China Defies Strait of Hormuz Crisis with Record Monthly Export Value in April
China’s export sector posted a record‑breaking month in April, with total outbound shipment value climbing 14.1% year‑on‑year, far exceeding market forecasts. The surge came despite the ongoing Strait of Hormuz crisis, which has driven up energy prices and shipping costs for global traders. Analysts attribute the growth to robust demand for Chinese machinery, electronics, and consumer goods. The data underscores China’s capacity to sustain export momentum amid heightened geopolitical tensions.
Contractors Submit Bids for Saudi Gas Processing Plant Project
Contractors have begun submitting bids for the Khafji gas processing plant, a key component of three multibillion‑dollar projects targeting gas from Saudi Arabia's Dorra field. The venture is being driven by subsidiaries of Saudi Aramco and Kuwait Petroleum Corporation, signaling...
GIR Weighed Down by MidEast War-Induced Volatility
Philippines’ gross international reserves (GIR) dropped to $104.1 billion in April, the lowest level since January 2025. The decline was driven by central bank dollar sales to curb peso volatility, lower offshore investment values, and a dip in gold holdings amid rising...
The Week in Charts: India-Vietnam Trade Ties, Missed Direct Tax Target, PMI Rebound
India and Vietnam have pledged to raise bilateral trade to about $25 billion by 2030, building on a FY26 total that already exceeds $18 billion. The surge is driven mainly by a sharp increase in Indian imports of Vietnamese goods since 2020‑21....
How a China-Backed Highway May Turn Landlocked Laos Into a Trade Gateway
China‑backed officials have launched a feasibility study for a 186‑207 km expressway linking Vientiane to the northeastern border with Vietnam, with a longer 440 km corridor to the Chinese border slated for completion by 2030. State‑owned Henan ZhongGong Design and Research Group...
So What’s the Strategy for China?
The Atlantic Council’s Scowcroft Center released a new podcast, “So What’s the Strategy?,” featuring former deputy secretary of state Kurt Campbell discussing President Joe Biden’s China strategy, the Trump administration’s approach, and Donald Trump’s upcoming meeting with Xi Jinping. Campbell, known...
Trump Says There Will Be 3-Day Ceasefire in Russia-Ukraine War
President Donald Trump announced a U.S.-mediated three‑day ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine, set to run from Saturday to Monday. The pause will enable the exchange of roughly 2,000 prisoners of war, a move welcomed by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Trump...
Manufacturing Retains Growth Pace in Q4 Despite Cost Pressures: Ficci
India’s manufacturing sector kept expanding in Q4 FY 26, with 93% of surveyed firms reporting stable or higher output despite rising input costs. Domestic demand remained robust, as 89% expected orders to stay flat or grow, while capacity utilisation slipped to...
Four Corners: May 11
The Australian program Four Corners will broadcast a two‑part documentary, "Clash of the Superpowers," on May 11, offering a rare look inside private U.S.–China negotiations that sparked a decade‑long trade war. The series, directed by veteran filmmaker Norma Percy, draws on...
Skirmishes in Gulf Dent Risk Sentiment
U.S.-Iran clashes in the Gulf lifted Brent crude above $100 a barrel, souring global risk sentiment and nudging the Thai SET index to a modest 0.4% weekly gain despite volatile trading. Institutional investors sold roughly $114 million while retail and brokerages...
XEC:CA: If The War Ends, This Fund Should Continue To Rip
The iShares Core MSCI Emerging Markets IMI Index ETF (XEC:CA) is a CAD‑denominated, passively managed fund with roughly $3.3 billion USD in assets, offering exposure to more than 3,000 emerging‑market stocks. Analysts rate the ETF a Buy, citing a possible near‑term...
Why an Australia-US Rare Earth Deal Sparked Backlash in Malaysia
A coalition of 57 Malaysian civil‑society groups has condemned a $96 million rare‑earths supply agreement between Australia’s Lynas Corporation and the U.S. Department of Defense, arguing it ties Malaysia’s processing plant to foreign military supply chains. The backlash highlights Malaysia’s precarious...
Rubio Backs NATO in Rome as US-Italy Tensions Simmer
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio told Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni in Rome that he is a "strong supporter of NATO" amid growing friction between Washington and Rome. The meeting, described as productive and frank, came as President Donald Trump...
How China Killed Every Rare Earth Competitor
China has maintained its rare‑earth monopoly for over two decades by deliberately slashing prices whenever a Western firm attempts to develop independent processing capacity. The price‑undercutting destroys the economics of new projects, causing investors to pull back and companies to...
How Venezuela Has – and Hasn’t – Changed Since Maduro’s Capture
Four months after U.S. forces captured President Nicolás Maduro, Vice‑President Delcy Rodríguez assumed power and began rolling back Venezuela's socialist policies under U.S. guidance. The new administration has reshuffled 13 of 32 ministries, lifted sanctions on Rodríguez, and launched a...
The Iran War Exposes Fiscal Fragility Around the World
Fitch Ratings warns that the Iran war has hit global fiscal buffers at a time when most advanced economies have little room to maneuver. Even the EU’s most disciplined nations—Ireland, Greece, Portugal, the Netherlands and Scandinavia—face pressure on debt and...
India, Canada to Hold Next Round of FTA Talks in Ottawa in July
India and Canada will reconvene in Ottawa in July 2026 for the next round of negotiations on their Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA). The two countries completed a second five‑day session in New Delhi, covering goods, services, IP, rules of origin...
The US and China Don’t Need Another Dialogue. They Need a Circuit Breaker.
U.S. and Chinese officials are drafting a bilateral Board of Trade ahead of President Donald Trump’s upcoming visit, aiming to delineate permissible commerce and flag national‑security red lines. Analysts argue the proposal is incomplete without a built‑in “circuit breaker” that...
Daybreak May 8: Trump, Lula Talk Trade as Administration Weighs Expanding Beef Imports
President Donald Trump and Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva met at the White House to discuss trade, including the possibility of expanding U.S. beef imports from Brazil to ease domestic prices. While no decision has been made, the administration is...
Asean to Step up Push for South China Sea Code, Energy Security
Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. urged ASEAN to finalize a South China Sea code of conduct by year‑end, aiming to institutionalize crisis‑management rules and stabilize maritime trade. He also highlighted energy security, proposing a regional fuel reserve and accelerating the...
ZDA Promotes Zambia’s Investment Potential During High-Level Germany Engagements
The Zambia Development Agency (ZDA) showcased Zambia’s mining, energy, agriculture and water‑sanitation projects to German and European investors during high‑level talks in Berlin. The delegation participated in the 2027‑2028 Zambia‑Germany development cooperation negotiations, emphasizing governance, food security and water development....
McDowell Cited in Bloomberg Article on How Swap Lines Could Undermine Faith in the Dollar
The Bloomberg piece spotlights U.S. dollar swap lines, a network of credit arrangements that let foreign central banks tap emergency dollar liquidity. Daniel McDowell, an Atlantic Council expert, warns that the growing reliance on these lines could signal underlying dollar...
US Court Rules Against Trump’s 10% Global Tariff, Lending India a Negotiating Edge
The U.S. Court of International Trade struck down President Donald Trump’s 10% global tariff, ruling it unlawful under Section 122 of a 1974 trade law. The decision restores import duties to the standard most‑favored‑nation (MFN) level for all trading partners,...
Is the Global Financial System Making the Hormuz Shock Worse?
The article argues that the current global financial architecture is aggravating the economic fallout from the Hormuz shock, a sudden disruption in oil flow through the Strait of Hormuz. Instead of providing liquidity, capital is fleeing vulnerable markets, pushing up...
India’s Bangladesh Policy Quagmire: Big Brother’s Recalcitrance and the Chinese Embrace
The BJP now controls all five Indian states that share a border with Bangladesh, giving New Delhi a political advantage but not a diplomatic guarantee. It appointed West Bengal politician Dinesh Trivedi as envoy to Dhaka, breaking the tradition of career diplomats. Ongoing...
The Middle East Had Everything Data Center Builders and Hyperscalers Could Wish for — Then the Iran War Happened
The Middle East has positioned itself as a data‑centre hub through AI strategies and sovereign wealth, attracting hyperscalers with cheap power and capital. However, Iran’s drone and missile attacks on AWS facilities in the UAE and Bahrain have exposed the...
Airtel Africa Puts Brakes on IPO Due to Iran War
Airtel Africa announced that its planned IPO of the Airtel Money unit will be postponed to the second half of 2026, citing market volatility triggered by the Iran‑Israel conflict. The company still aims to raise between $1.5 billion and $2 billion, which...
The Missing Linchpin of European Hard Power
Europe is accelerating its rearmament by building financial and industrial capacity after the Ukraine war and perceived U.S. disengagement. The article warns that without a unified political authority to command this new power, the continent could become more vulnerable. Recent...
No AI, Poor Returns Drive Indian Investors to Foreign Markets
Indian investors are increasingly allocating capital abroad, with overseas equity and debt purchases climbing 60% year‑over‑year to $2.2 billion in the 11 months to February. Domestic underperformance— the MSCI India Index lagged its emerging‑markets peer by roughly 50%— and a weakening...
Aberdeen Reiterates Thailand Commitment, Expands Global Investment Offerings
Aberdeen Investments reaffirmed its long‑term commitment to Thailand, citing over 25 years of on‑the‑ground experience and a growing wealth base. The firm is bolstering its Thai equity team while expanding access to global investment solutions for retail investors. It now...
Asia Week Ahead: China and India Release Highly Anticipated Inflation Data
The week ahead centers on inflation releases from China and India, alongside China’s trade figures. India’s consumer price index is projected to edge higher, mainly due to food price pressures, while China’s CPI is expected to hold steady at 1.0%...
Investors Dump Indian Assets as Energy Shock Sends Rupee Sliding
Investors are pulling billions from Indian equities and bonds after a sharp energy price shock pushed the rupee to its weakest level in months. Foreign portfolio outflows reached roughly $5 billion in the latest reporting week, while the rupee slipped to...
Lula Urges US Firms to Invest in Brazil’s Rare Earths
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula publicly urged U.S. companies to invest in Brazil’s nascent rare‑earth sector after a recent meeting with former President Donald Trump. Lula highlighted Brazil’s estimated 20 percent share of global rare‑earth reserves and the country’s ambition to become a...
Khwarizmi Ventures Launches Fund II with $70M+ First Close to Back GCC Startups
Khwarizmi Ventures, a Saudi‑based early‑stage VC, announced the first close of its second fund with commitments exceeding $70 million (SAR 270 million). The $70 million+ Fund II will target seed and Series A technology startups across the GCC, writing initial checks of $1‑5 million and reserving capital...
Banks to Weather Iran Shocks – BSP
The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) says Philippine banks have limited direct exposure to the Iran‑related Middle East conflict, relying on strong capital buffers and ample liquidity to absorb spillovers. Assets rose 8.9% to P29.9 trillion (about $538 billion) in 2025, while...
No AI, Poor Returns Drive Indian Investors to Foreign Markets
Indian investors, traditionally concentrated in domestic equities, are increasingly allocating capital to overseas markets. A prolonged period of weaker relative returns at home, combined with a lack of AI-driven investment tools, has eroded confidence in local assets. The shift follows...
Chinese Firms Suspend US Expansion as Business Climate Worsens
Chinese companies largely paused new US investments in 2025, citing a deteriorating business climate and heightened geopolitical risk. A CGCC survey revealed that 15% of firms reduced spending and 6% are weighing a full exit, while 79% intend to reinvest...
Trump Reversed Hormuz Plan After Saudis Denied Airspace Access
President Donald Trump announced a U.S. naval escort for commercial tankers through the Strait of Hormuz, prompting Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to deny U.S. overflight rights and access to Saudi bases. Within 24 hours, intense diplomatic exchanges led...
China’s Move to Cut EV Payment Cycles May Push Weaker Carmakers Out: S&P
Beijing has tightened oversight of price competition by forcing EV makers to shorten supplier payment cycles, cutting average terms from up to 300 days to around 50 days. S&P Global Ratings warns that the tighter cash‑flow regime will increase borrowing...
Hormuz Disruption Avoids Red Sea-Style Schedule Reliability Collapse
Sea‑Intelligence data shows global schedule reliability improved by 3.9 percentage points in March 2026, surpassing pre‑pandemic baselines. Unlike the Red Sea crisis, the Hormuz blockade generated a localized volume shock, prompting carriers to abandon the strait rather than delay vessels. The...
Wrapped in a Boeing: Will Trump’s China Visit Include Another Aircraft Deal?
President Donald Trump’s upcoming state visit to Beijing comes amid a U.S.-Iran war that is tightening global energy supplies and heightening economic uncertainty. The 2017 $37 billion, 300‑plane Boeing deal secured during his last China trip has stalled due to sanctions,...
Trump-Xi Summit Set to Weigh Iran Oil, Taiwan and US Exports
The Trump‑Xi summit will convene in Beijing on May 14‑15, tackling a packed agenda that includes Iranian oil sanctions, Chinese “teapot” refineries, Taiwan arms sales, and the release of Hong Kong media mogul Jimmy Lai. U.S. officials stress that while Iran‑related oil...
The Year’s Best Tech Trade Is Hiding in Plain Sight — and No, It’s Not the Nasdaq
South Korea’s KOSPI has surged 75% in U.S.‑dollar terms through early May, dwarfing the Nasdaq’s roughly 11% gain. The rally is driven by the country’s AI‑focused chipmakers, especially Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix, which dominate the high‑bandwidth memory market. A...
Trump, Xi Summit Set Despite China's Hesitance on Iran
U.S. President Donald Trump is moving forward with a summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing on May 14‑15, even as Chinese officials express unease about the unresolved U.S.–Iran conflict. The meeting, already postponed once due to the war,...
India's 6.6% Growth "Very Good Record" Amid Global Turmoil: Amitabh Kant
India’s economy expanded 6.6% year‑on‑year, cementing its position as the world’s fastest‑growing large economy despite wars, broken supply chains and rising protectionism. Former NITI Aayog chief Amitabh Kant praised the pace as a “very good record” and linked it to structural...
Morningstar DBRS Confirms India at BBB, Stable Trend
Morningstar DBRS reaffirmed India’s long‑term sovereign rating at BBB with a stable outlook and its short‑term rating at R‑2 (high), also stable. The agency highlighted the country’s resilient macro fundamentals—$700 bn of foreign‑exchange reserves, 3.4% CPI, and a fiscal deficit narrowed...
West Africa: Nigeria's Mining Sector Attracted $2.6bn FDI in 30 Months - Shettima
Nigeria’s vice president Kashim Shettima announced that the mining sector has attracted roughly $2.6 billion in foreign direct investment over the past 30 months, a direct result of recent reforms. The Tinubu administration has de‑risked the industry and made local value‑addition a licensing...
Iran Reduces Oil Production by 400,000 Bpd, Further Cut Back Expected
U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright said Iran has already cut oil output by about 400,000 barrels per day and may trim it further as domestic storage fills. A naval blockade has sharply reduced Iranian crude exports, leaving tankers stranded and...
Kalshi Traders See Odds Rising that a U.S.-Iran Nuclear Deal Will Be Reached by 2027
Prediction‑market platform Kalshi now prices a 58% probability that the United States and Iran will reach a nuclear agreement by 2027, with a 47% chance of a deal by September. The odds rose after an Axios report suggested the two...
U.S. Sanctions Iraq’s Deputy Oil Minister Over Alleged Iranian Oil Scheme
The U.S. Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control sanctioned Iraq’s Deputy Oil Minister Ali Maarij Al‑Bahadly and several militia‑linked firms for allegedly channeling Iraqi crude into networks that blend it with Iranian oil. The move is part of the Trump...