Tanzania Tax Review Warns of Trust Erosion, Proposes Sweeping Overhaul
A presidential tax reform commission in Tanzania presented a sweeping overhaul after a 17‑month delay, warning that the current tax system is eroding public trust. The nine‑member panel delivered 284 recommendations, including a formal National Tax Policy, a new Tax Act, and a unified digital payment platform that would integrate citizen data. It highlighted overlapping levies, unpredictable rates, and weak dispute mechanisms as drivers of corruption and informal payments. The report aims to restore confidence, attract investment, and move the economy toward cashless transactions.
South Korea’s Arms Exports Are Now Involved in the Iran War
South Korea’s defence industry has become a key supplier to the United Arab Emirates, delivering M‑SAM 2 interceptors that have achieved a reported 96 percent hit rate against Iranian missiles. The conflict has forced Seoul to air‑lift interceptor reloads into an active...
The Iran War Tests Taiwan’s Energy Resilience
The US‑Israel war with Iran is disrupting Middle‑East oil and LNG shipments, exposing Taiwan’s heavy reliance on imported energy. Taiwan imports 95% of its energy, over 99% of oil and gas, and holds about 150 days of oil reserves but...
David vs Goliath: How Vanuatu Is Standing up to the US
Vanuatu is leading a diplomatic push at the United Nations to adopt a resolution that would implement the International Court of Justice’s 2025 advisory opinion on climate‑justice obligations. The draft, slated for an Earth Day vote on 22 April 2026, calls for...
Public Opinion in China Is Hardening on America and Taiwan
A new poll reveals Chinese public opinion is hardening toward the United States and Taiwan, with growing anti‑American sentiment and declining support for Taiwan’s independence. The survey, covering over a thousand respondents in major cities, shows a 12% drop in...
China’s Central Bank Pledges Stability in Capital Markets Amid Global Sell-Off
China’s central bank has elevated capital‑market stability to a major task for 2026, pledging to safeguard stock, bond and foreign‑exchange markets amid heightened global volatility. The announcement came as the Shanghai Composite slipped 1.39%, reflecting broader sell‑offs triggered by the...
Taiwan’s New Southbound 2.0: Rewiring the Indo-Pacific Beyond China
At the 2026 Yushan Forum, President Lai Ching‑te recast Taiwan’s New Southbound Policy as a broader Indo‑Pacific strategy that blends trade, technology, democratic cooperation, and security. The forum attracted over 70 leaders from 22 nations, underscoring Taiwan’s push to deepen...
Monetary Policy Decisions
The European Central Bank kept its three key policy rates unchanged on 19 March 2026, maintaining the deposit facility at 2.00 %, the main refinancing rate at 2.15 % and the marginal lending facility at 2.40 %. It highlighted that inflation is hovering around the...
Bank of England Votes Unanimously to Leave Rates Unchanged at 3.75%
The Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee voted unanimously to keep the Bank Rate at 3.75%. The decision comes as inflation remains above the 2% target, pressured by higher energy prices and geopolitical uncertainty. By holding rates steady, the MPC...
As War in Iran Roils Energy Markets, Europe Pays Price of ‘Dependency’
Europe’s energy markets were jolted on Thursday as military strikes on Qatar and Iran drove natural‑gas prices above €70/MWh and Brent crude past $114 per barrel, levels not seen since the 2022 Russia‑Ukraine war. French officials highlighted that 90% of...
If the Iran War Takes Oil Above US$120 a Barrel, How Bad Could the Shock Get?
The escalating US‑Israel‑Iran conflict has pushed crude prices above $120 a barrel as Iranian forces strike Gulf oil and LNG infrastructure and the Strait of Hormuz remains closed. Analysts warn that the disruption could evolve into a prolonged supply shock,...
Filipino Jeepney Drivers Struggle as Oil Prices Surge: ‘What We Earn Goes to Diesel’
The war in the Middle East has driven global oil prices higher, pushing Philippine diesel costs up more than double. Jeepney drivers like Toni Prado now earn as little as 200 pesos a day, down from roughly 1,000 pesos, prompting...
Which Country Is the Biggest Loser From the Energy Shock?
The article examines how the recent global energy shock is disproportionately harming South Asian economies. Nepal faces long queues and rationing for cooking gas, Sri Lanka has ordered Wednesday factory shutdowns, and Pakistan has closed schools and shifted universities online. The...
Should the Gulf Arab States Join the War Against Iran?
Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have sophisticated air forces capable of striking Iranian missile and drone sites, but they have so far limited their involvement to defensive measures. Their fleets include modern F-15s, Eurofighter Typhoons and advanced F-16...
All That Glitters: Gold’s Exceptional Performance in 2025 and Portfolio Implications
Gold delivered the strongest return among major asset classes in 2025, climbing roughly 64% and breaching $5,000 per ounce in early 2026 with an 18% January surge. The rally was fueled by heightened geopolitical risk, a weaker U.S. dollar, aggressive...
MEPs Clear Path for Full Adoption of EU–US Trade Deal
The European Parliament’s trade committee voted 29‑for‑0 to eliminate EU tariffs on most US industrial goods, clearing a key hurdle for the EU‑US trade agreement signed in July 2025. The deal retains a 15% US tariff on EU imports while...
China Cutting Back Fertiliser Exports
China has imposed strict limits on fertilizer exports, banning nitrogen‑potassium blends and many phosphate varieties while allowing only a few products such as ammonium sulphate. The curbs affect up to 40 million tonnes, roughly half to three‑quarters of last year’s shipments,...
Shanghai Certifies 30 Overseas Offices Amid China’s Investment Sales Pitch
Shanghai certified 30 new regional headquarters and 15 overseas‑funded R&D centres, including eight Fortune 500 firms. The certifications highlight continued foreign interest despite a three‑year decline in China’s realised FDI. Shanghai now hosts over 1,000 HQs and 647 R&D sites, reinforcing...
Austria: Restoring the Public Finances in the Face of Ageing
Austria’s public finances have deteriorated after energy price shocks and a post‑pandemic slowdown, leaving the 2025 deficit at 4.5% of GDP and debt at roughly 80% of GDP. The government has launched a seven‑year fiscal consolidation plan aiming to cut...
UK Job Market Softens as Economy Set to Worsen
UK employment data show a softening labour market, with payroll jobs falling by 49,000 in February and vacancies slipping to 721,000, the lowest level in recent months. The unemployment rate held steady at 5.2% despite the job losses. Wage growth...
A Guide to Emerging Markets Investing Solutions>
Emerging markets, home to 87% of the global population and projected to generate 60% of world GDP by 2026, are vastly under‑represented in international equity indices, creating a structural allocation gap. VanEck leverages this gap with $8.1 billion in EM assets,...
We Need to Be Honest About Iran – and How Our Rampant Greed for Oil Is Causing Mayhem | George...
George Monbiot argues that Western interventions in Iran, beginning with the 1953 oil‑driven coup, illustrate how fossil‑fuel greed fuels geopolitical conflict. He links that historic struggle to today’s climate emergency, noting that oil profits sustain wars, authoritarian regimes, and climate...
Explainer | Why India Is Pushing to Cut Remittance Costs at WTO
India is spearheading a WTO proposal to slash cross‑border remittance fees that currently eat 5‑6% of transaction values. The initiative targets regulatory and technical barriers, aiming to bring costs below the UN Sustainable Development Goal of 3% by 2030. Backed...
Indonesia’s Closing Window for a Demographic Dividend
Indonesia’s once‑large demographic dividend is nearing its end as the youth population peaks around 2030 and begins to shrink. While the working‑age cohort will still grow to over 200 million by 2045, manufacturing’s contribution to GDP has stalled, exposing a mismatch...
Producer Price Index: Wholesale Inflation Up 0.7% In February
Wholesale inflation accelerated in February, with the Producer Price Index rising 0.7% month‑over‑month, surpassing the 0.3% consensus. Core PPI, which strips out food and energy, increased 0.5% m/m and 3.9% year‑over‑year, indicating persistent underlying price pressure. Finished‑goods prices jumped 1.0%...
New Fed "Dot Plot" Sends Markets Sliding
The Federal Reserve left its policy rate unchanged at 3.50‑3.75% and, via the latest dot‑plot, signaled only a single 25‑basis‑point cut for 2026 and another in 2027. The announcement sent the Dow, S&P 500, Nasdaq and Russell 2000 down between 1.3% and...
Charai for The National Interest: Why Iran Was Always a Threat to the US
Ahmed Charai argues that Iran has been a strategic threat to the United States since the 1979 revolution, driven by its pursuit of regional hegemony and asymmetric capabilities. He highlights Tehran’s expanding ballistic‑missile inventory, its accelerated nuclear enrichment, and its...
Xi Just Can’t Shake GDP Worship
Ahead of the Two Sessions, President Xi released a new collection of speeches emphasizing a "correct view of political performance," signaling a shift away from the GDP‑centric evaluation that has driven China’s bureaucracy for decades. Xi now expects officials to...
Dow Slides 768 Points on Inflation Fears: Stock Market Today
U.S. equities fell sharply on Wednesday as the Federal Reserve kept its policy rate unchanged but highlighted persistent inflation, sending the Dow Jones down 1.6% to 46,224. Elevated producer‑price index numbers—0.7% month‑over‑month and 3.4% year‑over‑year—exceeded expectations, reinforcing concerns about price...
Dollar Gains on Weak Stocks and Hawkish Fed
The dollar index rose 0.51% after U.S. February producer prices outperformed forecasts, with final‑demand PPI up 0.7% month‑over‑month and 3.4% year‑over‑year and core PPI climbing 3.9% YoY—the strongest gain in 13 months. The Federal Reserve kept its policy rate unchanged...
Weaker Dollar and Diversification Drive Global Investors Toward Emerging Markets, Says Finnfund
Global investors are rapidly shifting capital into emerging markets as a weaker U.S. dollar and a push for diversification away from the United States drive demand. Over the past twelve months the MSCI Emerging Markets Index has surged 47%, far...
Global Economic Prospects: Spring 2026
The Peterson Institute for International Economics released its spring 2026 Global Economic Prospects, outlining the latest outlook for the United States and major world economies. Karen Dynan warned that the ongoing Middle East conflict and volatile energy prices are tightening growth...
BRICS Is Divided on Iran. So Are NATO and the G-7.
BRICS members remain divided over the U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran, with China and Brazil condemning the attacks while India stays neutral and South Africa hesitates. The bloc’s recent expansion to include Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran and the UAE has...
Trump Admin Waives Jones Act for 60 Days
The White House has temporarily waived the Jones Act for 60 days, easing U.S. vessel restrictions amid heightened geopolitical tension. Simultaneously, the war in Iran and a Greek tanker attack in the Black Sea have driven up container rates and...
Federal Reserve Issues FOMC Statement
The Federal Reserve’s March 18 FOMC statement kept the federal funds rate target range at 3.5 percent to 3.75 percent, pausing further hikes. The Committee noted solid economic expansion, modest job gains and a stable unemployment rate, while inflation remains somewhat elevated...
The Era of Cheap Money Is over as the Iran War Creates a Permanent 'Inflation Floor'
The Iran war has created a lasting inflation floor, signaling the end of the post‑2008 era of cheap money. Persistent oil price spikes and supply disruptions are forcing nations to prioritize energy security over cost efficiency. Central banks, which previously...
Cramer Weighs in on 'Hack Downgrade' Of Starbucks — and What's Behind Amazon's Dip
Jim Cramer’s CNBC Investing Club highlighted a market pull‑back driven by hotter‑than‑expected wholesale inflation data and rising oil prices amid Middle‑East tensions. Amazon stock slipped nearly 2% after a Reuters report warned that AI‑driven cloud spending could surge, prompting concerns...
Economic Uncertainty and Digital Payment Infrastructure
The ongoing Middle East conflict has driven oil‑gas price spikes, heightening economic uncertainty across the region. In the Philippines, digital‑payment platforms have become a key buffer, with 72 % of consumer transactions conducted electronically in 2025 and a three‑fold rise in...
Higher Energy Prices Might Eat Your Tax Refund, Economists Say
Stanford economists estimate that rising gasoline prices could cost the average U.S. household about $740 this year, roughly matching the projected $750 boost from the 2023 tax refund legislation. Their model assumes a brief Strait of Hormuz closure, with gasoline...
Congo Export Curbs to Keep Cobalt Scarce Till 2030
The Democratic Republic of Congo, responsible for over 70% of global cobalt, imposed an export ban in February 2025 and later introduced strict quotas, slashing refined output by roughly 20%. The curbs created an 82,000‑ton deficit in 2025 and drove...
Kenya Calls for African Self-Reliance Amid Global Upheaval
Kenya’s foreign minister Musalia Mudavadi urged African nations to boost self‑reliance as the Iran conflict fuels global fragmentation and rising oil prices. He framed the moment as a historic inflection point, calling for a multi‑alliance foreign policy that balances traditional...
Piraeus Declines 6% for Second Year, Cosco Ports Results Show
Cosco‑controlled Piraeus port reported a 6% drop in 2025 throughput, handling 3.97 million TEU, marking the second consecutive year of decline. Analysts attribute the loss to Red Sea disruptions that rerouted cargo to Spain and northern Europe rather than pure demand...
Chalmers Says Latest Treasury Modelling Shows Australia’s Inflation Could Reach 5%, as National Cabinet Meets on Fuel
Treasury modelling released by Treasurer Jim Chalmers indicates Australia’s headline inflation could peak in the high‑4s, potentially reaching 5%, as oil prices remain elevated. Two scenarios are examined: oil at $100 a barrel for the first half of the year,...
No ‘Last Hurrah’ Expected for US De Minimis as Legal Challenge Advances
The U.S. administration’s suspension of the de minimis exemption is now being challenged in the Court of International Trade after a lawsuit by auto‑parts retailer Detroit Axle alleges the move exceeds legal authority. The challenge follows a Supreme Court ruling that limited...
DA Seeks Fertilizer Supply Deals with China, Russia Amid Mideast Tensions
The Philippine Department of Agriculture is negotiating fertilizer supply agreements with China, Russia, India and Belarus as Middle‑East tensions threaten the flow of nitrogen‑based inputs. While the agency has already secured more than 80% of its annual fertilizer requirement, rising...
Official Statistics: Forecasts for the UK Economy: March 2026
The UK Treasury released its March 2026 edition of the monthly "Forecasts for the UK economy" comparison, collating short‑term and medium‑term projections from a selection of independent forecasters. The 19‑page PDF presents outlooks for 2025‑26 through 2029‑30, covering GDP, inflation, labour...
Instead of Shopping They’re Quietly Stockpiling Cash — ‘Shadow Saving’ — and It Could Short-Circuit the Global Economy
Chinese households are amassing cash at record levels, with deposits reaching roughly 118% of GDP by 2025, despite falling interest rates. A Reuters poll shows more than 80% of respondents prefer saving over spending, reflecting deep‑seated precautionary behavior. The shift...
Fed Meeting Updates: FOMC Set to Hold Rates Steady as Oil Prices Soar
The Federal Open Market Committee is expected to leave its benchmark interest rate unchanged at the March 2026 meeting. The decision follows a February jobs report that revealed a loss of roughly 100,000 positions and a sharp rise in oil...
Hedge Funds Position for Potential BOJ Hawkish Tilt Amid Iran War Inflation Risks
Hedge funds such as Fivestar Asset Management are reshaping their Japanese bond and currency positions ahead of the Bank of Japan’s policy meeting, expecting Governor Kazuo Ueda to hint at a hawkish stance due to inflation pressures from the Iran...
Bank of England Interest Rate Decision: What to Expect on 19 March
The Bank of England will announce its March 19 interest‑rate decision, weighing whether to keep the Bank Rate at 3.75% or trim it by 25 basis points to 3.50%. A narrow 5‑4 vote in February highlighted deep divisions within the...