As Economic Despair Mounts, Russian Official Admits the Country Has Had Enough of Putin’s War on Ukraine. ‘We Can’t Even...
Russia’s economy contracted in the first two months of 2026, prompting Vladimir Putin to publicly acknowledge the downturn. Ukrainian drone strikes have damaged key oil‑export hubs and forced a scaled‑back Victory Day parade, underscoring mounting military setbacks. Domestic discontent is evident as Putin’s approval fell to 65.6% from 77.8% earlier this year. The central bank responded with a fifth consecutive half‑point rate cut, bringing the benchmark to 14.5%.
Mideast Peace Efforts in Focus as Trading Resumes: Markets Wrap
Investors are weighing the latest Middle‑East truce proposals as the market resumes trading after a week of heightened tension. President Trump announced the U.S. will begin guiding non‑combatant vessels out of the Strait of Hormuz and cited "very positive" talks...
Fitch Stress Test Sees No Turkish Bank Failure Even if Iran Conflict Drives Lira to USD/75
Fitch Ratings’ stress test shows that Turkish banks can absorb a severe shock from a prolonged Iran conflict, even if the lira slides to 75 per dollar and non‑performing loans rise to 7.5% by end‑2026. In the worst‑case scenario only...
India and Tanzania Review Expanding Trade and Digital Cooperation at Joint Trade Committee Meeting
India and Tanzania held the fifth Joint Trade Committee meeting in Dar es Salaam, reviewing progress since 2017 and outlining deeper cooperation across digital infrastructure, health, energy and agriculture. Bilateral trade grew to $9.02 bn in 2025‑26, up from $8.64 bn the...
Atiku Cautions Tinubu Against Oil Windfall Misuse, Reserve Depletion
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar warned President Bola Tinubu that Nigeria’s recent oil windfall – roughly $11 billion – is being squandered while external reserves fell by about $1.57 billion in a single month. He argued that the Central Bank’s foreign‑exchange interventions...
‘No Margin for Error’ Sparks Rush for Hedges in Emerging Bonds
Emerging‑market bond prices have rallied for a 12th month, but investors are growing uneasy as the Iran‑related conflict drags on. JPMorgan Chase & Co. is urging clients to hedge with a credit‑default swap index, while Fidelity International and Frontier Road...
Markets with Bertie: Why Are the Foreigners Flitting Off ?
Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) withdrew roughly $20 bn from Indian equities in the first four months of 2024, a figure mirrored—and even exceeded—in Korea where outflows approached $40 bn. The popular narrative that capital is fleeing India because it lacks listed AI...
German Foreign Minister Wadephul, in Call with Iranian Counterpart, Demands Hormuz Reopening
German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul told Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and abandon its nuclear weapons program during a call with Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi. He framed the demand as consistent with the United States, which also seeks...
OPEC Members Increase Oil Production Quota by 188,000 Bpd, No Word on UAE's Withdrawal Amid War in West Asia
Saudi Arabia, Russia and five other OPEC members announced a 188,000 barrel‑per‑day increase to the June production quota, effectively filling the gap left by the United Arab Emirates’ sudden withdrawal from the cartel. The boost mirrors similar adjustments made in...
Poland’s President Plans Constitution Rewrite
Poland’s nationalist President Karol Nawrocki appointed a council on Constitution Day to draft a new constitution, selecting members largely tied to the ruling Law and Justice (PiS) party. The proposal faces steep legislative hurdles, requiring two‑thirds approval in the Sejm...
IRGC Just Outdid Khamenei? Forces Kuwait to Halt All Crude Exports for the First Time in 35 Years?
On April 2026, Kuwait ceased all crude oil shipments, marking the first full export halt since the Gulf War. TankerTrackers confirmed zero outbound cargo, attributing the stoppage to heightened security risks in the Strait of Hormuz amid escalating U.S.-Iran tensions....
Will the Iran War Amplify the ‘Second China Shock’?
The article examines whether the escalating conflict in Iran could intensify the so‑called “second China shock,” a wave of supply‑chain disruption and economic decoupling that began as China’s growth slowed. It outlines how war‑related oil price spikes, maritime security concerns...
Africa: DRC's Rise to Africa's Top Five - A Moment Built on Minerals and Momentum
The International Monetary Fund now projects the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s GDP at roughly $123 billion in 2026, positioning it as sub‑Saharan Africa’s fifth‑largest economy, just ahead of Ethiopia. The surge is driven by the DRC’s dominance in cobalt and...
Sleepy Lamu Port Slowly Awakens as an Alternative Gateway to East Africa
Kenya’s $2.5 billion Lamu port, a deep‑water facility, has seen a dramatic surge in traffic as Middle East tensions force vessels to reroute. In the first four months of 2024, 102 ships—including the first pure car carriers—called at the port, with...
Trump Casts Doubt on Iran’s New Peace Proposal
President Donald Trump announced he has received Iran’s 14‑point peace proposal, delivered via Pakistan, but expressed skepticism, arguing Tehran has not yet paid a sufficient price for its actions over the past 47 years. He warned that if diplomatic progress...
Africa Enduring ‘Good’ Problem of Spending Own Growth Funds
Africa boasts roughly $4 trillion in domestic capital across banks, pension funds, insurance and sovereign wealth, yet struggles to channel it into infrastructure. The Africa Finance Corporation’s State of Africa’s Infrastructure Report 2026 highlights a $2 trillion institutional capital pool that remains under‑utilised...
Armenia Summits Show Europe’s Caucasus Rivalry With Trump, Putin
Twin European summits in Yerevan highlighted a sharpening contest for influence in the Caucasus as Armenia pivots toward the EU and the United States. The EU announced up to $2.9 billion to boost transport, energy and digital links, while President Trump’s...
Chinese Exports of Green Technologies Surged to Record Levels After Iran War Began
Chinese green‑technology exports surged to record levels in March as the Iran war triggered a global oil shock. China shipped 68 GW of solar equipment, a 50% jump over the previous peak, while total solar, battery and electric‑vehicle exports rose 70%...
Fuel Crunch Driven by Iran War Boosts China’s Electric Two-Wheeler Exports to South-East Asia
Chinese electric two‑wheelers saw a sharp export surge to Southeast Asia in Q1 2026 as the Iran‑driven fuel crunch forced consumers to seek cheaper alternatives. Exports to Myanmar jumped 617.5% YoY to 64.7 million yuan (≈$9 million), while Laos and Cambodia grew 25.7%...
Singapore’s Safe-Haven Status Draws More Chinese Capital Into Property Sector
Chinese developers have become the second‑largest source of fixed‑asset investment in Singapore, contributing 21% of the S$14.16 billion (≈US$11.07 billion) invested in 2025. High‑profile residential land purchases—including a S$951 million (≈US$704 million) Dover Drive lot and a S$918 million (≈US$680 million) Telok Blangah site—highlight the surge in...
CEA Nageswaran Calls for Capex Push Amid EV Growth Momentum
Chief Economic Adviser V. Anantha Nageswaran urged Indian corporates to boost capital expenditure despite a 31% annual profit rise among the top 500 firms post‑pandemic, noting that investment has lagged. He warned that private‑sector under‑investment forces the public sector to...
An Inevitable Rise in Chinese-Made EVs in America?
U.S. policymakers from both parties have converged on a hard line against Chinese electric vehicles, with President Biden imposing a 100% tariff and former President Trump echoing the same stance. Chinese EV makers leverage years of joint‑venture experience and advanced...
Beyond Subsidies: What’s Really Driving China’s Industrial Climb
China’s industrial ascent is entering a second wave—dubbed “China shock 2.0”—as the nation pivots from traditional textiles, furniture and appliances to electric vehicles, batteries and solar panels, and now to AI, industrial robots and innovative medicines. State funding has poured roughly...
Buying the Dip? This Bull Run Has Offered Shallow Ones
Since the March 2020 rally, the Nifty 50 has delivered one of India’s longest bull runs, but corrections have been unusually shallow. Only four drawdowns exceeded 10% over 2,229 days, and 5%‑plus pullbacks now average a 203‑day interval, far longer than past...
Impact of UAE’s Exit From OPEC
The United Arab Emirates has formally exited OPEC, giving the world’s third‑largest oil exporter freedom to set its own production levels. By pledging a gradual increase in output, the UAE could add modest supply that eases price pressures in the...
Middle East Conflict May Derail Philippines Upper Middle-Income Bid
The Department of Economy, Planning and Development warned that a prolonged Middle East conflict could dampen the Philippines’ economic growth, threatening its bid for upper‑middle‑income status. The World Bank will base its July 2026 income classification on 2025 performance, not...
France Seeks Enforceable Rules in India-EU FTA Talks
France is urging the India‑EU free‑trade agreement to include enforceable rules on non‑tariff barriers, moving beyond political alignment toward concrete implementation. The pact, signed on 27 January 2026, grants duty‑free access to over 99% of Indian exports—about $33.5 billion worth—while offering the...
DEA Notifies FDI Easing for Foreign Cos with up to 10 Pc Chinese Stake Under FEMA
India’s Finance Ministry has eased foreign direct investment rules, allowing overseas companies with up to a 10 percent Chinese or Hong Kong shareholding to invest via the automatic route under FEMA. The change, approved by the Union Cabinet in March, shifts the...
Crude Surge Is a Price Shock, Not Supply Shock for India: CEA Nageswaran
Chief Economic Advisor V Anantha Nageswaran told the ICPP Growth Conference that the recent surge in crude‑oil prices is a price shock, not a supply disruption for India. He outlined four transmission channels – higher oil‑price inputs, trade slowdown, sticky logistics costs,...
Resilience Through Volatility
Franklin Templeton’s "Resilience Through Volatility" briefing underscores the firm’s philosophy of navigating turbulent markets with disciplined risk management and ESG‑aware strategies. The material is framed by extensive legal disclosures, emphasizing that the content is not personalized investment advice and that...
Trump Sons Hold Stake in Kazakh Tungsten Venture Backed by $1.6bn in US Government Funds
Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump invested in Skyline Builders, which merged with Cove Kaz Capital to form Kaz Resources Inc., a venture developing Kazakhstan's massive undeveloped tungsten deposits. The project secured up to $1.6 bn in U.S. government financing from...
Europe Wants Africa’s Minerals. Africa Should Make It Pay
Europe is intensifying its hunt for critical minerals across Africa to fuel its green and digital transitions, yet the EU’s partnership narrative clashes with a lagging delivery model. The Global Gateway initiative, earmarked at €30 bn ($33 bn) through 2027, has struggled...
The Iran War Proves that U.S. Economic Coercion Is Weakening
The Iran war has exposed the waning power of U.S. economic coercion, as Tehran finds ways around decades‑long sanctions and the United States struggles to enforce its financial pressure. While the conflict has strained global oil markets, higher gasoline prices...
The Iran War Has Turned the World’s Shipping Straits Into a Chessboard—And the U.S. Aims to Box Out China From...
The United States is leveraging the Iran‑Iran war’s Hormuz blockade to launch a broader geopolitical push against China, targeting key maritime chokepoints from the Panama Canal to the Strait of Malacca. Washington has secured new military partnerships with Indonesia and...
Taiwan Budget Delay Risks Drones Proven Vital by Iran, Ukraine: Lawmaker
Taiwan's legislature is facing a delay in approving its defense budget, raising concerns that drone procurement could be cut. The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) warns that the opposition Kuomintang's (KMT) push for spending reductions sends the wrong signal to both...
OFAC Issues New and Updated General Licenses Authorizing Venezuelan Energy Sector Activities Involving Venezuelan-Origin Oil, Gas, and Petrochemical Activities
The U.S. Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) issued General License 52 and amended licenses 46B, 48A, 49A, and 50A, widening permissible activities for U.S. entities in Venezuela’s oil, gas and petrochemical sectors. GL 52 authorizes established U.S. firms to engage...
UAE Exits OPEC: What Forced the West Asian Nation to Junk the Oil Cartel Amid the US-Iran War? Explained
The United Arab Emirates announced on May 1, 2026 that it will leave OPEC, ending its participation in the cartel’s production‑quota system. Analysts say the move is a pre‑planned shift driven by a mismatch between the UAE’s 4.8 million‑barrel‑per‑day capacity and the 3.2 million‑bpd...
China Blocks Meta’s Manus Takeover, Upending a Bet on Singapore’s AI Sanctuary Role
China’s National Development and Reform Commission ordered Meta to unwind its $2 billion acquisition of Singapore‑based AI startup Manus, effectively ending the so‑called “Manus Model” of Chinese AI firms using neutral hubs to attract Western capital. The move signals tighter Chinese...
Thailand Targets Foreign Capital with Key Reform
Thailand’s Association of Investment Management Companies is proposing a private‑trust framework to lure foreign wealth, aiming to unlock up to 1 trillion baht (about $27 billion) in capital over two years. The plan mirrors Singapore’s tax‑incentive model, offering exemptions and linking benefits...
MOFA Speaks Out About Threats in China-US Call
Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) voiced concern after Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi warned the United States during a call with Secretary of State Marco Rubio. The remarks came ahead of a high‑profile US‑China summit scheduled for May 14‑15 between President Donald Trump...
Iran War Shakes Global Economy as Energy Costs Surge and Recession Fears Grow
In just over nine weeks, the Iran war has sent shockwaves through the global economy, driving up oil and gas prices and igniting inflationary pressures worldwide. Countries that rely on Gulf imports—such as Sri Lanka, Mexico, the United Kingdom and...
Exxon Mobil CEO Sees ‘More to Come’ on Price Spikes From Iran War as Exxon, Chevron Beat on Earnings Despite...
Exxon Mobil and Chevron posted first‑quarter earnings that beat analysts’ forecasts, yet both saw net income plunge year‑over‑year as early‑year price weakness and Middle‑East disruptions hit results. CEOs Darren Woods and Mike Wirth warned that if the Strait of Hormuz...
U.S. Targets Iran–China Oil Pipeline in Dual Sanctions Move on Shipping and Finance
The United States announced a dual‑pronged sanctions package that hits a China‑based oil terminal, Qingdao Haiye Oil Terminal Co., for handling tens of millions of barrels of Iranian crude since early 2025, and three Iranian currency‑exchange houses that convert oil...
Risk-On Mood Persists, but Watch for Volatility
Global equities have resumed their upward trajectory after the United States and Iran agreed to a cease‑fire, sustaining a risk‑on market mood. The strategy now calls for underweighting oil, which surged during the conflict, and adding gold as inflation concerns...
The IEA’s Fatih Birol on ‘the Greatest Energy Security Threat in History’
International Energy Agency Executive Director Fatih Birol told an Atlantic Council event that the ongoing war in Iran represents the greatest energy security threat in history. He warned that disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz could force oil prices to...
Investors Dump Philippine Securities as War Rattles Markets
Foreign portfolio investors pulled $1.96 billion from the Philippines in March, marking the largest three‑month outflow and shifting the first‑quarter net balance to a $2.81 billion loss. The retreat was most acute in government securities, which saw a $1.3 billion net outflow after...
Has De-Dollarization Begun?
U.S. President Donald Trump’s escalating conflict with Iran is prompting global policymakers to question the dollar’s dominance. At the IMF and World Bank spring meetings in Washington, officials highlighted the erosion of confidence in the U.S. financial system. UK Chancellor...
A US-India Partnership for the AI Age
The United States, while retaining a lead in frontier AI models and high‑end compute, is seeking a strategic partnership with India to secure the talent and data needed to stay ahead of China’s accelerating AI capabilities. Washington views AI as...
Developing an Africa-Focused Tech Agenda for the United States to Outcompete China
In December 2025 the Atlantic Council convened a high‑level workshop on U.S.–China competition in Africa’s tech ecosystems. The memo highlights Africa’s fast‑growing, youthful market—projected to exceed 2.5 billion people by 2050—and the need for the United States to match China’s tailored,...
Iran Doubles Down on Fight for Control over Strait of Hormuz
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei announced a new phase in Tehran’s bid to dominate the Strait of Hormuz, declaring the waterway will remain under Iranian control. He pledged to use Iran’s “modern technological capacities,” including its nuclear and missile...