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.
Access to safe water remains a critical bottleneck in Sub‑Saharan Africa, with roughly one‑third of the population—and nearly half in rural areas—still lacking basic services. The African Union’s 2026 Year of Assuring Sustainable Water Availability and Safe Sanitation Systems, backed by a new World Bank Water Strategy, aims to close this gap through long‑term, partnership‑driven investments. A $1.6 billion regional program will reach over 30 million people in Eastern and Southern Africa by 2032, while similar initiatives target 20 million in Western and Central Africa. Success stories such as Ethiopia’s One Water program and Senegal’s private‑financed desalination project illustrate how coordinated financing and strong institutions can scale impact quickly.
🇮🇳About 3.5% of total passenger cars sold in January 2026 in India were electric (these are actual cars and do not include two- and three-wheelers).
The U.S. State Department warned that Peru is losing sovereignty over the Chinese‑owned Chancay port after a local judge ruled the facility exempt from state regulator oversight. The $1.3 billion port, built by Cosco Shipping Ports and inaugurated by President Xi...
BNY was named the Best Trade Finance Bank in North America, reflecting its robust portfolio and eight global trade centers. The bank leverages high credit ratings, competitive pricing, and a suite of digital tools to streamline trade processing, risk mitigation,...
The episode examines Elon Musk’s proposal for an orbital data center constellation that would deliver hyperscale AI compute powered by continuous solar energy and radiative cooling, potentially reaching 100 GW of power in space. It argues that this technology could bypass...
The episode focuses on Venezuela, with a deep dive into its energy sector and the geopolitical implications for U.S. policy in Latin America. It also touches on related developments in Cuba, Argentina, and the strategic role of El Paso as a...
The episode examines Mexico’s mobile sector, focusing on América Móvil’s historic monopoly under Carlos Slim and the 2013 telecom reforms that introduced competition, free roaming, lower prices, and better coverage. Guest Jorge F. Negrete explains how those reforms achieved their...
Chinese local governments announced a suite of stimulus measures ahead of the longest Lunar New Year break, extending the holiday to nine days. The central government allocated 2.05 billion yuan in vouchers, red‑envelopes and subsidies to directly benefit consumers. January's consumer...
The episode examines the growing divergence between China’s onshore stock markets and Hong Kong’s offshore market, arguing that this split reflects a deepening mistrust of Xi Jinping’s political control over finance. While mainland indices appear stable, the offshore market is...
Africa’s venture landscape is split between a regulated, capital‑efficient North and a fast‑growing but fragmented Sub‑Saharan region. In 2024, North Africa logged 89 equity deals worth $297 m, while Sub‑Saharan hubs like Nigeria and South Africa raised over $500 m each, highlighting...
The episode examines how Chinese traders, long recognized for aggressive speculation, sparked a dramatic swing in gold prices—from a surge to $5,600 in late January to a plunge to $4,423 within days. The host recounts a December report predicting this...
The Inter‑American Development Bank (IDB) Group has imposed a twenty‑four‑month Conditional Non‑Debarment on ECOSAC AGRÍCOLA S.A.C. and its subsidiary after confirming fraudulent financial representations made to an IDB Invest loan between 2022 and 2023. The settlement, reached through the Office of Institutional Integrity,...
In this episode the host examines prediction‑market odds for Latin American leaders being ousted before the end of 2026, using data from Kalshi and Polymarket. He highlights Cuba, Venezuela, Bolivia and Ecuador as the most volatile cases, while noting that...
Indonesia, home to one of the world’s largest unbanked populations, is accelerating digital finance to boost inclusion. The Financial Services Authority outlined three policy priorities—sector resilience, a contributive ecosystem, and sustainable finance—to guide the effort. PT Bank Rakyat Indonesia (BRI)...
The episode examines Mexico’s Operation Swarm, focusing on the February 12 arrests of more than a dozen officials from the tourist town of Tequila, including its mayor, for colluding with organized crime. It explains how the operation, championed by President‑elect...
KOKO Networks, a leading Kenyan clean‑cooking firm, entered administration on 1 February after the government refused the regulatory letter of authorisation needed to sell carbon credits on compliance markets. Backed by investors such as Microsoft, Mirova and a World Bank guarantee,...
VanEck’s Emerging Markets Bond ETF (EMBX) posted a 5.56% 30‑day yield and outperformed both its benchmark and U.S. Treasuries in January 2026, driven by strong local‑currency exposure and carry. The fund’s portfolio now holds 48% hard‑currency sovereigns, with notable additions...
The episode examines the interim U.S.-India trade deal announced in February 2026, which cuts U.S. tariffs on Indian goods from 50% to 18% and obliges India to cease Russian oil imports in favor of U.S. energy supplies. It traces the...
The episode examines the increasingly fraught relationship between Mexico’s President‑elect Claudia Sheinbaum and former U.S. President Donald Trump, focusing on five intersecting issues: Mexico’s humanitarian aid and oil shipments to Cuba, alleged ties between Venezuela’s Maduro regime and Mexico’s Morena...
The episode examines the surge in emerging market (EM) debt and equity performance through January 2025, noting record growth rates and unprecedented fund inflows. It compares today’s bullish sentiment to the pioneering phase of EM investing four decades ago, highlighting...
Barrick Gold and Tanzania's state‑owned Twiga Minerals have launched a modern helicopter equipped for airborne geological surveys across Shinyanga Region. The initiative aims to deliver high‑resolution geophysical data while lowering the environmental footprint of exploration. Since the 2019 joint venture,...
Web Summit Qatar has rapidly become the Middle East’s largest tech gathering, drawing a record 30,274 attendees from 127 countries in 2026. The event’s growth provides African startups—from fintech to agritech—direct access to Gulf investors, system integrators, and global partners....
The episode explains that China’s official macro debt ratio hit a record 302.3% of GDP in 2025, driven primarily by government borrowing while household and private company debt fell. It highlights the real‑estate crisis as the catalyst that halted household...
Emerging‑market equities delivered more than a 10% outperformance versus developed markets in 2025, sparking renewed investor interest. Swiss‑based RAM Active Investments has built a €1 billion systematic strategy that targets broad factor exposure while managing liquidity, governance and concentration risks. The...
Southeast Asia’s cybersecurity sector saw venture funding plunge to US$24 million in 2025, a 40 percent decline from 2024 and a stark contrast to the US$533.6 million peak in 2021. All three rounds were early‑stage, with no late‑stage deals recorded, reflecting a more...
In this episode, Dr. Holly Snape explains the Central Military Commission Chairman Responsibility System (CRS), a set of rules and mechanisms Xi Jinping has built over the past 13 years to cement Party control of the PLA. She details how the CRS...
The episode dissects Thailand’s surprise February 8, 2026 election, where Anutin Charnvirakul’s Bhumjaithai party captured nearly 200 seats, shifting the country’s foreign policy toward deeper engagement with China while prompting a tougher U.S. response. It highlights the immediate implications for...
In this 17‑minute episode, RANE’s South Asia analyst Misha Iqbal breaks down the key actors and forces shaping Bangladesh’s upcoming election—the first since the 2024 pro‑democracy uprising that removed Sheikh Hasina from power. Iqbal outlines the political landscape, including emerging...
South Africa’s National Youth Development Agency (NYDA) is inserting itself into Mining Indaba 2026 to confront longstanding barriers that keep young South Africans out of the mining and energy sectors. The agency is lobbying for policy changes, earmarked funding for...
The episode dissects Thailand’s upcoming 2026 general election, outlining three competing visions: the reformist People’s Party rising from Move Forward, incumbent Prime Minister Anutin’s patronage‑driven Bhumjaithai, and the weakened, dynastic Pheu Thai. It explains how the collapse of the “Thaksin...
Turkey recorded a historic tourism peak in 2025, welcoming roughly 63.9 million visitors and generating $65.2 billion in revenue. Visitor numbers rose 2.7% year‑over‑year, while tourism earnings climbed 6.8%, surpassing government targets. The market mix featured 52.8 million foreign tourists and 11.1 million Turkish...
The episode examines Ukraine’s worsening energy crisis as Russia intensifies attacks on power infrastructure, leaving millions without electricity during a harsh winter. It highlights President Zelensky’s claim that the United States has set a June deadline for a peace settlement,...
The episode reviews the two rounds of direct peace talks between Russia and Ukraine held in Abu Dhabi, mediated by the United States, marking the first face‑to‑face negotiations since 2022. While no concrete breakthrough was achieved, the discussions revealed a tentative...
The Friday Reading List for February 6, 2026 surveys a wave of political and security developments across Latin America, focusing on the United States' renewed pressure on Cuba, shifting dynamics in Brazil, Costa Rica, and Mexico, and the fallout from...
In his second term, President Donald Trump pushed average U.S. import tariffs to about 18%, the highest level since the Great Depression. The higher duties widened the trade deficit and contributed to persistent inflation, prompting the Federal Reserve to cut...
