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.
China Orders Maritime Security Research as Strait of Hormuz Crisis Exposes Trade Risks
China’s State‑owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission (Sasac) unveiled a 30‑project research agenda, with four studies dedicated to energy security and maritime chokepoints after the Iran‑Israel war effectively shut the Strait of Hormuz, which carries roughly 20% of global oil and gas. The agenda tasks state‑linked firms such as COSCO and PetroChina, together with top universities, to analyse supply‑chain vulnerabilities, overseas port holdings and critical‑mineral risks. Beijing also pushes alternative routes like the Northern Sea Route, which could shave about 40% off Asia‑Europe voyage times, while defending its overseas port investments after Panama reclaimed two CK Hutchison‑operated canal ports. The coordinated effort signals a broader strategy to insulate China’s trade and energy flows from geopolitical shocks.
UAE Exits OPEC, Abu Dhabi Takes Lead Amid Dubai Uncertainty
united arab emirates leaves opec. abu dhabi asserting itself now that dubai safe haven status is in doubt.
Facing US and Chinese Pressure, the EU Must Forge Its Own Strategy
The EU faces a widening trade deficit with China—about €360 billion (≈$425 billion) in 2023—while U.S. tariffs have forced Europe into a reactive, rather than coordinated, stance. This drift has left the bloc economically tethered to Beijing yet pressured to align with...
Iran Standoff Keeps Crude Near US$100 and Puts Strait Risk in Focus
Oil prices surged over 2.5% as the Strait of Hormuz remained effectively closed, keeping crude near the $100 per barrel threshold. Iran offered to reopen the waterway if the U.S. lifts its naval blockade, but President Trump rejected the proposal...
India Allows 25 Lakh Tonnes Additional Wheat Exports, Total Reaches 50 Lakh Tonnes
India's Directorate General of Foreign Trade approved an additional 2.5 million tonnes of wheat for export, raising the total permissible wheat export quota to 5 million tonnes for the 2025‑26 marketing year. The decision also expands wheat‑product exports by 1 million tonnes, bringing...
INTERVIEW: Kazakhstan Bets on Reliability, Digitisation to Capture Shifting Global Supply Chains
Kazakhstan is leveraging reliability and digitalisation to turn its land‑locked position into a logistics hub, centring on the Middle Corridor that links Asia and Europe. Recent infrastructure upgrades—including a second Dostyk‑Moyntau railway line that quintupled capacity and expanded Caspian ports—have...
Hormuz Deadlock Spurs Landbridge Developments
The Hormuz blockade is prompting Saudi Arabia and Egypt to build a landbridge logistics corridor that bypasses the Strait of Hormuz, linking Gulf ports to the Mediterranean via rail and sea. The route will run across Saudi to Red Sea...
Iran Stockpiles Oil as US Blockade Stalls Hormuz Shipments
According to the WSJ, "Iran is scrambling to find new ways to store its oil, hoping to avoid a crippling production shutdown as a U.S. naval blockade bottles up its exports and negotiations to end the war remain deadlocked." This coincides...
What Global Turmoil Means for Company Structure
The accelerating geopolitical upheaval—from wars in Ukraine and the Middle East to digital‑sovereignty battles—is forcing multinationals to overhaul traditional structures. Companies are reconsidering the classic exit‑relocate‑reorganize playbook, with many opting for polynational models that embed semi‑autonomous units and local ownership....
Energy Security Comes First for Indonesia as It Defies EU over Russian Oil
Indonesia announced a commitment from Russia to ship 150 million barrels of crude oil, enough to meet domestic demand through the end of the year. The deal was sealed during President Prabowo Subianto’s meeting with Vladimir Putin and comes as the...
Singapore’s AI Neutrality Is Cracking Under US-China Pressure
Singapore’s long‑standing claim of political neutrality is being tested as U.S. and Chinese pressures converge on its AI ecosystem. This week Chinese regulators forced Meta to unwind its $2 billion acquisition of Singapore‑based AI startup Manus, signaling that a company’s origin...
Mugur Isărescu: South-East Europe's Next Leap Forward
Governor Mugur Isărescu outlined Romania’s post‑Covid recovery, noting that inflation, which spiked after energy and food price shocks, has begun to ease but remains exposed to supply‑side volatility. He emphasized the need for gradual fiscal consolidation, deeper structural reforms, and...
Iran Offers to Reopen Strait of Hormuz for $108 Oil, US Rejects, Merz Calls US Humiliated
Iran told Pakistan it would reopen the Strait of Hormuz if the United States ends its naval blockade, a move that would restore a fifth of global oil flow. The proposal coincided with Brent crude climbing to about $108 a...
Snabbit Secures $56 Million Series D, Valuation Hits $350 Million Amid On‑Demand Home Service Boom
Snabbit, the Bengaluru‑based on‑demand home services platform, closed a $56 million Series D round co‑led by Susquehanna Venture Capital, Mirae Asset’s Unicorn Growth Fund and Bertelsmann India Investments, lifting its valuation to roughly $350 million. The fundraise underscores soaring investor appetite for...
Spare Launches First Open Banking Cross‑Border Payment Service in GCC
Spare unveiled an Open Banking‑powered cross‑border payment solution in the UAE, completing its first pilot transaction with local banks. The service, built on the AlTareq scheme and backed by an in‑principle approval from the Central Bank of the UAE, promises...
RBI Norms, Oil Spike, FII Outflows Drive India Slump
Top 5 reasons the Indian market is falling today : 1. RBI's updated ECL credit-loss norms hammering bank stocks (PSU & private banks down 1-2%). 2. Crude oil surge on US-Iran geopolitical tensions, spiking inflation worries & hitting aviation. 3. Ongoing FII...
China’s Meta-Manus Block Slams Door on ‘Singapore-Washing’
China’s National Development and Reform Commission abruptly blocked Meta’s $2 bn acquisition of AI start‑up Manus, ordering the deal’s cancellation after the company moved its legal domicile to Singapore. The move ends a four‑month‑old transaction that Meta had already integrated, underscoring...
'If We Invest Wisely Today...': Vijay Kedia Shares Growth Mantra for India, Cites China’s Big Spending Model
Ace investor Vijay Kedia used a X post to compare India’s FY 2025‑27 spending with China’s, highlighting stark gaps in education, R&D, defence and infrastructure. He argues that India’s lower per‑capita income and resource constraints are offset by a youthful demographic...
China's Oil Giants Hit by New US Sanctions
The United States has imposed new sanctions on China’s largest private refiner, Hengli Petrochemical, accusing it of purchasing hundreds of millions of dollars worth of Iranian crude over several years. The measures also blacklist about 40 vessels linked to Iran’s...
Cuba Courts Exiles, Entrepreneurs In Reform Effort
Cuba has unveiled Decree‑Law 114/2025, creating mixed limited‑liability companies (SRL mixta) that let private firms, state entities and foreign partners jointly manage accounts, pricing and trade. The reform also permits Cuban expatriates to open foreign‑currency accounts and own or partner...
Trump‑Xi Summit Unlikely to Shift Asia’s Geopolitical Landscape
Enjoyed chatting with @cherykang and @MandyCNBC on @CNBC #SquawkBoxAsia from the Singapore studio about my rather low expectations for the prospective Trump-Xi meeting in Beijing, who has leverage on whom, why the United States has lost the plot on how...
Impasse at Hormuz
The United States and Iran remain locked in a stalemate over the Hormuz Strait, with Iran leveraging backing from China and Russia to keep the waterway closed. The impasse, now extending into a two‑month truce, has halted vital energy flows...
U.S. Turns to Africa for Critical Minerals as Supply Chain Risks Grow
The United States is turning to Africa to secure critical minerals essential for electric vehicles, renewable energy, and defense. Gabon now supplies 100% of U.S. manganese imports, while South Africa provides the majority of platinum, chromium and palladium. This shift...
China Supplies over 30% of India's Industrial Goods; Overdependence on Single Nation Critical: GTRI
India’s industrial imports are heavily weighted toward China, with the latter supplying roughly 30.8% of the nation’s industrial goods in FY 2025‑26. While China accounts for 16% of India’s total imports, its share jumps to 66% in high‑tech categories such as...
Iran's Oil Crisis Looms: 6‑8 Weeks Before Collapse
🇮🇷 Iran Intel Brief | Pre-London ─────── Iran's oil storage capacity stands at 12-22 days amid the U.S. naval blockade. The blockade has slashed Iranian oil exports by 70 percent. Strait of Hormuz oil shipments have nearly ceased. Iranian oil production faces a potential drop...
Explainer: The War in Iran Now Threatens the Global Internet
Iran has warned that the Strait of Hormuz’s submarine cables are a vulnerable chokepoint for the region’s digital economy, underscoring the strategic importance of the undersea network that carries roughly 99% of global internet traffic. The waterway links Southeast Asia,...
Finance Ministry Cuts 2026 Growth Forecast to 1.6% Due to Middle East War
Thailand’s Ministry of Finance cut its 2026 GDP growth forecast to 1.6% from 2.0% after the Middle East war raised energy costs and disrupted trade. The ministry lifted its export growth outlook to 6.2% for the year, up from a...
China’s Politburo Steps up Policy Response as Iran War Shakes Global Economy
China’s Politburo announced a sweeping policy push to cushion the economy from the fallout of the US‑Israel conflict over Iran. The leadership pledged to accelerate infrastructure projects, deepen technology self‑reliance, and tighten energy‑security measures. Officials framed the response as a...
US Brand Boycotts Surge in MENA: Risk Managers Alerted
A movement to boycott well known US brands is growing across West Asia and North Africa. This viral video seems to come from Egypt as far I tell from the Arabic form used. Increasingly important for all brands and fmcg...
US‑Iran Stalemate Fuels Energy Shock, Inflation Surge
💯 Every additional day of US-Iran "stalemate" is delivering another crippling blow to the energy and petrochemicals markets, the fertilisers and food sectors, and ultimately, stoking inflation and choking economic momentum. While the two sides play for time, the growth engine in...
PetroVietnam Gas Shifts to U.S. LPG Imports as Iran Conflict Disrupts Middle East Supply
State‑owned PetroVietnam Gas JSC announced it will import 66,000 tonnes of liquefied petroleum gas from the United States in May, eclipsing its 44,000‑tonne Middle‑East shipment. The move follows the Iran‑Israel war that has effectively shut the Strait of Hormuz, prompting...
US Blockade Pressures Iran as Its Oil Reserves Dwindle
The purpose of the US blockade is to put pressure on the regime and bring it back to the negotiating table. The narrative on Iran is already shifting. We’re going from “Iran has the upper hand” to “Iran is running...
China Offers Tariff-Free Trade to 20 African Nations, US Opposes
China. No tariffs on 20 African nations. Contrast with US and its tariff view. And trade?
Asia‑Pacific Faces Deepening Fuel Shock as Middle East Conflict Persists
Asia‑Pacific nations are confronting a worsening fuel shock as the Israel‑Hamas war keeps the Strait of Hormuz largely closed. Governments have rolled out subsidies, export restrictions and work‑from‑home mandates while scrambling for alternative crude, a move that strains fiscal balances...
South Korea Overtakes UK as World's 8th Largest Market
South Korea has leapfrogged the UK to become the world’s eighth-biggest stock market, fueled by a high-octane rally in its AI-linked technology champions https://t.co/WkxpnKyRVH
Wars in Ukraine and Iran Undermine Global Economies
Russia’s economy is bad, reports @TheMichaelEvery The truth is that wars in Ukraine & Iran are hurting ALL economies The myth is clean outcomes. The reality is slow degradation that shows up unevenly Too late for consensus to price it correctly. #Russia #WarEconomy...
Indonesia Ends Nationwide EV Tax Breaks, Shifts Control to Regions
Indonesia has ended its nationwide zero‑tax incentive for electric vehicles, moving tax authority to provincial governments. Under the new framework, EVs will be subject to the standard Motor Vehicle Tax and title‑transfer fee, with rates set locally. The shift creates...
Japanese‑linked Tanker Uses Iranian Lanes for Saudi Oil
Interesting movement in the Strait of Hormuz: A supertanker linked to Japan is entering the SoH on her way out of the Persian Gulf. The Idemitsu Maru VLCC is following the Iranian new shipping lanes with a ~2m barrel cargo of...
China Plans Another London Green Sovereign Bond Sale
China is considering another green sovereign bond sale in London this year as Beijing looks to expand its presence in international debt markets https://t.co/gUiG7ZPz7n
Why Are Chinese Banks Investing in Airports in Africa and Who Are They?
Chinese state-owned banks are increasingly providing loan financing for African airport projects, using the deals to extend Beijing’s soft power and secure access to critical minerals. Over 60 Chinese‑financed airport contracts have been signed in the past 20 years, with...
Trump Doubts Iran's Proposal, Oil Hits Post‑ceasefire Highs
According to both the NYT and the WSJ, President Trump is skeptical of the latest proposal from Iran to end the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz (and leave nuclear talks for later). Oil prices are now the highest since...
Chinese Funds Create US‑friendly Structures for Non‑sensitive Investments
Chinese early stage funds are increasingly offering a fundraising structure that appeals to US investors wary of American compliance restrictions but keen to grow exposure to non-sensitive sectors in China https://t.co/FHpOwEpW0O @echowonghk
Will China Restrict US Investment Into Its Top AI Startups?, Anthropic Creates a Hub In Singapore
China is reportedly preparing to block U.S. investment in its leading AI startups unless regulators approve, mirroring U.S. Treasury rules that take effect in January 2025 to curb American capital flowing into Chinese AI, semiconductor and quantum firms. The move...
Officials Warn Two‑month Blockade Could Cripple Tehran's Energy Sector
“Some administration officials believe that continuing the blockade for 𝘁𝘄𝗼 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗵𝘀 would cause significant long-term damage to Tehran’s energy industry” (emphasis mine) https://t.co/ez3cPo2Ydb
212. America's Semiconductor Policy and the AI Race with China
In this episode, host Chad Bowne and guest Dan Kim—former chief economist of the U.S. Commerce Department’s CHIPS Program and veteran of Qualcomm and SK Hynix—explore America’s aggressive semiconductor policy amid the AI race with China. They trace the historical...
Dubai Open for Business, as Economic Head Cites Oman “Green Corridor”
Dubai’s economic chief Hadi Badri reassured investors that the emirate remains a safe haven despite escalating Iran‑U.S. tensions, highlighting a new “green corridor” with Oman that streamlines customs for air and road shipments. On April 1 the government unveiled a AED 1 billion...
TotalEnergies Greenlights $1.2 Bn 1 GW Mirny Wind‑plus‑storage Project in Kazakhstan
TotalEnergies announced a final investment decision for the Mirny project, a 1 GW onshore wind farm paired with a 600 MWh battery storage system in southeast Kazakhstan. The $1.2 bn development will generate roughly 100 TWh over 25 years, supplying electricity to about one million...
Philippine Business Confidence Plummets to 25‑Year Low as Fuel Prices Surge
The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas reported its March business confidence index slid to -24.3%, the lowest level since 2001, after fuel-price spikes from the Middle East conflict squeezed consumer demand. The drop signals tighter credit, weaker hiring outlook and a...
Xi Blocks Meta Deal, Echoing CFIUS’s Power
Xi Tests China’s Reach by Blocking Meta Deal That’s Already Done Just like CFIUS has done for many years... https://t.co/iPzbSXPGRE
Will Asean’s Scramble for Russian Oil Fuel Shift in Regional Alliances?
Southeast Asian nations are turning to Russian oil to fill shortages caused by the Strait of Hormuz blockage. Countries including Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and Myanmar have secured U.S. sanctions waivers and signed energy deals with Moscow. The move...