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UK fintech funding plunges 21% as rates hit 5.25%
Fintech investment in the UK fell 21% in 2025, driven by the Bank of England’s base rate climbing to 5.25%. Higher rates made government bonds more attractive, pulling capital from venture funds and limiting contributions from pension schemes, while softer consumer spending and loan demand pressured fintech valuations.
Thai Finance Minister Ekniti Nitithanprapas warned that the current global energy crisis is Thailand's last chance to overhaul its investment framework. Domestic investment has slipped to just 24% of GDP, down from 40% before the 1997 crisis, leaving the export‑driven economy vulnerable. The government proposes an omnibus law to consolidate fragmented regulations and speed up approvals, especially for renewable‑energy projects. The reform aims to restore Thailand’s competitiveness against regional rivals such as Vietnam, which has attracted more FDI through streamlined rules and trade agreements.
The Labor Department’s consumer price index rose 3.3% year‑over‑year, the fastest increase since 2024, driven by gasoline prices that posted their biggest monthly jump in six decades. Stripping out food and energy, core inflation barely moved, indicating modest underlying price...
Thai export growth is expected to stall at 0‑1% this year as the Middle East conflict disrupts supply chains and dampens demand in key markets. The partial reopening of the Strait of Hormuz with Iranian tolls raises shipping costs, while...
DoubleLine’s Eric Dhall and Mark Kimbrough dissected market turbulence over the two weeks ending April 10, highlighting how the Middle‑East conflict created a “fog of war” that clouded pricing. The S&P 500 slumped after the Feb 28 war outbreak and surged once a...
Commonwealth Bank of Australia's economics team used bank‑account data to show that soaring energy costs are consuming a larger share of Australian household budgets. The analysis indicates energy expenses now account for roughly 15% of average household spending, squeezing disposable...
China announced a ban on sulfuric acid exports starting in May, targeting acid produced as a by‑product of copper and zinc smelting. The restriction follows supply disruptions caused by the Iran‑Israel war, which has choked sulfur shipments from the Middle...
Gulf Development Plc, Thailand’s largest energy firm, said its LNG supply remained stable despite recent spot‑price spikes caused by the Strait of Hormuz closure and disruptions in Qatar’s exports. The company has diversified its gas purchases, notably sourcing from Nigeria,...
The London Defence Conference aimed to position the UK as a geopolitical hub like Munich, but recent statements by Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and Defence Secretary have highlighted a shrinking defence posture. Although the government pledged to raise defence...
Bipartisan U.S. lawmakers introduced the MATCH Act to block Chinese chipmakers from acquiring deep‑ultraviolet (DUV) immersion lithography systems, related parts, and servicing. The bill coordinates export controls with allies, targeting firms such as SMIC, CXMT, Huawei, Hua Hong and YMTC,...
The ongoing Iran‑War has choked oil tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, pushing diesel prices up 55% year‑to‑date and sparking a sharp energy‑price shock. In March, the energy component of the CPI jumped 10.9%, while the gasoline index surged...
U.S. equities slipped on Friday as investors grew wary of rising inflation and the upcoming U.S.–Iran talks in Islamabad. The Dow Jones fell 0.6%, the S&P 500 edged down 0.1%, while the Nasdaq rose 0.4% after a week‑long rally. Market sentiment...
U.S. negotiators entered the 2026 Vienna nuclear talks with Iran without a core team of senior nuclear experts, leading to vague proposals and a weakened bargaining position. Internal disagreements among the State Department, the National Security Council, and the Energy...
The recent U.S.-Iran cease‑fire will not quickly restore fertilizer flows through the Strait of Hormuz, according to StoneX market specialist Josh Linville. About 930,000 tons of fertilizer are stranded on ships, yet India alone still requires roughly 600,000 tons more to meet...
USA Rare Earth is taking a 12.5% stake in France’s Carester to accelerate rare‑earth separation capabilities in both the United States and Europe. Carester will use its expertise to scale a Colorado‑based process and to fund a commercial‑scale plant in...
In a recent "Debunking Economics" episode, Phil Dobbie and Professor Steve Keen argue that the AI boom is hitting an energy wall, as the sector’s soaring compute needs clash with a tightening global power supply. They trace the strain to...
U.S. Trade Representative Ambassador Jamieson Greer told a Hudson‑hosted forum that the United States and China have settled into a stable trade relationship, even as substantial tariffs on advanced Chinese goods remain in place. He emphasized the dual priority of...
Canadian equities nudged higher on Friday as optimism grew around upcoming U.S.–Iran peace talks. The S&P/TSX Composite Index finished at 33,695.76, gaining 218.05 points (0.65%). Eight of 11 sectors posted gains, led by materials (+1.83%) and energy (+1.49%). Meanwhile, Statistics...
Oil prices plunged more than $14 per barrel after the Iran‑Israel ceasefire announcement, marking the steepest weekly drop since the conflict began. Brent prompt futures settled near $97/bbl while Dated Brent spot hovered around $130 after hitting a record $144.46....
Brazil's domestic equity funds attracted $883 million (about BRL 4.5 billion) of foreign money in the week to April 9, 2026, while equity funds across emerging markets recorded net outflows of $3.9 billion. The inflow, driven largely by index‑fund purchases, underscores renewed confidence in Brazil’s...
A tentative cease‑fire between the United States and Iran has not reopened the Strait of Hormuz, leaving energy and fertilizer shipments in limbo. Urea fertilizer prices have surged about 40%, while global fuel costs continue to climb, pressuring agricultural production...
Euro‑area household disposable income jumped 3.3% year‑on‑year in the fourth quarter of 2025, while consumption rose 3.6% and the saving rate held at 14.9%. Non‑financial corporations posted a 4.4% rise in net value added and a 4.3% increase in gross...
The pound slipped to about $1.3420 per dollar as markets brace for the U.S. consumer price index. Traders have cut expectations for Bank of England hikes to 30‑40 basis points this year, while the Federal Reserve is still seen cutting...
A coalition of market strategists says the Federal Reserve is now more likely to hike rates in 2026 than to cut them, after minutes revealed heightened inflation worries. The shift pushes 10‑year Treasury yields toward the 4.5% range and forces...
The KOSPI index slipped to 5,796.75 points on April 9, reversing a 6% rally that had pushed it above 5,800 the day before. Profit‑taking by domestic traders and lingering geopolitical risks drove the 1.29% decline, even as foreign investors logged net...
Morningstar DBRS confirmed Malta’s sovereign ratings at A (high) for long‑term foreign and local currency debt and R‑1 (middle) for short‑term debt, with a Stable outlook. Real GDP expanded 4.0% in 2025, while the fiscal deficit narrowed to roughly 3%...
Morningstar DBRS confirmed Lithuania's long‑term sovereign rating at A (high) and short‑term rating at R‑1, maintaining a stable outlook. The agency highlighted solid fiscal discipline, a modest public‑debt ratio of about 39.5% of GDP and 2.9% real GDP growth in...
Canada added 14,100 jobs in March, the first gain this year, but the increase was modest and driven entirely by part‑time positions while full‑time jobs fell 1,100. The unemployment rate held at 6.7%, unchanged from February, reflecting persistent labour slack....
Oil prices hover near $100 per barrel despite the U.S.–Iran cease‑fire, because the Strait of Hormuz remains tightly controlled by Iran’s IRGC. Traffic through the chokepoint is limited to managed routes, preventing a return to normal commercial shipping. Analysts from...
The article outlines how systematic trade cheating by China has eroded U.S. manufacturing, citing a loss of $230 billion and 2.1 million jobs since 2018. It details tactics such as intellectual‑property theft, transshipment via third‑party countries, and exploitation of de‑minimis exemptions that...
Alisha Chhangani was quoted in a House of Saud analysis describing how Iran circumvents U.S. sanctions to continue oil shipments to China. The piece outlines Tehran's use of covert shipping routes, shell companies, and diplomatic channels to mask the origin...
The Atlantic Council hosted a front‑page event featuring World Bank Group President Ajay Banga, whose remarks were subsequently highlighted in a Reuters piece on the slowdown in global growth. Banga warned that the ongoing Middle East conflict is pushing oil prices...
Former U.S. Treasury official Robert Tannebaum was quoted in a Politico piece highlighting the heightened risks facing shipping firms that navigate the Strait of Hormuz. He stressed that the narrow waterway remains a chokepoint for roughly one‑fifth of the world’s...
Canada’s March Labour Force Survey showed a modest 0.1% rise in employment, adding 14.1 k jobs to a total of 21.05 million. The unemployment rate held steady at 6.7%, while the layoff rate stayed at 0.6%, matching pre‑pandemic norms. However, the job‑finding...
Hungary’s parliamentary election on Sunday pits long‑time prime minister Viktor Orbán against opposition leader Péter Magyar. U.S. Vice President JD Vance flew to Budapest to back Orbán, while recent polls give the opposition a roughly 10‑point lead. The contest is...
India’s Directorate General of Foreign Trade announced that the mandatory inspection certificate for rice exports will apply only to the EU, UK, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland. Exports to all other European nations are exempt for a six‑month period, easing...
India's wholesale rice prices jumped up to 7% in two days after a US‑Iran ceasefire sparked a surge in export orders to the Middle East and the United States. Prices had previously fallen up to 6% due to disruptions from...
$100 in 2021 now feels like ~$80 today. That’s inflation. Your money didn’t disappear—it just buys less. If your money isn’t growing, it’s losing value.
Happy to see @WSJopinion publish my and @clark_packard's corrective to USTR Greer's recent lament re: the death of an institution the US helped kill: https://t.co/PSNtjzxlnu (🎁) https://t.co/WrWZYci8rl
India's commerce ministry announced a new weekly monitoring mechanism to track export‑import trends and sectoral stress indicators. The system aims to identify supply‑chain disruptions, logistics bottlenecks, and rising input costs linked to geopolitical tensions from the Iran war. Customs officials...
China’s deflation streak is FINALLY OVER. Yesterday, after 41 straight months in the red, China’s Producer Price Index (PPI) finally ended -- barely -- at 0.5%/yr. https://t.co/Ysgkv6ogB2
🇺🇸US crude oil exports to increase to highest on record 🇮🇳India's Imports from Russia are Near Record High 🇸🇦Saudi Arabia's damaged oil facilities: What is the impact? Daily Energy Report https://t.co/pyGKWXbmpg
Usually economic shocks are called things like pandemics or oil embargoes. This version is more: bloke walks into the policy room, sees a rake, and steps on it repeatedly. https://t.co/Lzh723GjsJ
Premium Users - Macro Week in Review/Preview April 10, 2026, on the blog and here https://t.co/yuHKVKbbyr
🛢️ OIL & IRAN WAR CONTEXT WEEKLY 🛢️ Crude prices collapsed following the announcement of an Iran War ceasefire, during which attacks have continued, to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, which remains closed; all eyes on weekend negotiations Summary below, full report...
Col. Douglas MacGregor on the so-called ceasefire in Iran: “If it’s not in writing, it means it probably doesn’t exist.” https://t.co/D8xpaCwTbx
Am sure Yufan describes the basic view of many in Beijing -- At the same time, the world has already made enormous accommodations to China, and I am not sure China has made much effort to accommodate other creditors that also...
My video looking out over the coming week: Market Outlook Should a Ceasefire Fail or Hold https://t.co/MVQDZY94oJ https://t.co/Ir3CZFs9DE
Iran’s parliament is trying to ensure that Hormuz transit fees will be paid in RIAL. I currently measure that the Iranian rial has APPRECIATED by 9% vs. the USD since the beginning of the US-Israeli war on Iran. STAY TUNED. https://t.co/o5Mv9sigwg
Joe Gagnon (@GagnonMacro) should take a victory lap; the IMF has conceded intervention does have a real impact -- "A growing empirical literature finds that such intervention can systematically generate real exchange rate depreciation and raise current account balances" 1/
While everyone is focused on variations of this chart, the story reposted below might be more important. Essentially, only Iranian-linked ships are passing through the Strait; no one else. https://t.co/SvcJA7aoSC
