GlobalSource Partners | Country Insights

On May 17 the countries agreed to cooperate on a commercial transport system to connect the Persian Gulf and India. Both nations wish to circumvent sea lanes. It also relates to a 164-km-railroad in Iran due to be completed by the end of 2026. This will allow goods to travel by train from Russia ...

Four CPIs will be installed this week, the House may vote on the Fake News Bill today, and the STF will begin virtual analysis of the injunction that suspended the STJ decision on the use of ICMS tax credits

BRAZIL POLITICS · Report · 02 May 2023

Four Parliamentary Committees of Inquiry (CPIs) should be installed this week. The one on the January 8 attacks is a joint committee and will be composed of both deputies and senators. Three other committees will be installed in the House: on the Landless Workers' Movement (MST), the Americanas s...

Ukraine shelling Russia

CIS POLITICS · In Brief · 01 May 2023

On April 29 Russia said that five of its villages near the border had been shelled and left without electricity. The local administration stated that no one was killed or injured. Ukraine has repeatedly struck at the Belgorod Region, which is adjacent to Ukraine. However, it has seldom managed t...

The labor market remains strong, and economic growth steady (in Q1)

ISRAEL · In Brief · 01 May 2023

The labor market remains fairly tight The unemployment rate remained stable at 3.9% in March (similar to Feb), as 25k new job were created while labor participation increased as well. The BoI preferred category (ages 25-64) actually witnessed a decline in unemployment to 3.2% in March from 3.5% i...

A pre-election Q&A

TURKEY · Report · 24 Apr 2023 · 1 response

We tried to address some key questions in our as well as our readers’ minds, in a Q&A format. With less than three weeks left to the critical ballot date, polls are largely static. As it stands, Kemal Kilicdaroglu will likely become the next president of Turkey, as his Nation Alliance will hav...

The government will be put to the test and other weekly topics

BRAZIL POLITICS · Report · 24 Apr 2023

The request for the creation of a Joint Parliamentary Committee of Inquiry (CPI) into the January 8 attacks will be read on Wednesday. An intense negotiation is underway for the selection of its rapporteur and chair. The fiscal framework begins analysis in the House. In the Senate, the president ...

Boric announces plans for Chile's lithium

CHILE · In Brief · 23 Apr 2023 · 2 responses

In a nationally televised address to the nation on Thursday evening, President Gabriel Boric announced his much-awaited plan for the future exploitation of Chile’s vast reserves of lithium. The Boric plan has five main elements: The creation of a national lithium company, with the goal of having ...

GULF WEEKLY: PIF gets another 4% of Aramco, Kuwait calls elections, UAE-Qatar embassies to reopen, Sudan conflict raises concerns

GULF COUNTRIES · Report · 21 Apr 2023 · 1 response

A skimmable summary overlaid with our analysis and links. Headlines: * Gulf states called for an end to conflict in Sudan, where they have links to both sides of the military. * Saudi Arabia transferred 4% of Aramco to PIF, which will reduce central government annual fiscal revenue by 1%. * ...

Bi-Weekly Economic News Summary

KAZAKHSTAN · In Brief · 20 Apr 2023

Apr 10 KazTransOil: AD Ports Group (UAE) may contribute to an expansion of the production capacity of the Batumi Oil Terminal President: Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan have opportunities to increase mutual trade turnover to $1 bln (compared to about $0.5 bln in 2022) President: Mr. Tokayev discussed w...

Political arrangements for the 2024 elections being defined, amid economic uncertainty

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC · Report · 18 Apr 2023

Although economic activity growth in February 2023 (at 1.8% y/y) was higher than in January 2023 (at 0.4% y/y), the economy has undoubtedly entered a path of lower growth, which may intensify if international economic conditions deteriorate. Even the authorities have recognized the possibility of...

Will this year’s “consumption revival” disappoint?

CHINA FINANCIAL · Report · 18 Apr 2023

Special points to highlight in this issue: * GDP in the first quarter of 2023 grew a better-than-expected 4.5 percent year on year, or 2.2 percent month on month. While we have almost certainly seen some rebalancing in the month of March, with consumption growing faster than GDP, it is still ...

Caution Is in Order Regarding Cutting the Interest Rate

BRAZIL ECONOMICS · Report · 17 Apr 2023

Last week, bets grew about an early start of the monetary easing cycle, before the end of the second quarter. The optimism was not due to the quality of the fiscal framework announced by the government, but rather to the deceleration of the 12-month rate of the IPCA to 4.6% (5.6% a month ago). In...

The Ministry of Finance in the next 100 days and other weekly topics

BRAZIL POLITICS · Report · 17 Apr 2023

The government should finally submit the new fiscal framework to Congress. Proposals aimed at increasing revenue should also be submitted, as well as the new framework for PPPs. Congress reviews presidential vetoes. The holiday on Friday, April 21, reduces legislative activity. This week's Tal...

Politics: Poll shows success of the fight against Plan B, which suffers setbacks as new INE councilors assume their posts

MEXICO · Report · 17 Apr 2023

One of the most significant aspects of the latest GEA-ISA quarterly survey of registered voters was that it showed the extent to which the efforts of the INE under former Institute President Lorenzo Cordova, civic organizations and opposition parties have succeeded in winning over the vast majori...

Initial signs of inflation moderation

ISRAEL · In Brief · 16 Apr 2023

Inflation in March points to some initial inflation moderation Inflation in March was up 0.4% (below market expectations of 0.5%). Core inflation remained stable at 5.1% y/y, similar to the pace in January and February. Several categories moderated, such as housing rentals (from 6.8% y/y to 6.7%)...