Today's Global Economy Pulse
Fed's Kashkari warns inflation remains far too high
Minneapolis Fed President Neel Kashkari told CNBC that headline CPI was 3.8% in April and core CPI rose 2.8% year‑over‑year. He said the persistent price pressure could unanchor consumer expectations and may force the Federal Reserve to act more aggressively.
Money and Me: Investors and North Asia Edge
In this episode, host Michelle Martin talks with Vance Tan, Financial Services Manager at Phillip Capital, about why North Asia – Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan – is emerging as a new engine for global growth. Tan highlights Japan’s re‑rating potential driven by corporate governance reforms, higher dividends and buybacks; South Korea’s cheap, chip‑centric market poised for earnings acceleration as memory demand rebounds; and Taiwan’s dominant role in AI‑related semiconductor manufacturing via TSMC. He also stresses the importance of AI infrastructure themes such as semiconductors, data‑center cooling, and cybersecurity, while warning investors about currency risk when investing overseas.
Iran's Threats Make Hormuz Transit Too Risky
Hormuz isn’t controlled. It’s poisoned. There's no blockade & no toll booth. Iran has made transit so dangerous that no rational vessel owner moves. Iran's "approval" through exemptions is bullshit Flows remain stopped except for a few tankers willing to take great risk. #Hormuz #IranWar...
India's Energy Imports Quadruple Since 2000, Heightening Vulnerability
#IndiaWatch🇮🇳: India’s net energy imports have exploded over the past 2 decades. Net energy imports have SURGED more than 4x since 2000. MORE ENERGY IMPORTS = MORE VULNERABILITY. https://t.co/PxS0fxVpuJ
China’s Energy Build Drives GDP Growth While Europe Has a Drag From Low, Costly Energy
Europe’s heavy regulatory and permitting hurdles are driving persistently high energy costs and slowing renewable deployment, while China’s fast‑track, state‑driven energy strategy is rapidly expanding capacity. In 2025 China added over 430 GW of wind and solar, pushing total power capacity...
Closing Hormuz Cuts Oil Supply, Money Can’t Fix It
You can paper over financial losses, but you can’t paper over lost barrels, says @LynAldenContact You can print money. You can’t print oil. Shut Hormuz and the problem isn’t financial—it’s physical. No barrels. No flows. No workaround. #IranWar #Hormuz #OilMarkets #EnergyCrisis #Geopolitics #SystemShock
Oil Crisis Hitting Asia Foreshadows Tough Times for Europe
The war in Iran has effectively blocked the Strait of Hormuz, cutting global oil supplies by about 10 % and pushing Brent crude above $100 per barrel. The disruption also curtails LNG flows, tightening energy inputs for power and fertilizer production....
Somalia vs Somaliland: Why Recognizing Somaliland Makes Strategic Sense for Trump & USA?
Donald Trump’s harsh criticism of Somalia underscores a stark contrast with Somaliland, which has built a functioning democratic state since its 1991 independence claim. Somaliland operates under a 2001 constitution, holds regular elections, and maintains its own security forces, currency,...
Iran Closing Hormuz Strait: The Ultimate Conspiracy Theory
In case you have not read it. remember, the biggest conspiracy theory is Iran closing the Hormuz strait. Think about it!
Iran Rejects Trump’s Ultimatum on Strait of Hormuz, Calls Him ‘Unstable’
Iran's culture minister denounced President Donald Trump as unstable after Trump threatened to bomb Iranian power plants and bridges if the Strait of Hormuz stayed closed. Trump warned of a strike on Tuesday, insisting the waterway must remain open for...
Trump’s Iran Ultimatum Spikes Oil, Fuels Market Volatility
Trump's 48-hour Iran ultimatum just sent oil futures through the roof. This geopolitical tension could spell trouble for broader markets. Going live in 2 hours to trade this volatility with our DOTS indicator signals. https://t.co/66dSROeuCi https://t.co/E2Zf77HxKR
Stock Market Today: Gift Nifty Down; US-Iran War, Oil, Gold, Silver Rates — Seven Stocks to Buy or Sell on...
Indian equities experienced sharp swings, with the Sensex dropping 2.22% and the Nifty 2.14% at the close of FY26. The new FY27 opened higher, gaining about 1.6% on banking, IT and auto stocks, but slipped again after renewed US‑Iran tension....
Social Security COLA Could Exceed 4% in 2027, Boosting Retirement Income
The OECD now projects U.S. inflation at 4.2% for 2026, a sharp rise from the Federal Reserve’s 2.7% estimate. If the CPI‑W matches that forecast, the Social Security Administration could issue a cost‑of‑living adjustment (COLA) of over 4% for 2027,...
Even After Tariffs, China Stays Indispensable Manufacturing Hub
JUST IN: President Trump's tariffs targeted Chinese manufacturing, but one electronics firm concluded after a turbulent 2025 that China remains a hard-to-replace hub if conditions stay stable.
Explosives Near Balkan Stream Gas Pipeline Spark Energy‑Security Fears Ahead of Hungarian Election
Serbian police discovered two backpacks of high‑power explosives near the Balkan Stream pipeline, an extension of Russia's TurkStream that feeds gas to Hungary. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán called an emergency defence council meeting, while opposition leader Péter Magyar warned...
Western Media Misstates Russia's Modest Growth vs Ukraine's Decline
The Western press continues to repeat untruths about Russia's economy. Russia has grown at a modest rate since the Great Financial Crisis of 2008. Whereas, Ukraine's has sunk. HANKE'S 95% RULE = 95% OF WHAT YOU READ IN THE PRESS IS EITHER...
Tokyo Equities on Edge as Iran Tensions Cloud Outlook
Tokyo’s Nikkei 225 slipped 0.47% to 53,123.49 on April 3, reflecting heightened sensitivity to Iran‑related geopolitical risk. A U.S. deadline for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and President Trump’s frustrated social‑media remarks have kept markets on edge. Traders anticipate...
Philippines Inflation Seen Quickening as Oil and Food Costs Rise
Philippine headline inflation is projected to rise sharply in March, with estimates ranging from 3.5% to 4.3% after February’s 2.4% rate. The surge is driven by higher oil, electricity and food prices, especially rice. Analysts warn the reading could push...
Ukrainian Drones Torch Russia's Key Novorossiysk Oil Hub
Today, Ukrainian drone strikes SET FIRE to Russia’s major oil export terminals in Novorossiysk. The port handles over half of Russia’s crude and petroleum product shipments. YOU DON'T WANT TO BE SHORT OIL. https://t.co/XlgmcpVhsH
Postwar “Normal” Economy Was Historically Unprecedented
The “normal” postwar economy that everyone misses was the most unusual moment in all of economic history. Military spending was just one aspect…
Corridors Through the Caucasus
Azerbaijan is leveraging its strategic location between Europe and Asia to develop the Middle Corridor, investing heavily in rail, port and aviation infrastructure to become a multimodal logistics hub. The government aims to diversify its hydrocarbon‑dependent economy by capturing high‑value,...
Futures Verdict: President’s Weekend Bender Hurts Business
If you were wondering whether the President’s weekend bender helped or hurt the long-term interest of American business, futures markets just opened, and delivered their verdict. https://t.co/YNWdATAMmc
The Looming Diesel Disaster
Australian policymakers have slashed diesel excise and GST in an effort to blunt rising fuel costs for households. The authors argue that the tax cuts provide only temporary relief while ignoring the deeper problem of dwindling diesel supplies and rising...
BBL Recommends Thai Businesses Mull Expansion to India
Bangkok Bank is urging Thai companies to diversify away from the United States and tap India’s massive market as geopolitical tensions rise. The bank’s president highlighted India’s strategic importance as a consumer base, investment hub, and supply‑chain partner. BBL pledged...
Geopolitical Risk Dominates S&P 500 10‑K Disclosures
I analyzed fifty S&P 500 10-Ks. The data is wild. I scanned for 8 risk themes: tariffs, war, geopolitical risk, oil/energy, sanctions, supply chain, interest rates, and recession. Morgan Stanley has 221 mentions of geopolitical risk. Citigroup has 269 mentions. Bank of America had...
Andrew Tilton on China’s Growth Prospects, Economic Trajectory in Wake of Iran War
Goldman Sachs chief Asia‑Pacific economist Andrew Tilton told the South China Morning Post that China’s property slump has passed its worst phase, removing a major drag on growth. He highlighted that GDP is now projected to rebound above 5% this...
Lone Russian Corvette Flies the St. Andrew’s Flag in the Med
The Russian Navy’s Mediterranean presence has contracted to a single surface vessel, the Steregushchiy‑class corvette RFS Stoykiy. The Project 636.6 Kilo‑class submarine RFS Krasnodar and its support tug Altay completed a three‑month patrol and exited the region via the Strait of Gibraltar on...
Iran Conflict Spikes Oil, Threatens UST Long‑end Auctions
This is a high-stakes week for the bond market. The recent spike in crude prices - fueled by the conflict in Iran - will show up in March’s inflation data. The consensus on Wall Street is a headline print...
Kazakhstan Service Sector Saw Green Shoots of Recovery in March, PMI Shows
Kazakhstan’s service sector showed modest recovery in March, with the Freedom Holding Corp Purchasing Managers’ Index climbing to 49.2 from 48.0 in February. The uptick was driven by a slight rebound in new business orders, while input‑price inflation eased back...
US Chemical Stocks Surge 6% Amid Gulf Crude Squeeze
U.S. chemical producers like Dow are outperforming the S&P 500, with shares up about ~6%, as access to Persian Gulf crude (a key ingredient for plastics) tightens due to the Iran war
How Will the Iran War Change the Middle East? We Asked 5 Experts
On February 28 the United States and Israel launched a coordinated war against Iran, prompting Tehran to strike U.S. assets across the Persian Gulf and fire missiles at Israeli targets. Israel responded with a ground invasion of southern Lebanon to counter...
Vietnam Bookings Jump 130% as Middle East Conflict Drives Travelers to Safer Asian Destinations
Vietnam recorded a 130% year‑on‑year surge in travel bookings as the Middle East conflict forced tourists to seek safer routes, propelling the country ahead of Sri Lanka, Singapore, Nepal, Thailand, Spain, Greece and Portugal. The influx helped Vietnam log over...
Iran War's End Won’t Reverse Lasting Systemic Disruptions
Even if the Iran war "ends" politically, it doesn't end This is a world-changing event. Rhetoric resolves in weeks. Flows in months. Systems in years. The disruption to energy, shipping, & trade flows are irreversible and permanent in many ways. #IranWar #EnergyCrisis #Geopolitics #GlobalEconomy...
Trump Unveils 100% Pharma Tariff, Jefferies Says Indian Generics Likely Safe
U.S. President Donald Trump announced a sweeping 100% tariff on certain pharmaceutical imports, prompting alarm across the supply chain. A Jefferies analysis released days earlier warned of the move but projected that Indian generic manufacturers would remain largely exempt, limiting...
CMA CGM's Kribi Becomes First Western European Vessel to Cross Hormuz, Highlighting Shipping Risks
French logistics giant CMA CGM successfully navigated its Maltese‑flagged container ship Kribi through the Strait of Hormuz on April 4, marking the first transit by a Western European vessel since Iran’s maritime blockade began. The move, coordinated with Iranian authorities,...
US‑Iran Conflict Drives Dollar Surge, Sparks Debate Over Gold’s Safe‑Haven Role
The US‑Iran war has propelled the U.S. dollar to the forefront of safe‑haven assets, with the dollar index climbing more than 2% in March 2026 after a 10% drop in 2025. Gold, by contrast, has slumped over 14% from its...
Report: Russia Faces Logistical Nightmare in Redirecting Yamal LNG to Asia
Russia’s Yamal LNG is set to redirect most shipments from Europe to Asia starting in 2027, after the EU bans Russian LNG imports. The existing fleet of 25 vessels can only complete 120‑130 voyages a year, roughly half of current...
What Trump Doesn’t Want You to Know About the U.S Dollar Collapse
Steve Keen’s latest post warns that a looming U.S. dollar collapse is being obscured by political narratives, especially President Trump’s aggressive stance toward Iran. He argues that the war’s energy backdrop—rising oil prices and supply disruptions—undermines confidence in the greenback....
Gold Leads US Exports, Offsetting Trade Deficits
The US’ single biggest export in February was “non-monetary gold.” Gold has been the US’ biggest export in 4 out of the past 5 months (it was the 2nd biggest export in the 5th mth.) Trump is partially settling US trade deficits...
Market Ignores Hormuz Shutdown; Datacenter Attacks Could Trigger Crash
Literally no one in the mkt seems to care that Hormuz has been shut for a month, but if they start hitting datacenters, we may finally crash…🤣
How Banks Are only ‘Partially’ Raising Rates for Savers
Australian banks have raised the bonus rates on their high‑condition savings products but left the base rates for ordinary savers largely unchanged after the Reserve Bank of Australia lifted the cash rate to 4.1%. About 40% of customers miss the...
War May End, but Oil Supply Disruptions Linger
According to Jeff Currie, distinguished economist and commodity market guru, even if the US-ISRAELI war on Iran ends soon, the damage to supply chains has been done. Oil flows will be disrupted for months or years. https://t.co/SxmxwhkvAY
Explosives Discovered Near Balkan Stream Pipeline, Ukraine Suspected
Serbian police found explosives near the Balkan Stream gas pipeline. It supplies Serbia and Hungary with gas from Russia. PRIME SUSPECT = UKRAINE. Stay tuned. https://t.co/AHjq0mZhzB
Banks Pay Near 2-Year High Rates on CDs Amid Tight Liquidity
Indian banks are issuing certificates of deposit (CDs) at near‑two‑year highs, with rates topping 8.32% for short‑term tenors. HDFC Bank alone mobilised about ₹4,300 crore ($520 million) at 7.6% for 33‑day CDs, while the sector issued roughly ₹1.07 lakh crore ($12 billion) in the fortnight...
U.S. Drivers Spent $8.4 B Extra on Gas
American drivers have paid an additional $8.4 BILLION in fuel costs since the start of the US-Israeli war on Iran. The cost of regular gas has JUMPED from $2.80 to $4.11 per gallon since January 11. AMERICANS DRIVERS SHOULD SEND A BILL...
French Post Offices Block US Mail, Threatening Tax Returns
Many French post offices are declining all US mail citing US tariffs. This means Americans in France are struggling to send their tax returns and sending via Fedex, DHL instead. This has voting implications if it continues.
Trump Team Texts Iran FM, Enlists Regional Mediators
JUST IN: Trump's team is texting Iran's Foreign Minister Araghchi to push forward negotiations, with Pakistani, Egyptian, and Turkish mediators also in play.
Data Centers Boost GDP, Healthcare Jobs Keep Unemployment Low
The future unfolding in plain sight: GDP growth propped up by data center construction. Low unemployment propped up by healthcare jobs. https://t.co/aADxNaQXij
Asian Oil Stocks Plunge, US And
Major drop in crude oil inventories in Japan, followed by India. US and China are up! Make you own conclusions.
Debt to Ourselves Just Excuses Unlimited Money Printing
When an argument is made that "Our debt doesn't matter because we owe it to ourselves"...that is code for "we can print the money and just debase the currency"...
India's Exports Pivot: Services Up, Textiles/Agriculture Down
#IndiaWatch🇮🇳: India’s export mix has been REWRITTEN in the past 30 years. Services SURGED from 17% in 1995 to 45% in 2023. In the meantime, as a share of total exports, textiles and agriculture COLLAPSED. https://t.co/rjJl7fH9a0