Militias, Corrupt Officers Man 24 Roadblocks on Key DRC Trade Route
Twenty‑four roadblocks staffed by militias and corrupt officials line the Goli–Mahagi–Kisangani route, a vital segment of the Northern Corridor linking Uganda to eastern DRC. Unofficial fees of up to $300 per vehicle are inflating transport costs and delaying deliveries. The corridor underpins more than $1 billion in annual Uganda‑DRC trade, but rising non‑tariff barriers threaten to curb volumes. EAC officials warn the roadblocks breach customs‑union rules and demand coordinated action.
India's Telecom Imports From China Rise to $6.37 Billion in 2023-24: Pemmasani
India’s telecom imports from China climbed to $6.37 billion in the 2023‑24 fiscal year, up from $5.55 billion in 2019‑20. Total telecom‑equipment imports rose to $17.01 billion, reflecting a broader expansion in the sector. To curb dependence, the government introduced a public procurement...
STAT+: Trump Administration Prepares 100% Tariffs on some Imported Drugs
The Trump administration is poised to issue an order that would levy a 100% tariff on imports of patented medicines and their active pharmaceutical ingredients. A draft of the order suggests the tariffs could be announced as early as Thursday,...
US Lifts Sanctions on Venezuela’s Acting President Rodriguez, Who Praises Trump
The United States announced on April 2, 2026 that it is lifting sanctions on Venezuela’s acting president, Delcy Rodriguez, after the U.S. military captured former President Nicolás Maduro and his wife. The move formally recognizes Rodriguez as a legitimate authority and clears...
Why Are Businesses in Japan Preparing to Raise Prices?
Japan’s March Tankan survey shows a modest rebound in business sentiment, with the manufacturers' index rising to +17 – the strongest since 2021 – while corporate inflation expectations have climbed to 2.6% for the coming year. The surge in expectations...
No Need for a Rate Hike Unless Inflation Spikes: Economists
Indian economists briefed the Reserve Bank of India that a rate hike is unnecessary as long as inflation stays within the 2‑6% tolerance band. The discussion, held amid the West Asia war and soaring Brent crude at $110‑$120 per barrel,...
Tariff Refunds and Tariff Investigations
Customs and Border Protection is finalizing an automated tariff‑refund portal, now 65‑85% complete, with payouts expected by late April and a total refund pool of roughly $166 billion after the Supreme Court deemed the IEEPA tariffs unconstitutional. At the same time,...
USTR Flags ‘Widespread’ Philippine Customs Corruption
The U.S. Trade Representative’s 2026 National Trade Estimate flags pervasive corruption within the Philippines’ Bureau of Customs, citing 100% inspections, erratic fee assessments, and delayed processing. While the Philippine government has digitized many customs procedures, the report says transparency and...
Bank Loans Grow Faster but Middle East Turmoil Poses Major Risk
Bank lending in the Philippines accelerated in February, with large‑bank loan balances reaching roughly $257 billion, a 9.5% year‑over‑year increase and slightly faster than January’s 9.3% pace. Business loans drove most of the growth, climbing 8.6% to about $216 billion, while consumer...
Manufacturing Activity Falters to 3-Month Low Due to Middle East Crisis
The Philippine manufacturing PMI slipped to 51.3 in March, a three‑month low and the first decline since December, as the Middle East war dampened export demand and spiked oil costs. While the index stayed above the 50‑point growth threshold, new...
Beyond Oil: The Macroeconomic Impact of Commodity Supply Disturbances
A new CEPR paper shows that supply disruptions in non‑oil commodities—metals, grains, livestock—affect inflation and industrial production as strongly as traditional oil shocks. Using textual analysis of over one million news articles, the authors construct daily supply‑demand proxies for 20...
From World War Trade to Domino Regionalism: The Emergent Global Trading Order
In April 2025 the United States unleashed sweeping tariffs and China responded with export controls, creating a “World War Trade” that shattered the post‑World‑II rules‑based system. While the US‑China clash intensified, the other 75 % of global trade—countries responsible for three‑quarters of...
Trump Tariffs Live Updates: Trump Announces 50% Tariffs on Any Country Supplying Weapons to Iran
President Trump announced a 50 % secondary tariff on any nation that supplies weapons to Iran, taking effect immediately. The duty joins a broader trade strategy that already imposes a 100 % tariff on patented pharmaceuticals (with carve‑outs) and maintains 50 % rates...
Stocks Fall, Crude Surges as War-End Optimism Ebbs: Markets Wrap
U.S. equities and bonds slipped on April 1 as President Donald Trump’s televised remarks failed to calm market nerves about the Middle East conflict. The Nasdaq‑100 dropped 1.6% and the S&P 500 fell 1.2%, driven by weakness in large‑cap tech and...
Malaysia’s Economy Expanded by 5.2% in 2025, Supported by Broad-Based Growth Across All Major Sectors
Malaysia's economy expanded 5.2% in 2025, slightly above the 5.1% pace of 2024, driven by a 5.5% rise in services, 4.5% manufacturing growth and a 12.2% construction surge, supporting a GDP of roughly $400 bn. Early 2026 data show the Industrial...
Jordan’s Regional Connectivity Begins in Riyadh
Jordan is positioning itself as a regional trade hub by leveraging deepening Saudi investment, which now exceeds $15 billion, and a series of bilateral agreements signed in Riyadh. Trade between the two countries grew 19% in the first half of 2025,...
FirstFT: Chinese Government Bonds Resilient Amid Global Debt Sell-Off
Chinese government bonds have shown unexpected resilience as global investors retreat from debt markets amid rising rates and geopolitical uncertainty. Yield spreads narrowed relative to comparable sovereigns, and capital inflows from domestic banks and foreign investors offset broader sell‑offs. The...
Alcohol, 'Buy Canadian' Policy Flagged by U.S. as Trade Irritants: Report
The U.S. Trade Representative’s annual report flags Canada’s provincial liquor‑control rules and the federal “Buy Canadian” procurement policy as major trade irritants. It also highlights punitive tariffs on U.S. dairy, including 245% on cheese and 298% on butter, which hinder...
Iran War Squeezes African Countries
U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran are sending shockwaves across Africa, where soaring energy costs are hitting consumers and exporters alike. Nigeria’s gasoline prices have jumped 65%, Kenya’s tea shipments are stuck in ports, and South Africa has cut fuel taxes to...
Lapse in Key Digital Trade Measure Undermines Economic Growth, Innovation
The World Trade Organization failed to extend the two‑year “Moratorium on Customs Duties on Electronic Transmissions” at its Yaoundé ministerial, allowing the measure to lapse. The moratorium has shielded digital goods, software services and semiconductor‑related data flows from tariffs for...
Iran Threatens Major US Companies in the Middle East Creating New Risk for Crypto
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps warned that, starting April 1, it will target a list of U.S. multinationals operating in the Middle East, including Microsoft, Google, Apple, Intel, IBM, Tesla, Boeing, JPMorgan, Oracle, Nvidia and others. Many of these firms form...
Sen Warren Accuses White House of Using Tariffs to Help Big Tech
Senator Elizabeth Warren accuses the White House of using Trump-era tariffs to shield big‑tech firms while harming U.S. manufacturers. She argues that exemptions let companies like Elon Musk’s xAI evade foreign regulations, citing the Grok AI chatbot’s deep‑fake scandal. Warren...
PM’s Expectations for Middle East Conflict: ‘Economic Shocks Will Be with Us for Months’
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese warned that the economic fallout from the US‑Israel war with Iran will reverberate across Australia for months. He said price pressures will appear at supermarkets, fuel stations and in the cost structures of small businesses and...
Bullock Moves to Arrest Systemic Gouging of Payments
Reserve Bank of Australia Governor Michele Bullock announced a ban on merchant surcharging for card payments. The decision follows a two‑decade review of Australia’s electronic payments market, which regulators say has been exploited by banks and multinational schemes. The ban...
US Spirits Exports Decline 3.8% in 2025
U.S. spirits exports fell 3.8% in 2025 to $2.37 billion, driven by sharp drops in Canada and the European Union as trade bans and tariff threats took hold. Excluding Canada, exports rose 2.5%, showing resilient demand in other regions. Whiskey remained...
Trump Says He Is ‘Absolutely’ Considering Withdrawing US From Nato
President Donald Trump announced he is "absolutely" considering withdrawing the United States from NATO after European allies declined to join the US‑Israeli war against Iran. The stance marks the most aggressive anti‑NATO rhetoric of his administration and has sparked warnings...
US Gulf Coast Tanker Availability Drops as Asia, Europe Seek to Replace Middle East Supply
U.S. Gulf Coast oil tanker availability has plunged, falling 41% in the past month as Asian and European refiners replace Middle Eastern supply disrupted by the Iran‑related war in the Strait of Hormuz. Very Large Crude Carrier (VLCC) numbers have...
Republican Senator Calls Chinese Cars A ‘Cancer,’ Vowing Stricter Ban
Republican Senator Bernie Moreno announced plans to broaden the U.S. ban on Chinese electric vehicles, targeting not only the cars themselves but also associated software, components, and joint‑venture partnerships. The proposal would reinforce the existing 100% tariff regime and aim...
US Tariff Fight Shifts to Heavy Machinery Imported From Mexico
Two bipartisan U.S. senators have asked the Commerce Department to launch a Section 232 national‑security investigation into heavy‑equipment imports from Mexico, arguing that offshoring erodes American manufacturing jobs. They cite recent plant closures and layoffs at Deere, Caterpillar and CNH...
Why Manufacturing Remains Indonesia’s Key Growth Driver, Accelerating Downstream...
Indonesia’s 2025‑2029 economic roadmap hinges on manufacturing, which posted a 5.3% growth rate in 2025—slightly above the nation’s 5.0% GDP expansion. The sector now accounts for 19.07% of GDP and over 80% of exports, employing more than 20 million workers. Government...
March ISM Report: Manufacturing PMI Reaches Highest Level Since August 2022
The Institute for Supply Management’s March 2026 Manufacturing PMI rose to 52.7, the strongest reading since August 2022 and a modest gain over February. New orders slowed while production stayed robust, and the employment index remained in contraction territory. The...
Record of the Financial Policy Committee Meeting on 27 March 2026
On 1 April 2026 the Bank of England published the record of its Financial Policy Committee meeting held on 27 March 2026. The minutes provide a detailed account of the committee’s assessment of financial‑system risks, macro‑prudential policy settings and upcoming regulatory priorities. By releasing...
Positioning the Phl in Asia’s Growth Story
At the Boao Forum for Asia’s 25th conference, leaders reaffirmed Asia’s role as the world’s primary growth engine, with its share of global GDP projected to reach 49.7% in 2026. The Philippines, positioned at the heart of Southeast Asia, is...
BSP Widens BOP Deficit Outlook
The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) has lifted its 2026 balance of payments (BOP) deficit forecast to $7.8 billion, or 1.5% of GDP, up from the earlier $5.9 billion estimate. The current‑account gap also widened to $20.3 billion, representing about 4% of GDP,...
A Different Supply-Side Shock
President Trump’s potential decision to keep the Strait of Hormuz closed would trigger the largest energy‑supply shock on record, cutting roughly 20% of global oil and liquefied natural gas flows. The disruption also threatens 30% of the world’s seaborne fertilizer,...
Bowman Says Capital Changes Will Fuel Small-Business Lending
Federal Reserve Vice Chair for Supervision Michele Bowman unveiled a proposed capital framework that could free up to $100 billion for small‑business lending by lowering risk‑weightings on bank assets under Basel III. The change targets community and regional banks that hold roughly...
India Delays Cabotage Rewind Plan Amid Carrier Pressure, Middle East Reroutings
India’s Ministry of Ports & Shipping announced a six‑month postponement of the cabotage policy that would have ended foreign‑flag vessels’ right to operate coastal shipping routes. The original rule, introduced in 2018, aimed to force domestic operators to handle intra‑country...
Attacks Persist in Iran and Across the Mideast as Trump Threatens Escalation
President Donald Trump’s statements on the Iran conflict have swung from pledging a quick exit to threatening to bomb Iran “back to the Stone Ages” if the Strait of Hormuz remains closed. Meanwhile, Iran has intensified missile and drone strikes...
Markets Bet Big on a Quick End to the Iran War
President Trump signaled he may end U.S. strikes on Iran within two to three weeks, prompting a wave of market optimism. Brent crude briefly slipped below $100 a barrel, while S&P 500 and Nasdaq futures turned positive and 10‑year Treasury yields...
Javier Milei’s Inflation ‘Miracle’ in Argentina Is a Warning to the World, Not a Blueprint
Argentine inflation dropped from 211% in 2023 to about 31.5% by the end of 2025 under President Javier Milei. The decline stems from a sharp contraction in real wages and a collapse of industrial activity, with over 2,000 firms shutting and...
Iraqi Civilians Are Paying the Price of the Iran War
The U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran is spilling into Iraq, where rockets and drones have struck near Baghdad and Erbil, disrupting daily life. Oil exports are faltering after Iranian attacks on tankers and a force‑majeure declaration on foreign‑operated fields, threatening the...
Iran War Forces Small Dairies to Hedge Like Multinationals
Small and medium-sized dairy firms are turning to corporate‑level hedging tools as the US‑Israeli conflict with Iran drives volatile fuel and commodity prices. Attara reports a 300% jump in hedging activity among agricultural SMEs, with swaps becoming the preferred instrument...
U.S. Within 'Weeks' Of Oil Shortages if War in Iran Continues: Eric Nuttall
Eric Nuttall, senior partner at Ninepoint Partners, warned that the United States could face oil shortages within weeks if the war involving the U.S., Israel and Iran keeps the Strait of Hormuz closed. The conflict has already removed more than...
Toyota Reduces Middle East Exports Due to War
Toyota Motor Corp trimmed its Middle East vehicle shipments by roughly 20,000 units in March, citing disruptions from the ongoing Iran war. The cut represents a notable dip in the automaker’s regional export volume. Company officials warned that if hostilities...
Japan Business Mood Improves as BOJ Weighs Rate Hike Chance
Japan’s large‑manufacturer business sentiment rose for a fourth straight quarter in the January‑March 2026 period, according to the Bank of Japan’s latest survey. The improvement comes as the BOJ signals it may raise interest rates later this year, a shift...
EU Proposes Tweaks to Carbon Market Reserve in Bid to Avoid Volatility
The European Commission proposed adjusting the EU Emissions Trading System to stop automatically cancelling excess permits, instead keeping them in a special reserve as a price‑volatility buffer. The move follows pressure from member states, notably Italy, as soaring energy costs...
Why Europe Is Unlikely to Face an Inflation Surge
The European Central Bank (ECB) missed early warning signs of inflation in 2021‑22, prompting a delayed and aggressive tightening cycle. A new energy-price shock triggered by the Iran war has revived concerns, but the ECB now signals a faster, more...
Russia Could Emerge as Global South's Partner Amid Iran War, Scholar Says
A Russian scholar argues that the US‑Israel war on Iran is threatening the Global South, especially as oil prices surge. He warns the conflict could normalize forceful interventions, destabilizing developing nations. Russia, he suggests, could step in as an alternative...
Iran War: What African Countries Can Do to Get Through the Crisis and Emerge in a Better Place
The US‑Israel war on Iran is destabilising global oil, gas, fertiliser and food markets and has triggered sharp depreciations of African currencies against the dollar. Rising interest rates and tighter foreign‑financing conditions are compounding debt pressures across the continent. Experts...
Trump Says US Will Leave Iran ‘Quickly’ and Return if Needed
President Donald Trump told Reuters the United States will exit the Iran war "pretty quickly" and may return for limited "spot hits" if necessary. He used the remarks to preview a primetime address, while also lambasting NATO and hinting at...