Ida Wolden Bache, governor of Norges Bank, delivered her annual address on 12 February 2026, warning that geopolitical power plays and rapid AI advances are reshaping the economic landscape. She cited Mark Carney’s view that economic integration is being used as coercion, while also highlighting AI’s potential to solve climate and health challenges. Bache called for renewed, adaptable institutions—especially central banks—to balance stability with innovation. The speech positioned Norway’s central bank as a proactive actor in a world of heightened risk and opportunity.
Australian Vanadium Limited has formed an exclusive partnership with Japan’s Sumitomo Electric to compete for Western Australia’s AU$150 million, 500 MWh Kalgoorlie vanadium flow‑battery project. The deal makes Sumitomo the sole provider of its flow‑battery technology, engineering services and technical support for...
Yanmar Power Solutions, a Yanmar Holdings subsidiary, will construct an 8,000 m² factory on a 33,898 m² site in Amagasaki, Hyogo, to conduct test runs of marine hydrogen engines. Operations are slated to begin in March 2029, complementing the company’s recent ClassNK type‑approval...

DCM Shriram Industries completed its demerger, launching DCM Shriram Fine Chemicals Ltd and DCM Shriram International Ltd on Indian exchanges. Fine Chemicals opened around 17% below its issue price, while International fell about 18% on the NSE but edged up...

Seaborne agricultural trade set a new high in 2025, moving 716.5 million tonnes – a modest 1% year‑on‑year gain that nonetheless broke the previous record. After a 6% slump in the first half, volumes rebounded 7% in the second half, lifting...
India's currency in circulation reached a record Rs 40 lakh crore in January 2026, up 11.1% year‑on‑year, while the cash‑to‑GDP ratio slipped to about 11.2%, down from a pandemic peak of 14.4%. Over the past decade, cash holdings have risen from Rs 11.8 lakh crore in...

I just finished Quinn Slobodian's fascinating book on the parallel evolution of globalization and neoliberalism, with the former (according to the latter) requiring specific rules and institutions to "protect" global capitalism from democratic political pressures. While he focuses very heavily...
HeadStart Fund of Funds, managed by HeadStart Advisers, earned The Hedge Fund Journal Performance Award 2025 for highest absolute return over five years. Since 2020 the fund has delivered mid‑teens net returns, with three calendar years exceeding 20%, and has...

In this episode Ryan Morrissey breaks down the essentials of Medicare for listeners approaching age 65, covering Parts A, B, C, and D, associated costs, and the critical timing of enrollment to avoid penalties. He explains the differences between original...
The National Bank of Ethiopia announced sweeping foreign‑exchange reforms, letting exporters retain 100% of their foreign‑currency earnings in designated accounts and permitting banks to issue payment cards linked to those accounts. The minimum $100 requirement for foreign‑exchange savings accounts has...
A short op on what’s going on under the hood in China’s $20 trn economic paradox with the 15th FYP due next month. No five-year plan will solve the paradox of China’s economy https://t.co/uCtAPYrW7A
Nifty IT index is back from an oversold 20 on the RSI indicator to 30 - not so oversold anymore. Now the real question about the trend emerges.

President Trump issued an executive order establishing an “America First” arms export strategy that rewards allies who invest in self‑defense, occupy critical geography, or contribute to U.S. economic security. The rubric pushes the Philippines, Singapore and Cambodia toward priority status...
I honestly feel like freee's result was pretty damn good: +30% YoY top-line growth. With other narratives floating around, the market could easily have interpreted the result in a favorable light.

Vietnam’s finance ministry reported a record $106.6 bn state budget revenue in 2025, surpassing forecasts by 35.5 %. The ministry issued 144 circulars—about a quarter of all national normative documents—while rolling out 28 laws and 86 decrees to support digital transformation, new...
Naturals, one of India’s largest organised salon chains with about 900 outlets, is negotiating a stake sale with Reliance but talks have stalled over control, with Reliance seeking a 51% stake while Naturals wants to retain 49%. The company reported...

Deloitte’s 2026 Global Automotive Consumer Study reveals that 95% of Indian car buyers are ready to pay extra for software‑defined vehicle (SDV) capabilities such as safety, security and health monitoring. The same respondents view SDVs as helpful (81%) and are...

Apax Partners pulled its £575 million takeover bid for FTSE 250 software firm Pinewood on February 16, citing challenging market conditions. The withdrawal triggered an immediate 31% drop in Pinewood’s share price, the steepest decline in weeks. Analysts view the move as a...

The yen edged higher in thin Asian trading as the Japanese currency modestly strengthened. The latest five‑year JGB auction posted a bid‑to‑cover ratio of 3.10, the first rise since September, indicating easing election‑related stress. RBA minutes reinforced a tightening bias...

Ukrainian and Russian delegations met in Geneva for U.S.-brokered talks, but expectations are low that they will produce a breakthrough before the war's fourth anniversary. Both sides remain entrenched on territorial demands, with Russia insisting on broader land claims and...

Europe faces heightened risk of a broader NATO‑Russia confrontation as the Ukraine war drags on. Over the past four years, NATO allies have poured hundreds of billions of dollars in military, economic, and humanitarian aid into Ukraine, while European nations...
Indexes are increasingly dominated by a handful of AI‑focused mega‑cap firms, turning passive funds into de‑facto concentrated bets. Peter Corey of Pave warns that investors often mistake broad ETF holdings for true diversification, while underlying exposure remains clustered around the...

Four years after Russia’s full‑scale invasion, the Ukraine war has defied early forecasts by persisting far longer and costing both sides more than anticipated. Kyiv’s ability to adapt, innovate militarily, and marshal extensive U.S., European, and global support has been...

In this episode the host curates a monthly roundup of quirky fertility news, focusing on pronatalist policies in Chile and Thailand. They critique Chile’s new "Plan Renace"—a baby‑bonus and tax‑break scheme championed by politician Kast—arguing that such incentives target later...
🇰🇭#Cambodia's payment infrastructure: Outsourced to overseas vendors, platforms and foreign-owned banks. How to maintain the country's sovereignity?

Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl pole‑dance performance turned a global stage into a protest against Puerto Rico’s chronic power outages. The artist highlighted how the island’s unreliable grid is a direct legacy of U.S. colonial energy policies that deny residents federal...

Beijing really just outsourced its reserves to its state banks, and shifted out of US custodians High return on investment tho. Tons of folks swallow the fall in reported Treasury holdings hook, line and sinker https://t.co/MKw3EJlSuR

Walmart‑owned Sam’s Club is expanding in China by deepening localisation, offering China‑specific products such as ginseng, copper‑gourd ornaments, and right‑sized private‑label packs. The chain opened ten new stores in 2025, bringing its footprint to 63 locations and shifting focus to...

The Philippine Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) will adopt a fast‑track procurement system modeled on the Board of Investments' "green lane" to lure reputable builders back after recent flood‑control contract scandals. Secretary Vince Dizon said the new process...
1/2 SCMP: "Long viewed by Chinese employees as a barometer of corporate prospects, industry momentum and even the broader economy, the year-end bonus packages for 2025 have become smaller, rarer and far more unevenly distributed, amid slowing... https://t.co/MFbnMtmZdY
Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) is weighing a restart of official development assistance (ODA) loans to Pakistan after a ten‑year hiatus. The move reflects improving macro‑economic indicators, including steadier growth and reduced fiscal stress. JICA’s decision will be coordinated with...
Vietnam’s startup funding has slowed as investors cite cross‑border frictions, notably congested airports and strict capital controls. The newly opened Long Thanh International Airport is intended to ease Ho Chi Minh City’s traffic but has yet to deliver full relief....
BHP reported that copper now accounts for the majority of its earnings for the first time, propelling a sharp rise in six‑month profit and revenue. The miner’s shift away from iron ore, which is suffering from weaker Chinese demand, has...
The February Consumer Discretionary Dashboard shows the sector’s services segment trading about 14% below its 11‑year average, while autos and components remain the most overpriced subsector. Fidelity’s FDIS ETF and SPDR’s XLY deliver comparable long‑term Sharpe ratios, but FDIS offers...

Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko” Moreno Domagoso led the Chinese New Year countdown in Binondo, welcoming Chinese Ambassador Jing Quan and highlighting deepening Philippines‑China ties. He announced that new flights to Cebu will boost tourism, jobs, and business, and reported a...
Who could have seen this coming? Higher copper prices are BHP's main profit driver. https://t.co/ifvnq0Y31l #BHP #copper #mining #commodities #energytransition #AI #electrification #China #ironore #markets

The annualized measures of Chinese intervention over the last 3ms that capture backdoor intervention by the state banks are at all time highs in dollar terms -- over $200b a quarter/ over $800b annualized https://t.co/7vlh3tf4CX
The episode examines the current U.S. housing market inflection point, highlighting softened builder confidence, persistently tight resale inventory, and the potential impact of a credible rate‑cut cycle on margins and incentives. It discusses policy initiatives aimed at streamlining permitting and...
South Korean Sinokor now controls 120 oil tankers When one buyer controls the tradable fleet, charterers panic-book, freight spikes, and shocks bleeds into physical oil prices and spreads. https://t.co/Z2GsMyfbtl #oil #tankers #VLCC #shipping #freight #supplychain #sanctions #geopolitics #markets #energy
Sales are weak. Inventory is tight. Builder sentiment is soft. If rates fall, incentives drop — and margins can snap back fast. The setup in homebuilders isn’t getting enough attention. Read more: https://t.co/AJREG4myee

Dangote Group has inked a $400 million deal with China’s XCMG to acquire heavy‑construction equipment that will fast‑track the expansion of its petroleum refinery from 650,000 to 1.4 million barrels per day. The upgrade will also boost petrochemical outputs, including polypropylene, urea...

Nigeria’s National Bureau of Statistics rebased its Consumer Price Index to a 2024 base year, pulling headline inflation down from 24.48% in January 2025 to 15.15% by December 2025. Critics argue the technical decline masks persistent real inflation, with food prices still...

While everyone continues to be bearish on Thailand, the index quietly bottomed in mid-2025. Marc Faber called it, almost perfectly. https://t.co/TfCZRnhSG7

Nigeria’s economy is structured to reward navigating bureaucratic friction rather than boosting productivity, efficiency, or innovation. World Bank data shows firms spend over 40% more time on regulations than the regional average, creating a thriving informal ecosystem of brokers, fixers...
Market Update: We continue to view the market as being somewhere between very overvalued and pornographically overvalued. We have an out of consensus outlook. @dougkass @andrewrsorkin @BeckyQuick @SquawkCNBC @CNBCFastMoney @HalftimeReport @carlquintanilla @ScottWapnerCNBC @jimcramer @pboockvar @saraeisen @SullyCNBC @tomkeene @ferrotv @lisaabramowicz1 @business...

Nigeria’s Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) summoned former Kaduna governor Nasiru El‑Rufai for questioning over alleged mismanagement of public funds during his 2015‑2023 tenure. While El‑Rufai complied, supporters stormed the EFCC headquarters in Abuja, prompting operatives to deploy tear gas...
Uganda’s eight lake ports, managed by state‑owned Uganda Railways Corporation, are crippled by illegal land encroachments, military occupations, and climate‑related water level shifts. Key facilities such as Port Bell and Lambu Port face stalled redevelopment despite an African Development Bank...

Turkey and Saudi Arabia concluded a series of defence‑industrial accords in February 2026, covering a fifth‑generation fighter, a utility helicopter, and unmanned naval platforms. The agreements were sealed during President Erdoğan’s Riyadh visit and include a joint KAAN fighter investment...
India's textile and apparel exports fell 3.75% in January 2026, dropping to $3.27 billion from $3.40 billion a year earlier, primarily due to U.S. tariffs that remained until February 7. Cotton yarn, fabrics and handloom products declined over 4%, while carpet and jute...

U.S. Treasury rates slipped across the curve in the week ending February 13, 2026. The 30‑year yield fell 0.16%, while the benchmark 10‑year dropped 0.18% to 4.04%. The 3‑year note settled at 3.43%. The declines reflect modest easing in market...