Southeast Asia Braces for 'Increasing Divergence' After Mixed 2025 Growth
2025 saw Southeast Asia split between export‑driven growth and contraction. Vietnam and Singapore recorded strong export gains despite U.S. tariff volatility, while the Philippines and Thailand were battered by severe weather events and political instability, dragging their economies down. The Asian Development Bank warns that divergent performance will widen as China’s deflationary export model and climate risks intensify trade pressures. Policymakers face a balancing act between leveraging growth pockets and mitigating systemic vulnerabilities.
COMMENT: Myanmar’s Fragile Post‑election Balancing Act
Myanmar’s December‑January 2025‑26 election was conducted solely in areas under junta control, cementing the military’s claim to power while excluding large swaths of the population. The vote did little to curb the civil war, as resistance forces—including the People’s Defence...
All Global Experiences Useful for Vietnam S International Financial Hub
Vietnam aims to build an international financial centre by drawing on global precedents such as Dubai’s DIFC, China’s Shenzhen and Hangzhou, and Kazakhstan’s AIFC. Experts stress that independent, long‑term regulation, niche specialization in digital and green finance, and adaptive legal...
Raised Ties Reaffirm Strategic Trust
Vietnam and the United Kingdom have upgraded their relationship to a comprehensive strategic partnership, the highest tier in Vietnam’s foreign‑policy framework. The deal follows Party General Secretary To Lam’s October visit to Britain and opens cooperation in politics, security, trade, education...
Meta Faces Probe Across 21 African Markets
Meta Platforms is under a COMESA investigation for altering WhatsApp Business API terms that favor its own AI tools, raising competition concerns across 21 African markets. In Nigeria, fintech Risevest secured a Securities and Exchange Commission fund‑manager licence after restructuring,...
India Sets ₹25,000 Crore Export Engine in Motion as Goyal Launches Plan
India’s Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal launched the ₹25,060‑crore Export Promotion Mission (EPM), a six‑year programme designed to boost outbound shipments and simplify export processes. The initiative consolidates multiple support schemes into a single, digitally driven framework aimed at micro, small...
Five Things to Know to Start Your Day
Nigeria's federal government ordered ministries to defer 70% of the 2025 capital budget to 2026, limiting new projects to prioritize existing ones amid weak revenues. The Independent Corrupt Practices Commission raided former Kaduna governor Nasir El‑Rufai’s Abuja home as he remains...
Strong Manufacturing Growth Lifts Flash PMI to Three-Month High of 59.3 in Feb
India’s flash Composite PMI rose to 59.3 in February, its strongest level in three months, driven by a surge in manufacturing activity. Total new orders grew at the fastest pace since November, pushing output to a four‑month high, while services...
Before the Ladder: Fixing Nigeria’s Broken Education Floor
Nigeria’s education system remains a fragile floor, with over 18 million children out of school and a majority of 10‑year‑olds unable to read basic texts. Public primary schools often lack essential infrastructure such as classrooms, furniture, sanitation, and reliable electricity, while...
Adani Power Limited Enters Nuclear Segment as India Opens Sector
Adani Power Limited has created a wholly‑owned subsidiary, Adani Atomic Energy Limited, to enter India’s nuclear power generation market. The move follows the Indian government’s SHANTI Bill, which relaxes licensing and permits controlled private participation in nuclear projects. The new...
Red Lines and the Reshaping of Asia’s Maritime Order
Former Chinese Vice‑Foreign Minister Fu Ying warned that the Philippines’ attempts to occupy Second Thomas Shoal and Sabina Shoal cross a newly articulated Chinese “red line.” The warning was backed by a June 2024 incident in which China Coast Guard vessels...
Africa Needs Patient Capital for the Long Term
Africa’s growth potential is hampered by a $350 billion SME financing gap and annual infrastructure needs of $130‑170 billion, far exceeding current investment. While the continent’s population tops 1.5 billion and GDP surpasses $3 trillion, capital flows remain fragmented and short‑term. The article argues...
PENGASSAN Warns Tinubu’s Order on NNPC Revenues Could Lead to Job Losses
The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) warned that President Bola Tinubu’s February 18 executive order, which channels oil and gas revenues directly into the federation account, undermines the financial autonomy granted to NNPC Limited under the...
Samsung Electronics, KT Hit Record 6G Speeds in 7GHz Band
Samsung Electronics, Korean carrier KT and test‑equipment firm Keysight reported a record 3 Gbps downlink in the 7 GHz band, a core frequency earmarked for 6G. The speed was achieved using a prototype base station with massive MIMO architecture that transmitted eight...
Pax Silica Pact: India Plugs Into US Tech Alliance to Secure Chips, AI and Critical Minerals
India signed the Pax Silica Declaration at the India AI Impact Summit, formally joining the U.S.-led technology coalition that spans semiconductors, artificial intelligence and critical minerals. The pact reinforces a full‑stack supply‑chain partnership aimed at reducing reliance on hostile or coercive...
Why Global Capital Is Looking at India Differently This Year
India’s economy is gaining traction through robust digital public infrastructure and maturing regulatory frameworks, positioning it as a distinct asset class for global investors. The latest Union Budget underscores this shift by offering a 20‑year tax holiday and a flat...
China’s Submarine Surge Testing Pacific’s Undersea Balance
China’s nuclear‑submarine production has accelerated dramatically, with the Bohai shipyard launching more hulls in 2021‑25 than the entire previous decade and overtaking the United States in annual launches for the first time. The yard now produces roughly two Type‑093B attack...
Pakistani PM Holds Talks with Rubio After Washington Summit
Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif met U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Washington on Feb 19, focusing on cooperation in critical minerals, energy, counter‑terrorism and potential American investment. The discussion also highlighted Pakistan’s backing of President Donald Trump’s Gaza peace plan...
Indonesian Tycoon Mochtar Riady’s OUE REIT Seeks Buyers For Prime Singapore CBD Tower
OUE Commercial REIT, controlled by Indonesian tycoon Mochtar Riady, is seeking buyers for its flagship One Raffles Place tower in Singapore’s CBD. The sale, handled by CBRE and JLL, targets a reserve price of up to S$2.4 billion, roughly 24% above...
Infra Sector Outlook Cautious as Weak Q3 Performance Leads to 4% YoY Contraction: Nuvama Research
India's infrastructure sector posted a 4% year‑on‑year revenue contraction in Q3 FY26, driven by eroding order books, payment delays, prolonged monsoons and construction bans. Average EBITDA margin slipped 40 basis points to 10.1%, while adjusted PAT margin fell to 5.2%....
Vietnam Making the Leap Into AI and Semiconductors
Vietnam is targeting a selective role in the AI and semiconductor value chains, emphasizing manufacturing, testing, packaging and applied AI rather than frontier chip design. The strategy builds on a mature electronics production base, abundant skilled labor and strong ASEAN...
US Pays About $160m Towards Nearly $4bn in UN Dues
The United States transferred roughly $160 million toward its nearly $4 billion UN arrears, a modest contribution amid a broader shortfall. Washington still owes about $2.196 billion for the UN’s regular budget and $1.8 billion for peacekeeping operations. President Trump, long critical of the...
IMF Warns Venezuela’s Economy and Humanitarian Situation Is ‘Quite Fragile’
The IMF warned that Venezuela’s economy and humanitarian situation remain “quite fragile,” citing triple‑digit inflation, a sharply depreciating currency and public debt at roughly 180 percent of GDP. The country has seen massive emigration, with about 8 million people leaving since 2014,...
Turkmen Leader’s Visit to United States Remains Shrouded in Mystery
Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov made a low‑profile trip to the United States from February 16‑18, with reports suggesting a possible meeting at President Trump’s Mar‑a‑Lago club. Turkmen state media offered only vague remarks about fostering "mutually beneficial cooperation," while U.S. officials...
Civil War-Torn Sudan Sits On Unexplored Mineral Riches Worth Billions
Sudan, despite a civil war that began in 2023, is courting foreign investors to develop its largely untapped mineral portfolio that includes gold, copper, uranium and rare‑earth elements. Gold production set a new record of 70 tonnes in 2025, generating...
Azerbaijan to Build Baku Tram System
Azerbaijan announced a five‑line tram system for Baku, targeting completion by 2030. The first line will run from the city’s northern outskirts to the May 28 metro station, with an open tender for design and construction expected by the end of...
Lynx Investment Advisory Buy $5 Million of Akre Focus ETF
Lynx Investment Advisory disclosed a new $5.73 million position in the Akre Focus ETF (AKRE) during Q4 2025, purchasing 87,467 shares. The holding accounts for 3.1 % of Lynx’s reportable assets under management, though it sits outside the firm’s top five holdings....
Tongaat Hulett Collapse Looms
Tongaat Hulett, South Africa's leading sugar producer, is heading for provisional liquidation after its business rescue plan collapsed. The Vision Group's acquisition of lender claims and a debt‑to‑equity swap failed, leaving the rescue unimplementable. Cosatu warns the collapse will trigger...
AI Funding Set to Bring Mining Into 21st Century
At the recent African Mining Indaba, South Africa’s mining minister highlighted the country’s lagging digital cadastre and licensing system, which costs the economy roughly R70 bn annually. The United Arab Emirates’ $1 bn G20 AI for Development pledge is being positioned as...
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6.1 Million Workers Have the Most to Lose From AI
A Brookings Institution study finds that 6.1 million U.S. workers occupy jobs highly exposed to AI while possessing low ability to transition to new roles. Customer service representatives top the list of at‑risk occupations, and the cohort is 86 % women in...
Wealth Manager Bets Big on International ETF
Wealth manager Financial Council disclosed a $10.55 million purchase of 159,189 shares of the iShares MSCI ACWI ex U.S. ETF (ACWX) on Feb. 4, 2026, raising the fund to 5.65% of its reportable assets. The ETF posted a 1‑year total return of 35.4%,...
What We Learned at the African Union Summit and Munich Security Conference
The latest Devex podcast recapped the African Union Summit and the Munich Security Conference, highlighting the African Continental Free Trade Area’s ongoing tariff reductions to boost intra‑African trade. Discussions emphasized the creation of strategic mineral corridors, with U.S. officials promising...
Developed Economies May Take Gold in Milan but Emerging Markets Are Winning Advisors
Emerging‑market equities have outpaced U.S. and European stocks in 2026, with the iShares MSCI Emerging Markets ETF up more than 11% year‑to‑date and 37% over the past twelve months. Wealth‑management firms are responding by raising EM exposure to roughly 10‑12%...
Labour Codes: Nearly Two Dozen Employer Compliances Listed
India’s labour and employment ministry has issued a handbook detailing nearly two dozen compliance obligations for employers under the four newly‑enforced labour codes. The codes—covering wages, social security, industrial relations, and occupational safety—replaced 29 legacy statutes on 21 November 2025. Obligations are...
Costa Rica Shifts From Tourism Icon to Diversified Investment Powerhouse
Costa Rica is evolving from a tourism destination known for low‑density eco‑luxury to a diversified investment hub that blends eco‑lodges, ultra‑luxury resorts, and branded all‑inclusive properties. Long‑standing sustainability policies and political stability have become qualifying criteria for global luxury brands...
Temnycky in Forbes on Europe’s Move to Phase Out Russian LNG in 2026
Mark Temnycky, a non‑resident fellow at the Atlantic Council, wrote in Forbes that the European Union will fully phase out Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG) by the end of 2026. The move is framed as a step toward greater energy...
Discussions for India's Full Membership of IEA Underway
The International Energy Agency has opened formal discussions to grant India full membership, building on its associate status since 2017 and a 2023 request. Ministers from IEA member states agreed in February 2024 to start talks, signaling a push to...
India-EU FTA to Open New Avenues for Trade, Investment: PM Modi, Greek Counterpart
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis affirmed that the recently concluded India‑EU Free Trade Agreement will unlock fresh trade and investment opportunities between India and the European Union. The leaders discussed expanding cooperation under the India‑Middle East‑Europe...
Maersk to Upsize India-USEC Capacity to Tap Post-Trade Deal Cargo Growth
Maersk announced a significant upsizing of its West India‑US East Coast (MECL) service to add incremental westbound container capacity. The move follows the United States’ reduction of tariffs on Indian‑made goods from 50% to 25%, with a further cut to...
Meloni's Ethiopia Visit Firms up Italy's Africa Plans
Italian Prime Minister Georgia Meloni visited Ethiopia to cement Italy’s renewed Africa strategy, highlighting the operational rollout of the Mattei Plan. The plan aims to turn Italy into an energy hub by building pipelines that export gas and hydrogen from...
Inside the Trump Trade Strategy with USTR’s Jamieson Greer
In a February 2026 Atlantic Council podcast, U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer revisited the Trump administration’s aggressive trade agenda, focusing on the looming United States‑Mexico‑Canada Agreement (USMCA) review. Greer confirmed that a full U.S. withdrawal from the pact remains "on...
Congo Offers Rebel-Held Rubaya Tantalum Mine to US in Minerals Deal
The Democratic Republic of Congo has placed the rebel‑held Rubaya coltan mine on a shortlist of strategic assets offered to the United States under a new minerals‑cooperation framework. Rubaya, which supplies roughly 15% of the world’s coltan, requires between $50 million...
Comesa Probes Meta for Locking Rival Chatbots Out of WhatsApp
The COMESA Competition and Consumer Commission (CCCC) has opened an investigation into Meta Platforms Ireland Ltd for allegedly abusing its dominant position by amending WhatsApp Business Solution Terms in October 2025 to block rival AI chatbot providers. The probe follows...
Trump Wants US Energy Dominance. Global Markets May Not Agree
President Trump’s energy dominance agenda has boosted US fossil fuel output, with oil production reaching record levels and LNG exports rising over 20 percent. The administration has kept five coal‑fired plants operating through regulatory rollbacks and secured Pentagon contracts, while...
India-France to Set up National Centre of Excellence (NCoE) in Kanpur
India and France announced a joint National Centre of Excellence (NCoE) in Kanpur to deliver advanced aeronautics and defence skill training. The centre will operate under the PM‑SETU scheme, which earmarks Rs 60,000 crore to modernise 1,000 ITIs across India. It will...
EU-Backed Minerals Projects in Africa Move From Policy to Proof
The European Commission has granted strategic status to four African mineral projects—two in South Africa and Zambia, plus sites in Malawi and Madagascar—under the Critical Raw Materials Act, with decisions due in Q2 2026. The Zandkopsdrift rare‑earth operation in South Africa...
World Briefs | Rwanda Hikes Lending Rate on Higher Inflation
Rwanda’s central bank raised its key lending rate by 50 basis points to 7.25% on Thursday, reacting to a jump in consumer price inflation to 8.9% year‑on‑year in January. The move aims to bring inflation back within the bank’s 2‑8%...
Pakistan’s Search for Strategic Flexibility in South Asia
Amid waning external security guarantees, Pakistan has begun exploratory talks with Turkey and Saudi Arabia to create a flexible, informal security platform separate from its 2025 Strategic Mutual Defense Agreement with Riyadh. The trilateral dialogue focuses on defense‑industrial cooperation, with...
World Briefs | Nigeria’s Tinubu and Germany’s Merz Talk Security, Power Deal in Phone Call
Nigerian President Bola Tinubu and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz discussed reviving a stalled electricity transmission project with Siemens and the purchase of used German helicopters, highlighting deeper security and power cooperation. France’s audit office warned that the country must shift...
Govt Identifies L1 Insurers for Restructured Weather Crop Insurance Scheme in J&K
The Government of Jammu and Kashmir has appointed Agriculture Insurance Company of India and Tata AIG General Insurance as the lowest‑bid insurers for the Restructured Weather‑Based Crop Insurance Scheme. The scheme will protect apple and saffron growers in Kashmir and mango,...