Know What's Happening in Emerging Markets
Know What's Happening in Emerging Markets
Taiwan Secures Major LNG Supply Backing Amid Middle‑East Tensions
Taiwan’s economy minister announced that a leading LNG‑producing nation has pledged to meet the island’s natural‑gas needs, offering extra cargoes on request. The move follows concerns that the Iran‑Russia war could disrupt Middle‑East supplies. A separate agreement with the United States will provide 1.2 million tonnes of LNG each year.
At the opening of the China Development Forum 2026, Premier Li Qiang called for a global pledge to deepen economic openness, warning that protectionism is not a cure for current challenges. He indirectly rebuked the United States, suggesting its trade policies undermine market stability. Li emphasized the need to create "blue‑ocean" markets that expand beyond traditional competition. The speech framed "power politics" as a barrier to shared prosperity, positioning China as a champion of liberal trade.
The Houthis, known as Ansar Allah, have so far avoided direct involvement in the US‑Israel‑Iran war but recent statements suggest they are reconsidering. Their political bureau said “all options are on the table,” hinting at possible alignment with Iran against...
This, from Bloomberg, illustrates how the Middle East War threatens a widening set of global supply chains. (On Monday, the FT is scheduled to post my column on a separate global risk that has yet to receive sufficient attention: the likely...
Brazil has turned its natural endowments into a strategic advantage by building a hybrid capitalist model anchored in family ownership, deep sectoral integration, and dense institutional networks. This architecture enables firms to weather currency crises, political upheavals, and regulatory volatility...
Chinese exporters are channeling goods destined for the United States through Indian and other Asian intermediaries to evade high U.S. tariffs, according to WTO data. The move is inflating India‑U.S. trade volumes and altering supply‑chain routes, while raising concerns about...
Iran’s attacks on Qatar’s LNG export plant could be one of the biggest tailwinds yet to the fast-growing US LNG sector 🇺🇸 🚢 🇹🇼 Taiwan said it plans to buy more LNG from the US from June 🇧🇩 Bangladesh is exploring...
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva warned at the CELAC summit that foreign powers are attempting to “colonise” Latin America by targeting critical minerals and rare earths. He cited U.S. actions such as the January 3 abduction of Venezuela’s Nicolás...
The US intelligence community now assesses that China has no fixed timeline for unification with Taiwan and that no invasion of Taiwan is planned for 2027. I'm no China expert but this dovetails with how I see Xi and the upside...
Kenya’s digital economy is booming, but infrastructure gaps threaten its momentum. Konza Technopolis, a 5,000‑acre smart‑city project, is being built through public‑private partnerships to provide core utilities, roads, and digital services. Phase One, commissioned in October, delivered essential power, water, and...
The Trump administration issued a 30‑day license that temporarily lifts sanctions on about 140 million barrels of Iranian oil already en route, ending April 19. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the move will add roughly 140 million barrels to global markets and help...
The outbreak of war in the Middle East is sending shockwaves through the global economy, prompting the first coordinated health check via business surveys across the United States and the euro zone. Bloomberg’s median forecast expects every purchasing managers index...
The New York Times on one of the major economic effects of the War: “At least 39 energy oil refineries, natural gas fields and other energy sites in nine countries have been damaged since the United States and Israel began...
Israel’s strike on Iran’s South Pars gas field marked a decisive escalation, signaling that no energy asset is off‑limits. Iran responded with missile and drone attacks on energy sites in Qatar, the UAE and Saudi Arabia, turning a shadow conflict...
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth quoted Psalm 144 and called Iranian clerics “desperate and scrambling” as the United States and Israel entered a war with Iran. Allegations that military leaders are invoking biblical prophecy prompted 30 Democratic lawmakers to ask the...
Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni announced a $1.5 billion privately financed mega‑airport in Mbarara, aimed at becoming a transit hub between Asia and Latin America. The project, led by Base Seven and backed by Chinese construction firms and the UK‑registered Blackrock Uwekeza, plans a 21 sq km...
Pete Hegseth’s overtly Christian comments on the U.S.-Iran war have led 30 Democratic lawmakers to ask the Pentagon inspector general to investigate alleged biblical‑prophecy briefings. Critics say his rhetoric risks blurring the line between church and state and could inflame...
Gulf oil producers are urging the United States to confront the Hormuz blockage directly, warning that temporary "oil‑on‑water" licences aid Iran while constraining regional exporters. They cite roughly 140 million barrels of Iranian crude stranded at sea and argue that without...
The author revisits the prevailing belief that the 21st century will be dominated by China, drawing parallels to the 1980s hype around Japan. While most Western observers still view China as an unstoppable economic and geopolitical force, the writer now...
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s overtly Christian language during the U.S.‑Israel war with Iran has led 30 Democratic lawmakers to request a Pentagon Inspector General probe into alleged biblical‑prophecy briefings for troops. Critics say the rhetoric risks secular military norms and...
Iran Intelligence Briefing | 6 March 2026 In this latest intelligence briefing, David breaks down the evolving situation around Iran, the escalation risks that matter most, and the wider regional implications. When events are moving quickly, understanding the deeper pattern is just...
SBI Research warns that an expanding West Asia conflict could reignite global inflation by disrupting energy markets, trade routes and supply chains. While the immediate price impact may be modest, prolonged hostilities risk broader macro‑economic fallout. India appears relatively insulated...
People's Daily: "China and the US agreed to explore the establishment of working mechanisms to expand economic and trade cooperation, continue to make good use of the China-U.S. economic and trade consultation mechanism, strengthen dialogue and communication, properly manage differences,...
Iran has effectively sealed the Strait of Hormuz, slashing daily oil‑tanker traffic by roughly 95% since early March 2026. The closure has pushed crude prices above $100 a barrel and disrupted about 20% of global oil and LNG flows. Despite...
Foreign portfolio investors withdrew ₹35,475 crore from Indian equities this week, taking March’s cumulative outflow to ₹88,180 crore – the highest monthly net withdrawal recorded in 2026. The sell‑off accelerated after a Monday outflow of ₹10,827 crore and ended with a Friday dump...
Iran has signaled willingness to permit Japanese‑flagged vessels to transit the Strait of Hormuz, a key conduit for global oil shipments. The offer follows phone talks between Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi and Japanese officials amid heightened tensions from the...
President Prabowo Subianto announced a nationwide push to replace all personal, public and commercial transport with electric, solar‑powered vehicles. The move aims to curb Indonesia’s reliance on imported fuel, which reached 232,417 kiloliters per day in 2025, and to revive...
Analysts upgrade iShares MSCI Brazil ETF (EWZ) to BUY, citing the central bank’s monetary easing and expanding trade ties with China and the EU. The fund offers a 4.2% dividend yield and stands to benefit from the upcoming EU‑Mercosur free‑trade...
FinHeim Research rates the iShares MSCI Brazil ETF (EWZ) a BUY, citing anticipated monetary easing and expanding trade ties with China and the EU. The fund trades at $35.06, offers a 4.22% dividend yield and holds $9.3 B in assets, positioning...
US suspends Iran oil sanctions for a month, allowing sale of all barrels on water as of March 20. Another band-aid. There are no more than 30 million barrels of Iranian oil in floating storage waiting for buyers, as per ship-tracking...
TRUMP GIVES IRAN 48 HOURS TO OPEN STRAIT OF HORMUZ=== this ain't no tariffs deadline
Current news feeds contain no confirmed reports of a disagreement between former U.S. President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu regarding a gas field attack in Iran. Details were not disclosed in the provided sources, leaving the claim...
With the onset of the US-Israeli attack on Iran, my good friend Chris Wood, Global Head of Equity Strategy at Jefferies, believes China’s onshore stocks are the top assets. CHINA = WINNER.
From fuel rationing in Sri Lanka to restaurant closures in India, flight cancellations in Thailand, and food and fertilizer shocks across Asia -- the ripple effects of the US-Israeli war on Iran are global. THE US-ISRAELI WAR'S COLLATERAL DAMAGE IS MASSIVE. https://t.co/jD1WHbQj6T
The latest NBER paper shows a pronounced shift in the composition of global foreign‑exchange reserves. The U.S. dollar’s share slipped below 57% in Q3 2025, while gold overtook the euro to become the second‑largest reserve asset. Central banks are diversifying into...
Many commentators on Iran war have seemingly not thought any further ahead than “China is hurt most by Hormuz closing” Below is just one small example of why that view is so wrong 👇
When politicians quote war costs, they're usually giving you the Pentagon's grocery bill, not the real economic damage. Oil shocks, lost jobs, delayed investment - the true cost isn't billions, it's hundreds of billions. Always ask: what are they not counting? https://t.co/Q56IHqdfvB
The beer industry in the United States and Western Europe has stalled at pre‑COVID volume levels, reflecting a broader shift toward low‑alcohol drinks and reduced consumption. Analysts label this a long‑term structural stagnation, prompting brewers to look beyond mature markets....
CHART OF THE DAY: Despite sanctions, ahead of the war, Iran's total oil production had hit a 46-year high. Although most of the attention is on crude, Iran has focused in expanding its output of condensates and natural gas liquids —...
US Treasury says there are 140 million barrels of Iranian oil "stranded" on the water. That's misleading -- if not false. There're about 100 million barrels of Iranian oil on their way to China, and probably another 40 million on...
President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have publicly diverged on how to respond to a recent Iranian gas‑field attack. Trump warned of possible U.S. action against Iranian oil infrastructure, while Netanyahu urged restraint, prompting uncertainty in emerging‑market...
The Chinese Century is now the conventional wisdom. Previous narratives of China's peak and decline proved premature. But I see some definite signs that China is growing weaker, and only a few people seem to be paying attention. https://t.co/PUBIvyJcaw
Trump is dangling $15 billion in compensation in front of Iran by lifting floating oil sanctions, writes @TankerTrackers This is the weirdest war ever It’s coercion, improvisation, and market panic all at once #Iran #Oil #Trump #EnergyMarkets #Sanctions
The IMF has been slow to deliver a comprehensive analysis of the Iran crisis and the de‑facto blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, despite its mandate to safeguard global financial stability. Standard IMF publications such as the World Economic Outlook...
Caixin: "The China Automobile Dealers Association said in a report that 55.7% of dealerships lost money last year, up 14 percentage points from 2024, as intense competition forced them to sell vehicles below cost." https://t.co/5TsYQRNMxx
Caixin: "Driven by a regulatory crackdown on risk in the financial system, China's multitrillion-dollar trust industry is being forced to abandon its old, highly profitable model of funneling funds into non-standard debt for real estate projects and local governments." https://t.co/eN5eDafjR4
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced a short‑term general license allowing the purchase of Russian crude already on board vessels, effective March 12 through April 11. The waiver follows a similar 30‑day exemption for India and aims to dampen market turbulence caused...
1/8 Caixin: "China’s fixed-asset investment (FAI) returned to growth in the first two months of this year, rising 1.8% year on year, beating expectations as infrastructure spending jumped." https://t.co/cCOIgPDXNn
Markets have turned. S&P down 5.4% YTD — all of that loss in the last two weeks. War premium showing up fast. Watch this space. https://t.co/D3wvQr7z9M
🚨 UPDATE THE U.S. IS PREPARING TO DEPLOY GROUND FORCES IN IRAN. People are now expecting the war to go on for months. This is why markets are dumping. https://t.co/63v1BaTPgn
If I wanted to discredit US neocons & their foreign sponsors for a generation, I would give them exactly what they have always wanted: A big war with Iran, at their urging… …that leads directly to a collapse of global financial...
