The Promise and Peril of Trump’s Board of Peace
President Donald Trump’s newly created Board of Peace will hold its inaugural meeting on Feb. 19, promising to release $5 billion in humanitarian and reconstruction aid for Gaza. The board, established under UN Security Council Resolution 2803, will operate as a donor‑led, international body with Trump as permanent chair, but it excludes Hamas and Palestinian Authority representatives. Critics warn that the top‑down, ambiguous governance structure mirrors past UN transitional administrations that struggled without genuine local participation. The arrangement could accelerate funding while raising legal and legitimacy concerns.
Why Chevron Is Betting Big on Venezuela’s Heavy Crude
Chevron is aggressively expanding its Venezuelan heavy‑crude production to feed its complex Gulf Coast refineries, which are optimized for dense, sulfur‑rich oil. Global supplies of such crude have tightened as Mexican exports fall, Russian barrels are sanctioned, and Canadian logistics...
Niger Stockpiled 1,000t of Yellowcake at Military Base: FT
Niger's military government moved roughly 1,000 tonnes of uranium concentrate, known as yellowcake, to Air Base 101 near Niamey after seizing the Orano‑run mine. The stockpile remains unsold, with potential buyers from Russia, China, the United States and the UAE...
New Customs Rules for Imported Parcels
The EU Council approved new customs rules that will end the duty‑free exemption for parcels up to €150, imposing a flat €3 charge per item category starting July 1. Last year, 5.8 billion low‑cost e‑commerce parcels entered the bloc, a 26 % rise...
Letters to the Editor Dated February 16, 2026
The Hindu BusinessLine letters highlight three regulatory concerns. First, they argue that the credit‑deposit ratio alone cannot gauge bank health and call for abolishing the Cash Reserve Ratio to improve deposit mobilisation amid RBI’s new risk‑based insurance premiums. Second, they...
Keir Starmer Urges Faster Defence Spending Push Amid Russia Threat
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer urged a faster acceleration of defence spending, citing the growing Russian threat. Britain currently spends 2.3% of GDP on defence, above NATO’s 2% guideline, and plans to reach 2.5% by 2027 and 3% by the...
Exporters Upbeat on Growth This Year
The Philippine Exporters Confederation (Philexport) is confident that export growth will accelerate this year, buoyed by the active Philippines‑South Korea free‑trade agreement and several pending deals. Preliminary data show 2025 merchandise exports reached $84.41 billion, a 15.2% increase over 2024 and...
The Quiet Architect of Trump’s Global Trade War
Jamieson Greer, a low‑key lawyer turned U.S. Trade Representative, has become the chief architect of President Trump’s renewed global trade war. Since his appointment in early 2025, Greer has designed aggressive tariff structures and led negotiations with major trading partners,...
US Manufacturing Pipeline Grows, Firms Plan $1B in New Factories
A wave of new manufacturing projects across the United States is driving roughly $1 billion in capital spending, spanning heavy equipment, advanced electronics, automation and industrial components. Companies such as John Deere, Rockwell Automation, and Applied Optoelectronics are breaking ground on...
Munich Security Conference. What Was Said About Russia?
The Munich Security Conference highlighted growing diplomatic leverage for Russia, with EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas warning that Moscow may gain more at the negotiating table than on the battlefield. U.S. Senator Marco Rubio expressed uncertainty about Russia’s willingness...
How Long Can Kyrgyzstan’s Economic Boom Keep Booming?
Kyrgyzstan’s economy surged, posting 11% GDP growth in 2025 after a 9% rise in 2024, driven by a logistics boom that rerouted Chinese goods northward following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The surge is reinforced by soaring gold exports, higher remittances...
EUREP Expansion and the Euro – Going Global
The European Central Bank announced that, from the third quarter of 2026, it will expand its EUREP euro repo facility to a global €50 billion line available to any central bank that meets AML and sanctions criteria. The repo offers euro...
Exports Rise 0.61% to $36.56 Billion in January
India's merchandise exports rose modestly by 0.61% to $36.56 billion in January, according to Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal. Imports, however, jumped 19.2% to $71.24 billion, widening the monthly trade deficit to $34.68 billion. The fiscal‑year outlook remains positive, with total exports of goods...
Tamil Nadu’s $1-Trillion Economy Goal Could Be Delayed by a Year to 2031: Economic Survey
Tamil Nadu’s Economic Survey 2025‑26 projects its $1 trillion GDP ambition could slip from 2030 to 2031 if the rupee weakens faster than expected. The state posted a 16% nominal growth rate in 2024‑25, with manufacturing expanding 14.74% real and exports doubling...
India, UK Making Genuine Effort to See if FTA Can Be Operationalised in April: Commerce Secy
India and the United Kingdom are pushing to operationalise their Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) by April, aiming to grant duty‑free access to 99 percent of Indian exports. The pact still requires approval from the UK Parliament before it can...
Italy Says It Stands Ready to Train Police in Gaza
Italy announced it is prepared to train new police forces in Gaza and the wider Palestinian territories, signaling a proactive diplomatic stance in the region. Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani emphasized readiness to build a Gaza police unit and support Palestinian...
Iran Says US 'More Realistic' On Nuclear Issue, as Guards Begin Drills in Hormuz Strait
Iran’s foreign ministry said the United States has moved to a more realistic stance on Tehran’s nuclear programme ahead of a second round of indirect talks in Geneva, mediated by Oman. The Revolutionary Guard Corps launched naval drills in the...
Britons Feeling ‘Dismal’ About Finances Amid Mounting Debts, Survey Finds
A new S&P Global survey shows UK consumer confidence slipping to a 44.8 reading in February, the lowest level in two years. Households are adding debt at the fastest pace since July, with the sharpest increase among 18‑ to 24‑year‑olds,...
No Question of Ethanol Inclusion in India-US Deal: ISMA’s Deepak Ballani
India’s sugar and ethanol sectors remain outside the India‑US trade talks, with ISMA Director General Deepak Ballani confirming that ethanol is explicitly excluded and sugar export quotas have been modestly raised to 20 LT for 2025‑26. He warns that the limited quota‑based...
SPTS: January Job Cuts, Limited CPI Gives Space For Growth Mandate Focus And Cuts
State Street’s SPDR Portfolio Short Term Treasury ETF (SPTS) is gaining attention as its 1.85‑year duration aligns with a lower‑inflation environment, allowing a growth‑focused mandate. The ETF’s exposure to short‑term rate moves helps it sidestep risks tied to long‑term USD...
New System Sees Truck Queues Build at Nhava Sheva Terminal
Hauliers at Mumbai’s Nhava Sheva (JNPA) terminal report truck queues of 25‑30 hours after a new slot‑allocation system was introduced at Gateway Terminals India (GTI). The bottleneck has left vehicles cleared by customs stuck for 3‑4 days, prompting the Nhava Sheva Container Operators’ Welfare...
The Rain in Spain Falls Mainly on Your Supply Chain
The U.S. Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) has opened a public investigation that could overhaul how vessels call at Spanish ports and how Spanish‑flagged ships operate in foreign harbors. The probe follows Spain’s November 2024 decision to deny docking privileges to...
Zhonggu Spreads Its Wings to Meet Manufacturing Shift
Zhonggu Logistics, China’s largest coastal container carrier, announced an order for six 6,000 TEU vessels, with options for two more, to support a strategic pivot toward intra‑Asia shipping as Chinese manufacturing relocates across the region. The mid‑size ships address port constraints...
EU Commission to Attend Trump's Board of Peace Meeting as Observer
EU Commissioner for the Mediterranean Dubravka Suica will travel to Washington to attend the Board of Peace meeting convened by President Donald Trump as an observer. The EU Commission clarified it will not become a board member but will participate...
India-US Trade Deal: Indian Chief Negotiator to Visit US Next Week to Finalise Legal Framework for BTA Deal
Indian chief negotiator Darpan Jain will lead a delegation to Washington next week to finalize the legal framework of the bilateral trade agreement (BTA) with the United States. The interim agreement announced on Feb 7 reduces U.S. tariffs on Indian exports...
Higher Imports Push India’s Trade Deficit to $34.68 Billion in January
India's merchandise trade deficit widened to $34.68 billion in January 2026, driven by a sharp rise in imports to $71.24 billion, especially petroleum, gold and electronics. Export value fell to $36.56 billion, with shipments to the United States slipping month‑on‑month despite overall annual...
Kyodo News Digest: Feb. 16, 2026
Japan's economy posted a modest 0.2% annualized growth in Q4 2025, its first expansion in two quarters, as consumer spending rose slightly while exports fell under U.S. tariff pressure. TEPCO began trial electricity transmission from unit 6 at the Kashiwazaki‑Kariwa nuclear...
Republicans and Democrats Unite to Condemn Trump’s Attacks on Allies
At the Munich Security Conference, both Republicans and Democrats openly condemned President Donald Trump’s tariff agenda, unpredictable foreign‑policy moves, and his claim over Greenland. High‑profile figures such as Hillary Clinton, Governor Gavin Newsom, Senator Elissa Slotkin and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio‑Cortez...
Analyst Highlights Focus of IEW Event
The International Energy Week (IEW) in London highlighted the clash between geopolitics and a projected global oil surplus for 2026. SEB commodities analyst Bjarne Schieldrop warned that OPEC+ will likely trim production by roughly three million barrels per day to...
China's Russian Oil Imports to Hit New Record in February as India Cuts Back
China’s independent refiners boosted Russian oil imports to a record roughly 2.08 million barrels per day in February, overtaking the 1.7 million bpd seen in January. The surge follows India’s sharp cutback to about 1.16 million bpd, leaving China as Moscow’s top seaborne...
Forex Today: Japanese GDP Data Underwhelms
Japan’s Q4 GDP expanded only 0.1% YoY, well below the 0.4% consensus, nudging the economy away from a technical recession but dampening reflation hopes. The weak data erased much of the yen’s recent 3% rally sparked by the new government’s...
Nearshoring and Logistics Upgrades Position the Caribbean as a New Regional Hub
The Caribbean is repositioning as a regional supply‑chain hub as nearshoring gains traction and governments fund logistics upgrades. High logistics costs—16 to 25 percent of GDP—have spurred port expansions in the Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Guyana and Belize, backed by investors such as DP World...
Fitch, Afreximbank, and Africa's Development Sovereignty
Afreximbank terminated its credit rating relationship with Fitch after the agency reclassified the bank as high‑risk for providing debt relief to Ghana. Fitch argued the support indicated a lack of preferred‑creditor status, a claim the bank disputes, citing treaty‑based protections...
Startup Nation: What It Really Takes to Build a Resilient Innovation Hub
Governments are seeking ways to build startup ecosystems that can grow even during geopolitical shocks, supply‑chain disruptions, and economic volatility. The article argues that resilience—not branding or isolated reforms—is the key, using Silicon Valley’s ability to compress, recalibrate, and accelerate...
Japan's Economy Barely Grows in Oct-Dec Quarter as Exports Slow
Japan’s economy grew a modest 0.2 percent annualised in the October‑December quarter, just enough to avoid a technical recession after a 0.7 percent contraction in the prior quarter. Private consumption rose 0.4 percent, but a 1.1 percent drop in exports dragged overall growth. The...
India's Wholesale Inflation Rises to 1.81% in January
India’s wholesale price index (WPI) accelerated to 1.81% year‑on‑year in January, up sharply from 0.53% in December. The rise was led by higher food prices, while falling fuel costs provided a modest offset. Although the Reserve Bank of India (RBI)...
Non-Tariff Measures Costing Industry Billions: GA
Grains Australia’s new report quantifies non‑tariff measures (NTMs) as a 20.4% tariff‑equivalent on Australian grain exports, costing the sector about $4.6 billion in forgone revenue each year. The analysis, built on ABARES research and ANU‑led econometric modelling, is the most detailed...
The End of the Boozy Chinese Banquet Hits Australia’s Largest Winemaker
Treasury Wine Estates’ push back into China has been derailed by a government crackdown on extravagant banquets and tighter grey‑market controls. The winemaker announced it will pull 400,000 cases from China and 500,000 from the United States to regain pricing...
What Keeps Singapore’s Retail Growth Resilient?
Singapore’s retail sector has quietly outperformed expectations, delivering a 12.3% inflation‑adjusted sales increase over the past decade while the population grew 10.4%. Excluding automotive sales, non‑auto retail rose 11.8% since 2019, translating to a healthy 0.7% annual per‑capita gain. Mall...
Australia Exports 2.29Mt Wheat in Dec in New-Crop Surge
Australia’s wheat exports jumped to 2,288,487 tonnes in December 2025, more than double November’s volume and slightly above the 2.13 Mt shipped a year earlier. The surge reflects the arrival of new‑crop wheat from southern ports, marking the start of the...
Myanmar Junta Expels Timor-Leste’s Top Diplomat Over War Crimes Case
Myanmar's military junta expelled Timor‑Leste's top diplomat after Dili opened war‑crimes proceedings. The case, filed by the Chin Human Rights Organization, accuses senior general Min Aung Hlaing of rape, murder and attacks in Chin State. The junta called the move a breach...
Millennials and Gen Z Will Drive Travel Spending in 2026: Klook
Klook’s Travel Pulse 2026 report reveals that 88% of global travelers intend to keep or increase their travel budgets despite economic headwinds, with Asia‑Pacific travelers 50% more likely to boost spending than their Western counterparts. The survey of 11,000 Klook...
Q-Day: Bank Quantum Attack Could Cost US Economy Trillions, Warns Citi
Citi warns that quantum computers could break public‑key encryption within the next decade, estimating a 19‑34% probability of a widespread breach by 2034 and 60‑82% by 2044. A successful quantum attack on a major U.S. bank could generate $2‑3.3 trillion in...
A Lot of Bull: As STI Breaches 5,000, What More Can We Call For?
The Straits Times Index broke the 5,000‑point barrier on Feb 12 as Finance Minister Lawrence Wong presented Budget 2026, confirming JPMorgan’s bullish target from last year. The milestone follows a series of equity‑market reforms, including a S$1.5 billion top‑up to the Financial Sector...
MEGA PROJECTS AND A CLEAR STRATEGY DRIVE EGYPT'S TOURISM BOOM
Egypt’s tourism rebounded dramatically in 2025, welcoming 19 million international visitors—a 21% year‑over‑year increase—and generating $18‑$24 billion in revenue. The surge is driven by flagship investments such as the Grand Egyptian Museum, which opened in November 2025, and ambitious Red Sea coastal...
Hapag-Lloyd’s Plan to Acquire Zim Would Deepen Shipping Oligopoly
Hapag-Lloyd announced a $3.5 billion plan to acquire Israel’s Zim Integrated Shipping Services, pending regulator sign‑off. The transaction would add roughly 704,000 TEUs, pushing Hapag-Lloyd’s capacity above 3 million TEUs and placing it among the world’s five largest container lines. The deal...
U.S. Government Shutdown Sends Shockwaves Through Aviation and Global Tourism
The United States has entered another government shutdown, directly affecting the Transportation Security Administration and parts of the Federal Aviation Administration. Thousands of TSA officers are working without pay, creating staffing shortages and longer security lines at major hubs such...
Make America Great Again — or Make It Unrecognizable? Rubio’s Munich Speech Sparks Fear in Europe and Raises Alarms Across...
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s Munich Security Conference address reframed the trans‑Atlantic alliance in terms of Western civilization and cultural heritage, sparking unease among European listeners, especially in Germany. The speech’s emphasis on identity and tradition resonated with historical...
India's Forex Reserves Drop $6.7 Billion to $717 Billion, Gold Reserves Dip, Reveals RBI Data
India's foreign exchange reserves slipped by $6.7 billion to $717.064 billion in the week ending 6 February, after a record high of $723.774 billion the week before. The decline was driven mainly by a $14.208 billion drop in gold reserves, which fell to $123.476 billion, while...
Trump, Netanyahu Back Plan for US Pressure on Iran to Cut Oil Sales to China, Agree to Go ‘Full Force’...
President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have agreed to intensify economic pressure on Iran by targeting its oil exports to China, which account for more than 80% of Tehran’s sales. The coordinated effort is intended to force...