What Now for Asia After Trump's Tariffs Struck Down?
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the majority of tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump in 2025 were illegal, prompting the administration to replace them with a uniform 15% levy on all goods entering the United States. Customs officials halted collection of the previous tariffs, leaving Asian trading partners such as India, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan and Singapore in a state of uncertainty as they had recently secured investment commitments tied to the earlier rates. While the flat rate eases the burden for some countries that faced higher duties, analysts warn that the universal levy will raise import prices and could strain diplomatic ties. Governments across the region are now evaluating how to negotiate with the Trump administration and protect their export‑driven economies.
Too Soon to Comment on US Tariff Change Impact on India, Says FM Sitharaman
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said it is too early for India to assess the impact of the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Trump‑era global tariffs, as the commerce ministry continues its review. She also urged banks to refocus on core...
Unpacking African Markets in the Era of Global Volatility
The Africa Markets Conference 2026 (AMC26) opened in Cape Town, hosted by Standard Bank, to examine how heightened global volatility—particularly U.S. Trump‑era tariffs—affects the continent. Organisers aim to channel private and sovereign capital into African infrastructure and growth sectors amid...
SPX Skew Steepens to 1Y High as Tariff Uncertainty Rises
Cboe’s Macro Volatility Digest shows SPX 1‑month options skew climbing to its highest level in a year. The steepening reflects heightened uncertainty from evolving U.S. tariff policy, geopolitical tensions and lingering AI concerns, while oil volatility spiked to 52%. Equity...
SPX Skew Steepens to 1Y High as Tariff Uncertainty Rises
The Cboe report shows the S&P 500 1‑month skew surged to a one‑year high, reflecting heightened demand for downside protection as tariff policy uncertainty intensifies. Oil implied volatility spiked to 52% after fears of a US‑Iran conflict, while equity and rates...
EPU: A Beneficiary Of Peru's Solid GDP Growth And High Commodity Prices
The iShares MSCI Peru and Global Exposure ETF (EPU) has delivered double‑digit returns in 2026, extending the strong performance it posted in 2025. Its trailing price‑to‑earnings ratio sits at 20.83×, still cheaper than the S&P 500, reflecting a higher cyclical tilt....
South Korea Passes, Most Fail: Inside Trump’s New Hierarchy of “Model Allies” Even In Post-SCOTUS Ruling
The U.S. Supreme Court’s 6‑3 decision invalidating Trump’s IEEPA‑based tariffs did not dismantle the president’s emerging hierarchy of “model allies.” Trump’s administration continues to press allies to meet three benchmarks: 5% of GDP defense spending, sizable U.S. arms purchases...
Cartel Boss Killing Jolts US-Mexico Freight Corridors
The confirmed killing of Jalisco New Generation Cartel leader Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, known as El Mencho, sparked immediate cartel retaliation across western Mexico. Road blockades, vehicle burnings and armed clashes disrupted key highways and temporarily halted operations at the Port of...
The USD Has Continued Its Slide in Asia Trade. USD/JPY Is Down a Big Figure.
Asian currency markets saw the U.S. dollar dominate trade as a fresh tariff dispute intensified cross‑border transactions. The pressure translated into a sharp decline in USD/JPY, with the yen appreciating against the greenback. Trading was further constrained by a public...
Queensland Gov’t Trade Mission Targets Manufacturing and Resources Growth in East Asia
The Queensland Government announced a trade mission to South Korea and Japan, led by Minister Dale Last, to boost investment in the state’s mining, critical‑minerals and manufacturing sectors. The delegation will promote coal, gas, and the revived Queensland Train Manufacturing...
North Atlantic Aviation: Forward Bookings and Fares Are Down for Peak Summer 2026
Forward bookings and average fares for July 2026 transatlantic flights are down, signalling a softer peak summer than 2025. Visitor numbers from Western Europe to the United States remained below pre‑pandemic levels, with seven of the ten largest origin markets...
Geopolitical Risk and Supply Chain Diversification
A new study of Japanese multinational corporations shows that rising geopolitical risk is prompting firms to diversify supply chains away from China toward ASEAN economies, rather than fully relocating production. Using the Caldara‑Iacoviello Geopolitical Risk index and firm‑level trade and...
Trade Data Gaps Between China and Central Asian States Point to Pervasive Smuggling
A joint review of Chinese, Kazakh and Kyrgyz customs data reveals massive discrepancies in reported trade values, with China claiming $48.7 billion in exports to Kazakhstan and $27.2 billion to Kyrgyzstan in 2025, while the two neighbours report only $34.1 billion and $5 billion...
The People's Bank of China Set Its Loan Prime Rates (LPRs) Today - No Change Is Expected.
The People’s Bank of China left its benchmark Loan Prime Rates unchanged at 3.00% for the one‑year and 3.50% for the five‑year tenor, marking the ninth straight month of stability. Market participants had widely priced in a hold, reflecting the...
OVERNIGHT STAY TAX COULD WEAKEN UK TOURISM COMPETITIVENESS
The World Travel & Tourism Council warns that England’s new overnight stay tax could slow tourism recovery, reduce visitor spending and jeopardise jobs. The proposal lets local authorities levy £2‑£10 per person or a percentage of room rates on hotels,...
Vanguard Says: International Stocks Could Beat the U.S. for Years
Vanguard’s 2026 outlook projects international equities delivering 4.9%‑6.9% average annual returns over the next decade, outpacing the 4%‑5% forecast for U.S. stocks. The Vanguard Total International Stock ETF (VXUS) has already outperformed the S&P 500 and Nasdaq‑100, rising 9% year‑to‑date and...
EU Names Azerbaijan a Cornerstone of Europe’s Post-Russia Energy Map
The European Union has designated Azerbaijan as a cornerstone of its post‑Russia energy strategy, pledging to double gas imports to 20 bcm per year by 2027 through the Southern Gas Corridor. Azerbaijan’s gas exports to Europe surged 60% to 12.9 bcm in...
What Will Trump’s Latest Sweeping Tariffs Mean for the World?
President Donald Trump announced a sweeping 15 percent tariff on all imports, following a recent 10 percent levy introduced after a Supreme Court ruling struck down much of his earlier tariff regime. The across‑the‑board duty removes sector exemptions, injecting fresh uncertainty into...
World Bank Must Demand Accountability
World Bank’s poverty‑reduction mission is compromised by weak oversight in many developing nations, where borrowed funds are often diverted into election‑timed projects and opaque schemes. The article highlights how political opportunism inflates contracts, disguises debt as generosity, and undermines public...
India-France Tax Shift Threatens P-Note Trade
India is poised to amend its treaty with France, stripping French investors of the capital‑gains exemption for holdings under 10% and raising dividend withholding to 15% for those stakes. The change would also halve the dividend tax to 5% for...
India Pauses Its Trade Team Visit to Evaluate US Supreme Court Tariff Ruling
India has postponed its scheduled trade delegation visit to Washington after the U.S. Supreme Court invalidated the reciprocal tariffs imposed by President Trump. The court ruled that the International Emergency Economic Powers Act did not authorize the tariffs, prompting Trump...
DRC, Belgium, and KoBold Metals in Dispute Over Colonial Mineral Archives
A dispute has emerged between the Democratic Republic of Congo, Belgium, and U.S. firm KoBold Metals over access to colonial-era geological archives housed at Belgium’s AfricaMuseum. The DRC wants to partner with KoBold to digitize data on cobalt, lithium and...
Lula Urges Equal Treatment Ahead of Trump Talks
President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva used a New Delhi press conference to signal Brazil’s preference for a balanced, non‑confrontational relationship with the United States. By urging the Trump administration to treat all nations equally, he framed the upcoming Washington talks as a platform...
UN Agency Urges Investment to Boost Youth Employment
The UN Economic Commission for Africa warned that Africa’s massive youth cohort can become a global growth engine if investment is better linked to bankable projects. While capital exists, investors demand scale, security and market access, which the continent must...
EU-India FTA to Unlock Trade Growth, AI Collaboration and Resilient Supply Chains: Austrian Official
The European Union and India have reached a landmark free‑trade agreement that will slash tariffs on the vast majority of bilateral trade, covering 96.6% of EU exports to India and 99.5% of Indian exports to the EU. Austrian State Secretary...
Borderlands Mexico: Violent Cargo Theft Grips Mexican Truckers, Overhaul Report Finds
Overhaul’s 2025 Annual Cargo Theft Report shows that 82% of cargo theft incidents targeting Mexican truckers involved violence, with armed interceptions and driver assaults commonplace. While the central region remains the hotspot, the West’s share of thefts rose 7% in...
US Supreme Court Ruling on Tariffs: Why Emkay Sees India as Beneficiary Amid Trump's Flip-Flops
The U.S. Supreme Court nullified President Trump’s reciprocal tariffs imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, prompting the administration to replace them with a blanket 15% tariff under Section 122. This shift lowers the average U.S. tariff rate to about...
Indonesia Faces Record Share Sales to Meet Free-Float Goal
Indonesia must orchestrate a record‑size share sale to lift the free‑float of 267 listed firms to at least 15%, up from the current 7.5% floor. The Indonesia Stock Exchange estimates the required issuance will total about 187 trillion rupiah (approximately S$14 billion),...
Tour Operator Sets Aside $72m for Lodges Expansion
SafariCo Group is allocating $72 million to expand and refurbish its Tanzanian lodges, backed by a $50 million International Finance Corporation loan. The plan adds 184 rooms, pushing the portfolio beyond 1,000 keys across the Elewana, Explorer and Sopa brands. Tanzania’s tourism...
Europe in the Shadow of Hybrid War. What Does Russian Systemic Pressure Look Like?
SAB’s annual report warns that Russia now frames relations with the West as an existential conflict, deploying a systematic hybrid toolkit that blends military, informational, cyber, legal and economic levers. The Kremlin’s distorted threat perception fuels a perception spiral, making...
US Tariffs on India Reset to 15% After Supreme Court Ruling: How Did Duties Swing From 26% to 50% and...
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the International Emergency Economic Powers Act cannot be used to impose sweeping global tariffs, forcing the Trump administration to abandon the IEEPA‑based duties on India. Hours later, President Trump invoked Section 122 of the Trade...
Capitalising Africa's Youth Dividend
At the Africa Business Forum 2026 in Addis Ababa, leaders launched the Jobs Wall Commitment Tracker to record public and private sector job promises. The gathering emphasized that Africa’s youthful demographic demands risk‑tolerant, long‑term capital focused on research, innovation, and...
India’s GDP Growth to Moderate to 7.2% in Q3FY26: ICRA
ICRA projects India’s year‑on‑year GDP growth to ease to 7.2% in Q3 FY 2025‑26, down from 8.2% in the prior quarter. The slowdown is driven by weaker services (+7.8% versus +9.2%) and agriculture (+3.0% versus +3.5%) growth, even as industrial output...
Trump Now Wants to Impose 15% Tariff After Supreme Court Decision
President Donald Trump announced a new 15% tariff on imports, raising the rate from the 10% he mentioned a day earlier. The increase follows a Supreme Court ruling that invalidated his earlier reciprocal and fentanyl‑related tariffs. Trump said the tariffs...
Bitcoin Eyes $175B in Refund Liquidity as Supreme Court Nukes Trump Tariffs
The U.S. Supreme Court on Feb. 20 ruled 6‑3 that the International Emergency Economic Powers Act does not authorize President Trump’s tariff program, nullifying roughly $133.5 billion in collected duties and raising the total overhang to about $175‑$179 billion. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent...
Petro's Policies Are Decimating Colombia's Natural Gas Industry
Colombia’s proven natural‑gas reserves have slumped to just over two trillion cubic feet, giving the country less than six years of production life. President Gustavo Petro’s policies—halting new exploration contracts and raising extractive taxes—have sharply curbed foreign investment and accelerated...
Iran’s Rial Collapse Mirrors Lebanon’s Crisis, Driving Citizens to Bitcoin
The Iranian rial has collapsed in 2026, spurring hyperinflation and prompting middle‑class savers to flee the banking system. Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies have attracted billions of dollars, echoing Lebanon’s 2019‑2021 crisis where crypto became a financial lifeline. On‑chain data shows...
Libya's Ramadan Celebrations Tempered by Economic Woes
Libya’s Ramadan celebrations unfolded amid soaring prices, fuel shortages and a sharply devalued dinar, highlighting deepening economic distress. The western central bank cut the currency by nearly 15% for the second time in a year, pushing cooking oil prices up...
Relief Might Be Fleeting for the Healthcare Industry After Supreme Court Strikes Down Most Tariffs
The Supreme Court ruled 6‑3 that most Trump‑era tariffs imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act are invalid, wiping out 25% duties on Canadian and Mexican imports and a 20% hike on China. Sector‑specific duties on steel, aluminum and...
Pezeshkian Says Iran Will Not Bow to Pressure Amid US Nuclear Talks
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian declared that Tehran will not submit to external pressure as nuclear talks with the United States continue. He framed the stance as a defense of national sovereignty despite what he described as problems created by world...
Indigenous Protesters Occupy Cargill’s Santarem Port Terminal in Brazil
Indigenous protesters occupied Cargill’s Santarem river‑port terminal in Brazil’s Pará state, completely halting operations. The terminal handled more than 5.5 million tonnes of soybeans and maize last year, accounting for over 70 % of the port’s grain volume. Demonstrators are opposing a...
Japan's Real Wages Poised to Grow After a Year of Decline
Japan’s real wages are set to move into positive territory in January 2026 after a year of decline, driven by a slowdown in CPI inflation to 2% YoY and a suite of government price‑relief measures. Tax cuts on gasoline, tuition‑free...
India, Brazil Sign Mining Pact as Modi Targets $20bn Trade in Five Years
India and Brazil signed a mining and minerals cooperation pact in New Delhi, aiming to secure raw material supplies for India's expanding steel sector. The agreement targets raising bilateral trade from roughly $15 bn to over $20 bn within five years, with...
Apollo’s Marc Rowan Says Japan Is Poised for a Big Comeback
Apollo Global Management’s co‑founder Marc Rowan told investors in Tokyo that Japan is on the brink of a major economic turnaround. He highlighted that trillions of dollars have been parked in cash and that recent corporate‑governance reforms are unlocking carve‑out...
US Supreme Court Reasserts Its Power, Strikes Down Trump Global Tarrifs
The U.S. Supreme Court issued a 6‑3 ruling that invalidated President Donald Trump’s sweeping global tariff regime, finding the International Emergency Economic Powers Act does not grant the president authority to impose tariffs. Authored by Chief Justice John Roberts, the...
Indian Labour-Intensive Exports to Face Lower 10% Surcharge After US Court Axes Trump’s Tariffs
The U.S. Supreme Court struck down the 18% reciprocal tariffs imposed on Indian goods, prompting President Trump to replace them with a uniform 15% worldwide tariff under Section 122. This adjustment lowers the levy on Indian labour‑intensive exports—textiles, leather, shrimp—from the...
ANALYSIS | Trump Pushes US Towards War with Iran as Advisers Urge Focus on Economy
President Donald Trump has ordered a massive military buildup in the Middle East and is preparing for a possible multi‑week air strike against Iran, despite no clear strategic justification. Senior White House officials say the administration lacks unified support for...
S. Korea to Closely Monitor Additional US Measures Following Supreme Court Ruling on Trump's Tariffs
South Korea announced it will closely monitor any new U.S. trade actions after the Supreme Court upheld the legality of former President Donald Trump’s tariffs on steel, aluminum and certain Chinese goods. The ruling removes a major legal obstacle, allowing...
Sweeping Tariffs Gone but Trump's 10% Global Tariffs On. What to Expect From Markets on Monday?
The U.S. Supreme Court struck down President Trump’s sweeping Section 232 tariffs, removing the 18% duty on many Indian exports. Hours later Trump announced a 10% global tariff on all imports, effective immediately. Indian exporters in gems, textiles, pharma and auto...
The Rail Ahead: As High-Speed Lines Saturate China, How Far Can Their Global Reach Extend?
China’s railway giants are turning outward as domestic high‑speed lines saturate, seeking overseas contracts in Southeast and Central Asia. Projects already under way include Thailand’s 610 km line, Malaysia’s 665 km east‑west railway, and Indonesia’s Jakarta‑Bandung service that has moved 12 million passengers....