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The House will likely vote on Deputy Claudio Cajado's (PP-BA) report on Tuesday, May 23, or Wednesday, May 24. To be approved, the text needs the support of at least 257 deputies. Last week, the urgent status of the bill was approved by 367 votes in favor and 102 against. The Senate will vote on ...

We expect a 0.25% rate hike today

ISRAEL · Report · 22 May 2023

1. We expect a rate hike of 0.25% today, with 4.75% likely to be the terminal rate. 2. Tightening will be supported by higher core inflation, a tight labor market and fairly steady growth (although with growth pessimism). 3. A sharper hike of 0.5% cannot be ruled out, but the MPC will most ...

Russia claims to have taken Bakhmut

CIS POLITICS · In Brief · 22 May 2023

On May 20 the head of Wagner Group Yevgeny Prigozhin said his fighters have control of the city. The Russian Army confirmed this. They have been fighting there since August 2022. Wagner Group said they had stopped taking prisoners. Wagner said it would hand the city over to the Russian Army on Ma...

We expect a rate hike of 0.25% today, but a 0.5% hike cannot be ruled out

ISRAEL · In Brief · 21 May 2023

We expect a rate hike of 0.25% today, but cannot rule out 0.5% Nevertheless, the MPC will most likely also discuss a sharper hike of 0.5% (most likely a minority view). Most macro factors support further tightening: May’s upward inflation surprise, acceleration in core inflation, tight labor mark...

China announces plan to develop Central Asia

CIS POLITICS · In Brief · 21 May 2023

On May 19 President Xi said that China will help Central Asia with infrastructure, security and defense. He said he wants to improve trade. Xi was speaking at a summit for China and Central Asian countries. Xi said it would be a gain for all the countries involved. Central Asia is Kazakhstan, Kyr...

Russia losing scientists

CIS POLITICS · In Brief · 21 May 2023

On May 18 the vice-president of the Russian Academy of Sciences said that 50,000 scientists have left the country since 2018. He said that the government's policy of technological sovereignty is unachievable while the country is hemorrhaging highly educated scientists. He said that funding for re...

G7 Summit: Zelensky attends and more sanctions on Russia

CIS POLITICS · In Brief · 20 May 2023

On May 19 the Group of the seven most industrialized economies met in Japan. The sanctions will hit Russian diamonds. Russia sells at least USD 4 billion in diamonds each year. The G7 will probably not ban the purchase of all Russian diamonds. Belgium is a major buyer, with Antwerp's being one o...

Bi-Weekly Economic News Summary (Kazakhstan+)

KAZAKHSTAN · In Brief · 19 May 2023

May 5 Azerbaijan: Gas supplies from Azerbaijan to Italy via the Trans-Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) increased in 1Q23 by 6.3% y-o-y to 2.4 bcm May 8 Uzbekistan: Early presidential elections are scheduled for June 9. May 10 Georgia: The country imported 41K tons of wheat in 1Q23 (+22.3% y-o-y) Georgia: ...

Kazan Forum opens

CIS POLITICS · In Brief · 19 May 2023

On May 18 the economic forum opened for its 14th year. 15,000 people have registered to come and they belong to 85 countries. That is fewer than before. Kazan is the capital of the Tatarstan Republic. It is the homeland of an indigenous Muslim ethnic minority, the Tatars. The forum is its Muslim ...

First MNB sterilisation rate cut more likely in June than next Tuesday

HUNGARY · In Brief · 19 May 2023

The forint has weakened somewhat over the last 24 hours, giving back from its impressive strength seen in recent weeks. Two reasons are widely mentioned: USD strengthening against EUR, and the upcoming Monetary Council meeting early next week (Tuesday, May 23), when many on the market think the M...

Ukraine claims to have shot down 6 hypersonic missiles

CIS POLITICS · In Brief · 18 May 2023

On May 17 Ukraine claimed it shot down Kinzhal missiles, which are Russia's latest. There was an overnight Russian missile attack on Kyiv. Russia also used conventional missiles, and Ukraine claimed to have shot down 12 ballistic missiles. Ukraine said that Russia also used Iranian Shahed drones....

The urgent status of the new tax regime was approved in the House, Haddad said that Tax Reform may be voted on in June and three CPIs were installed

BRAZIL POLITICS · Report · 18 May 2023

As expected, the Lower House approved the urgent status of the new tax regime bill by a wide margin. About the Tax Reform, Haddad said that in June the proposal of amendment to the Constitution (PEC) of the Tax Reform may be voted on. The rapporteur, Deputy Aguinaldo Ribeiro (PP-PB), should prese...

Key policy rate held at 6.25%

PHILIPPINES · In Brief · 18 May 2023

After raising its set of policy rates by 425bp since May last year, the Monetary Board decided today to pause monetary tightening, keeping the overnight RRP rate at 6.25%. The decision is based on the BSP’s forecast of a gradual decline in inflation to target by 4Q, inflation expectations for 202...

Moderate y-o-y GDP contraction in 1Q23 prompts decent economic growth this year

RUSSIA ECONOMICS · In Brief · 18 May 2023

Rosstat reported that GDP was down by a mere 1.9% y-o-y in 1Q23 which is not bad a result following the 4.5%, 3.5%, 2.7% y-o-y contraction in 2Q22, 3Q22, and 4Q22 and the high base in 1Q22. So far, Rosstat didn’t provide any breakdown of the GDP – just this flash-estimate, which is the usual prac...

Congress approves a new mining royalty

CHILE · In Brief · 17 May 2023

After working its way through the legislative maze for four years, Chile’s mining royalty law was approved today in Congress. The bill, which will become law once the president signs it, seeks to tax large-scale mining companies according to a differentiated schedule. The new rules will tax compa...