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Neutral Interest Rate and Fiscal Policy
BRAZIL ECONOMICS · Report · 20 Jun 2023

When all the empirical evidence indicates that inflation expectations are anchored to the target, the Central Bank will begin a monetary easing cycle. Our objective in this report is not to examine when this cycle will start, but rather what the terminal interest rate will likely be. According to...

Slide presentation - Caucasus and Central Asia: Boons from the Russia-Ukraine conflict
CAUCASUS / CENTRAL ASIA · Report · 20 Jun 2023

Get insight into the the macroeconomic and geopolitical impact of the Russia-Ukraine conflict on the Caucasus and Central Asia region with the presentation from our webinar, "Caucasus and Central Asia: Boons from the Russia-Ukraine conflict".

Ramaphosa in Moscow
CIS POLITICS · In Brief · 18 Jun 2023

On June 17 the President of South Africa met Putin. President Ramaphosa was accompanied by the presidents of the Comoros Islands, Zambia and Senegal. Ramaphosa said that the war should end as soon as possible. Ramaphosa's 10-point peace proposal was said by Moscow to be difficult to implement. Ta...

African leaders visit Kyiv
CIS POLITICS · In Brief · 17 Jun 2023

On June 16 African leaders arrived as a part of a mission to negotiate peace. They are due to travel to Russia. The delegates are the presidents of South Africa, Senegal, Zambia and the Comoros Islands. When they arrived in Kyiv a barrage of missiles hit the city. Ukraine condemned the missile at...

The STF will begin trial on the national nursing salary floor, the Senate should vote on the new fiscal framework next week, and the TSE may decide on former President Bolsonaro’s ineligibility case
BRAZIL POLITICS · Report · 16 Jun 2023

Today, the Supreme Federal Court (STF) will adjudicate in the virtual plenary the case that deals with the nursing salary floor. The trial runs until June 23. In the Senate, it is worth highlighting the progress on the vote on the new fiscal framework. Yesterday, rapporteur Omar Aziz (PSD-AM) sai...

Russian missiles strike Ukraine
CIS POLITICS · In Brief · 16 Jun 2023

On June 14 the missiles did little damage. US-supplied air defense systems fended off most Russian missiles. Russia fired Kalibr missiles from a warship. Ukraine claims to have shot them down. Ukraine says 3 people in Odesa were killed by the missile that got through. The United Nations noted tha...

El Salvador Brief: New actions to favor re-election
CENTRAL AMERICA · In Brief · 15 Jun 2023

by Fernando Naranjo and Felix Delgado President Nayib Bukele proposed a reduction in the number of municipalities in El Salvador. The bill was approved on Wednesday, June 14th. Starting March 2024, the country will have 44 local governments compared to 262 nowadays. The name of the municipalities...

More clarity about the MNB's balance sheet and its impact on the government budget
HUNGARY · In Brief · 15 Jun 2023

Even though the MNB reports what is called its statistical balance sheet monthly, it is essentially impossible to tell from that by how much the government will have to recapitalise the Bank and when, in view of the latter's losses suffered because of its current sterilisation policy. The reason ...

Uzbekistan: Central bank holds policy rate steady, but sends a dovish signal
CAUCASUS / CENTRAL ASIA · In Brief · 15 Jun 2023

The Central Bank of Uzbekistan (CBU) kept the policy rate unchanged on Jun 15th, but signaled a cut is likely at the next policy meeting. The CBU kept the policy rate unchanged at 14.0 percent, but modified its message to signal a good probability that it may ease monetary policy at its next poli...

S&P reported an improvement in Brazil’s rating, Lira highlighted two votes that are important in the House this semester, and Lula will hold a ministerial meeting
BRAZIL POLITICS · Report · 15 Jun 2023

The government celebrated the news that Standard & Poor's reported an improvement in Brazil's BB- rating, from stable to positive. When commenting on the report published by S&P, Haddad recognized the work of the president of the House, Arthur Lira, the Senate, Rodrigo Pacheco, and the Supreme Fe...

Economic performance in May: mixed results
KAZAKHSTAN · In Brief · 15 Jun 2023

The Bureau of National Statistics reported that the short-term indicator (a monthly proxy for an aggregate measure of the country’s economic activity) grew by 4.5% in 5M23 y-o-y, which looks decent. However, in 4M23 and 1Q23, y-o-y growth rates were higher – 5.5% and 5.1%. Amid significant base e...

May inflation: in line with our forecast
VENEZUELA · Report · 14 Jun 2023

As expected, inflation in May intensified as a result of wage increases, especially the 2,122 percent rise in the food bonus (cesta ticket). Public outlays rose by 22 percent for the steepest monthly jump seen so far this year. It pushed up the exchange rate. The central bank sold $210 million, f...

The CAE approved the payroll tax exemption extension yesterday, the State Finance Secretaries will discuss Tax Reform tomorrow, and the fiscal framework should be put to a vote in the Senate on June 21
BRAZIL POLITICS · Report · 14 Jun 2023

As expected, the Economic Affairs Committee (CAE) approved a bill yesterday that extends the payroll tax exemption for 17 sectors of the economy for four years. The benefit ends in December. This was a defeat for the government. State Finance Secretaries scheduled a virtual meeting for Thursday t...

Budgetary performance seemingly improved in May
KAZAKHSTAN · In Brief · 13 Jun 2023

Kazakhstan’s Deputy PM and Finance Minister, Mr. Erulan Zhamaubaev, reported at a government meeting today that the country’s state budget (i.e., the republican and local budgets combined) was in decent shape as in 5M23 it accumulated “over KZT8.0 trln of revenues” which appeared about 3% over th...

Worst Fears Confirmed
ECUADOR · In Brief · 13 Jun 2023

Official candidates will be announced by the Electoral Council next August 6th, and the electoral race will start on August 8th, including a presidential debate that will take place on August 13th. Of the eight announced presidential and vice-presidential candidates, only Daniel Noboa and Veronic...