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.
Russia’s foreign ministry asserted that India has not altered its policy on buying Russian crude, emphasizing the mutual benefits of the trade. However, Indian import data for January 2026 shows a 40.5% drop in total merchandise from Russia, with crude oil accounting for roughly 80% of that decline. The reduction follows statements from Indian refiners, notably Reliance Industries, that they are not expecting Russian deliveries. Meanwhile, the United States continues to claim India has agreed to cease Russian oil purchases, linking the issue to recent tariff negotiations.
#NKWatch🇰🇵: Today, I measure North Korea’s inflation at 74.6%/yr — that’s the THIRD HIGHEST IN THE WORLD. Kim’s rockets fly, but inflation is what’s truly SKYROCKETING. https://t.co/EbYJ0oBnAW
The latest IMF analysis of China (The staff report/ Article IV) highlights that China's export driven growth has come at the expense of its trading partners. That is welcome, and very necessary message 1/many https://t.co/RTYAzRkFAv
South Korean golfers are flocking to Guangzhou, with bookings rising over 300% year‑over‑year after China introduced a 30‑day visa‑free travel policy. The surge is evident at venues like Holiday Islands Golf Club, where Korean visitors jumped 81% while Chinese traffic...
I initially thought the Korean reforms would be ineffective. But on the ground, I’m seeing many companies come up with highly positive value up plans. And valuations remain a fraction of those in Japan. Once IBKR opens access, the focus...
U.S. President Donald Trump convened the inaugural Board of Peace summit in Washington, pledging over $5 billion for Gaza reconstruction and positioning the forum as a potential rival to the United Nations. Indonesia, Vietnam and Cambodia attended, each pursuing distinct economic...
Indonesian coffee chains such as Kopi Kenangan, Fore, Tomoro and Janji Jiwa are leveraging low‑price, locally‑sourced beans and Indonesian‑flavored drinks to differentiate themselves as they expand beyond their home market. Kenangan, the largest with over 1,100 stores, has already entered...
Australia’s wealthiest individuals added $11 billion in 2026, lifting the top‑five’s combined net worth to $94 billion – a 14 percent rise despite global uncertainty. Gina Rinehart stayed at the summit but saw her fortune dip 15 percent to $24.6 billion amid weaker iron‑ore prices....
Thailand’s leading capital‑market players – the Government Pension Fund, the Association of Investment Management Companies and the Stock Exchange of Thailand – have launched a coordinated strategy to align listed firms with the country’s nationally determined contributions under the Paris...
Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev visited Washington on February 18, signing a suite of agreements that lay the groundwork for systematic economic cooperation with the United States. The deals target expanded U.S. investment in Uzbek critical minerals, petrochemicals, energy, agriculture, water‑resource management...
U.S. policymakers are weighing offensive cyber operations against Iran if diplomatic talks on the nuclear program collapse, positioning cyber as a central element of joint military action rather than a peripheral tool. Recent Senate testimony and statements from US Cyber...
It’s official: The current world order has broken down. In my parlance, we are in the Stage 6 part of the Big Cycle in which there is great disorder arising from being in a period in which there are no rules,...
Bank of Ayudhya (Krungsri) announced a plan to add 100 billion baht in SME loans over the next four years, lifting its total SME portfolio to 350 billion baht. The initiative pairs soft‑loan financing with ESG education and advisory, targeting high‑growth sectors...
two conflicts. two stalled negotiations. one impatient white house. the next few weeks could look very different from today. @gzeromedia
Empires rise. Empires peak. Empires fall. Medieval thinkers understood the structural forces behind power, decline, and transition. Those same cycles are shaping the world today. Understand the pattern. Know what comes next. Read more at davidmurrin.co.uk #Geopolitics #EmpireCycles #History #Strategy #GlobalPower
Investors can now gain exposure to SpaceX through private secondary markets, specialty ETFs and pooled funds, sidestepping the wait for a public listing. The rocket company is valued at roughly $1.25 trillion, making it one of the most coveted private assets....
Citadel on flows, via Bbrg: Retail traders spent a record amount snapping up software shares on Citadel Securities’ platform, according to Scott Rubner, head of equity and equity derivatives strategy at the firm, which began tracking the data in 2017: “Net notional...
India's navy has begun seizing shadow‑fleet oil tankers within its exclusive economic zone, capturing three vessels since early February. The shadow fleet, a network of roughly 1,000 de‑commissioned tankers, moves 3‑4 million barrels of sanctioned crude daily from Russia, Iran...
President Trump’s new Gaza peace framework, backed by UN Security Council Resolution 2803, places Gaza under a U.S.-led Board of Peace, a Gaza Executive Board and a technocratic National Committee with scant Palestinian participation. The plan also severs Gaza’s ties...
In this episode, Stephen Sargeant talks with Mouloukou Sanoh, CEO of Mansa, about how stablecoin infrastructure is reshaping global payments, enabling instant cross‑border settlement, and driving adoption in emerging markets, while addressing regulatory challenges and interoperability with fiat. The conversation...
The Trump administration is advancing five domestic policy initiatives that touch credit, housing, monetary policy, corporate governance, and digital‑asset regulation. Proposed credit reforms would tighten loan underwriting, while housing changes could modify the mortgage interest deduction. Monetary officials hint at...
BAE Systems announced record 2025 results, with sales rising 10% to £30.7 billion and pre‑tax profit climbing to £2.6 billion. The company highlighted a historic order backlog as global defence budgets surge amid geopolitical tension. Meanwhile, Unite union members at the Lancashire...
Europe is losing bargaining power with China as the continent’s growth stalls while Beijing posts a record trade surplus. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s upcoming China visit underscores the urgency, with Germany’s 2025 GDP expanding only 0.2% versus a $1.19 trillion Chinese surplus....
India’s commerce minister Piyush Goyal said New Delhi will diversify crude oil and coking‑coal supplies, targeting high‑quality U.S. coal to reduce reliance on a few geographies. He highlighted a $100 billion aircraft demand from the United States over the next five...
The Pakistan Mineral Investment Forum (PMIF) will gather industry leaders in Islamabad to spotlight the country’s world‑class copper, gold, and critical mineral deposits, most notably the revived Reko Diq project. While the geology is undisputed, the article argues that mining...
The episode examines covert U.S. diplomatic efforts to engineer regime change in Cuba, highlighted by secret talks between Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Raul Castro’s grandson, alongside open U.S. moves to block regime change in Peru. It questions the viability...
In 2021 Lithuania permitted a Taiwanese representative office to use the name "Taiwan" rather than "Taipei," directly challenging Beijing's One‑China policy. China answered not with public sanctions but with a silent diplomatic freeze, withdrawing embassy staff and removing Lithuania from...
UAE‑based AD Ports Group has entered a 30‑year concession with Africa Ports Development to design, build and operate a new dry‑bulk terminal at Cameroon’s Port of Douala. The partnership gives AD Ports an effective 51% economic stake and commits roughly...
The episode examines the pivotal crossroads facing Mexico's mobile telecom sector, focusing on three possible futures: AT&T's exit as the second-largest operator, its retention driven by 5G opportunities, or the rise of a new market challenger. Experts analyze the strategic...
The episode reviews key developments across Asia, highlighting China's 2026 economic agenda focused on domestic demand and tech self‑reliance, U.S. accusations of a secret Chinese nuclear test, and the PLA's push to overhaul English training. It also covers political shifts...
Good read on *market stress* from GS: “Our vol stress index closed the week registering 9 out of 10. Historically, readings of >9 have been buying opportunities, but this time ‘feels different’ as the increase in panic has not come with...
Stark differences in income drive migration within CARICOM (and these are official data). More at today's Chartbook Top Links: https://t.co/DaCnHTI3Wj
Africa’s data‑centre capacity remains under 1% of global supply despite a surge in investment, with active capacity at 360 MW and another 238 MW under construction. The Africa Data Centres Association report projects a total pipeline of 656 MW, but even full delivery...
India's navy has begun seizing shadow fleet tankers in its exclusive economic zone. As I've said in other videos covering the shadow fleet, once the first domino falls...the rest will quickly follow. #crudeoil #crude #india #geopolitics https://t.co/IVVPGp8cQ7
IEA executive director Fatih Birol proposes focusing the agency's work in three areas during the next few years: 1) energy security -- "first and foremost" mission 2) new energy uptake (wind, solar, geothermal, nuclear) 3) afordability of energy "IEA 3.0" may well be...
Kenya has awarded a $311 million power transmission contract to a joint venture of India’s Power Grid Corp and Africa50. The PPP will design, build, operate and maintain two high‑voltage lines serving western and northern Kenya, addressing chronic supply gaps. The...
Since the 2010s and BRI, Chinese FDI has matched or exceeded inward FDI, but now a really big gap is opening up. More at today's Chartbook Top Links: https://t.co/DcgBB3hzww
Latin America’s small businesses don’t lack ambition. They lack liquidity. FinTechs are stepping in to close persistent cash flow gaps with smarter underwriting, real-time data and embedded finance solutions. The real opportunity isn’t just lending. It’s becoming the financial operating system for...
Microsoft announced a $50 billion commitment to accelerate artificial‑intelligence adoption across the Global South by 2030. The plan, unveiled at the India AI Impact Summit, follows a five‑pronged approach covering infrastructure, skills training, multilingual models, local innovation and impact measurement. Microsoft...
The U.S. is turning to the Aussies for some help with stationing four American submarines at Stirling in a hedge against potential future conflicts with China. Full Newsletter: https://t.co/u8WjtcAb9t #militarystrategy #usnavy #geopolitics https://t.co/kzBYp1cwAq
Net-zero by 2050 has “zero point zero chance of happening,” says US Energy Secretary Chris Wright ahead of the biennial IEA ministerial meeting in Paris. (This ministerial meeting will mark a turning point in global energy policy making across industrialised...
Alberto Naudon, Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Chile, highlighted that 2025 delivered stronger‑than‑expected growth, with non‑mining activity expanding close to 3% and gross fixed capital formation rising about 7% driven by mining and energy projects. Inflation accelerated early...
Egypt's inflation rate is 11.9%/yr. Egypt's money supply (M3) is growing at 22.7%, ABOVE Hanke's Golden Growth Rate range from 13.1%/yr-17.1%/yr, consistent with hitting its inflation target range of 5%/yr-9%/yr. THE INFLATION STORY = A MONEY SUPPLY STORY. https://t.co/V2EApGpMCY
Joe Studwell’s new book “How Africa Works” asks why the continent remains poor and outlines policies that could accelerate growth, emphasizing agriculture, demographics, and the “enclave effect” of resource extraction. He profiles four early‑movers—Botswana, Mauritius, Ethiopia, and Rwanda—showing how targeted...
In this episode Colin Clarke and Lucas Webber examine al‑Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula’s recent propaganda that explicitly threatens China over its treatment of Uyghur Muslims, marking a shift from peripheral to central antagonism. They trace the evolution of jihadist...
The Philippine Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has issued a draft memorandum circular proposing stricter training requirements for corporate directors and senior executives. The new framework mandates a comprehensive curriculum that incorporates OECD corporate governance principles, the ASEAN Governance Scorecard,...
Cambodia’s government has extended tax incentives for tourism businesses in Siem Reap until the end of 2026, offering income‑tax exemptions and monthly tax relief (excluding VAT and accommodation tax). The measure targets hotels, guesthouses, restaurants and travel agencies, aiming to...
The Armed Forces of the Philippines publicly endorsed the United States’ plan to expand missile and unmanned system deployments following the 12th Philippines‑U.S. Bilateral Strategic Dialogue. The agreement includes the Typhon mid‑range missile launcher and the Navy‑Marine Expeditionary Ship Interdiction...
Aboitiz Power Corp. will supply Northern Negros Electric Cooperative (Noneco) with 30 MW of electricity, combining 10 MW of solar generation and 20 MW of baseload power. The mixed supply aims to meet rising demand in the cooperative’s franchise area while smoothing the...
The Trump administration’s Project Vault earmarks about $12 billion to create a U.S. Strategic Critical Minerals Reserve, a public‑private partnership that purchases, stores and manages a diversified portfolio of essential raw materials. Japan’s current METI‑JOGMEC approach evaluates projects individually, which could...
