gone Rogue- #CapitalMarkets #Finance
South Korea’s economy, heavily reliant on exports and energy imports, faces heightened risk from President Donald Trump’s aggressive trade and security policies. The United States has kept tariffs at 15% after Seoul committed to invest roughly $350 billion in the U.S.,...
Who Wins the Oil Blockade?
The article argues that Iran’s oil wells are failing under a U.S.-led blockade, prompting President Biden to predict Tehran’s capitulation. Bank of America estimates that Iran can still ship roughly 250,000 barrels per day at elevated prices, enough to keep...
Quantifying the Impact of the Iran War on US Inflation
The authors combine a calibrated DSGE model of the global oil market with a monthly structural VAR to estimate how the 2026 Iran war’s oil‑supply shock could affect U.S. inflation. A 15 % shortfall lasting one quarter pushes WTI crude to...