NEWS FLASH

UPCOMING WEBINAR - TURKEY: FUNDAMENTAL CHANGE OR BUSINESS AS USUAL?...

The House approved urgent status for the Perse and payroll tax bills, the Joint Committee on the payroll tax MP is expected to be installed today, and Lira said that the working group on the Fake News bill should be installed
BRAZIL POLITICS · Report · 10 Apr 2024

The House approved urgent status for the bills on the Emergency Program for the Resumption of the Events Sector (Perse) and the payroll tax exemption for small municipalities. The merits of the two proposals will be analyzed next week. Today, the Joint Committee on the provisional measure (MP) th...

How close is the unification and liberalization of the exchange market?
ARGENTINA · Report · 10 Apr 2024

Favorable financial indicators—the reduction of the gap between the official exchange rate and the pseudo-free exchange rates (the CCL and the "blue"), the accumulation of reserves and the decrease in country risk—are encouraging, but they should not be taken as indicators that the convergence of...

Kazakhstan macro: a new economic agenda for a new government
KAZAKHSTAN · Report · 10 Apr 2024

In early February, Kazakhstan’s President Tokayev accepted the resignation of the government headed by Mr. Smailov, who had been in charge of the cabinet of ministers since January 2022. The position was handed over to Mr. Bektenov, who had served as the head of the presidential administration si...

US says it is giving captured Iranian arms to Ukraine
RUSSIA / FSU POLITICS · In Brief · 10 Apr 2024

On April 9 the US military made the announcement. The shipments include ammunition and small arms. These Iranian-manufactured weapons were used by Houthi rebels in Yemen. The Yemeni Army captured the weapons in battles against the Houthis. Ukraine is grateful for shipments but small arms inflict ...

Peru: pension funds withdrawal to be approved on Thursday
PERU · In Brief · 09 Apr 2024 · 1 response

As expected, today Congress scheduled the vote on the pension funds withdrawal bill at its Thursday congressional plenary. The bill calls for pension funds’ contributors to be able to withdraw up to four Unidades Impositivas Tributarias (UITs, or tax-inflation-indexed units). This would allow eac...

Flooding in Russia and Kazakhstan
RUSSIA / FSU POLITICS · In Brief · 09 Apr 2024

On April 3 serious flooding impacted southern Russia and northern Kazakhstan. The abrupt thaw has caused snow to melt faster than usual. Tens of thousands of people have been evacuated in Russia and 86,000 in Kazakhstan. Over 10,000 houses have been flooded. Some regions have declared a state of ...

President Lula participates in the signing of the MP on Renewable Energy and Tariff Reduction, the Joint Committee on the payroll tax exemption was postponed until Thursday, and Pacheco committed to the zero-deficit target
BRAZIL POLITICS · Report · 09 Apr 2024

Today President Lula participates in the signing of the Provisional Measure (MP) on Renewable Energy and Tariff Reduction. It sets aside resources from the privatization of Eletrobras to reduce electricity bills by 3.5% in 2024. The installation of the Joint Committee to analyze the payroll tax r...

Smooth federal budget performance in 1Q24
RUSSIA ECONOMICS · In Brief · 09 Apr 2024

Minfin reported that the 1Q24 federal budget revenues accounted for about R8.7 trln (24.9% of the annual plan set at nearly R35.1 trln). The figure looks decent, as in 2024, the revenue target exceeds last year’s actual revenue figure by 20.4%. In 1Q24, the government collected R2.9 trln of the o...

Poor budget, strengthening forint
HUNGARY · In Brief · 09 Apr 2024

The central government's cash budget did not do particularly well in March and Q1, according to fresh data from the Finance MInistry. In annualised ratio-to-GDP terms, the March deficit was recorded at 9.7%, marginally down from 9.9% one year earlier, and the Q1 total reached 12.2%, exactly the s...

Politics: Races tighten for several governorships in play this June, with major implications for the federal elections
MEXICO · Report · 08 Apr 2024

Nine states, including Mexico City, will hold gubernatorial elections the same days as the presidential contest this year, and considering that the nine account for 35% of all registered voters in Mexico, what happens at the state level could have a major influence on the outcome of the president...

A race against time in Congress and other weekly topics
BRAZIL POLITICS · Report · 08 Apr 2024

President Lula may decide whether to replace Jean Paul Prates at Petrobras. Parliamentary fronts in the House conclude the discussion on Tax Reform. The government discusses the LDO bill, to be sent on April 15, along with Tax Reform regulations. This week's Talking Points:  * A race a...

Milei’s first four months
ARGENTINA · Report · 08 Apr 2024 · 1 response

In our previous monthly report, we used the reference to the movie “The Matrix” to conceptually illustrate the costly process of “awakening” an economy from its unsustainable macro policies. The economy would be awakened to a reality that is fiscally and monetary more sustainable, with better inv...

Exchange Rate: Brazil and Its Peers
BRAZIL ECONOMICS · Report · 08 Apr 2024

The behavior of the Real, which in recent weeks has weakened beyond the level of R$ 5.00/US$, has followed the global appreciation of the dollar in response to the increase in long-term interest rates in the United States. This behavior is different than that of the currencies of Mexico and Colom...

Rates on hold, fiscal deficit pushes higher despite strong revenues
ISRAEL · In Brief · 08 Apr 2024

The Bank of Israel maintained present policy rates on hold at 4.5% on April 8 (market expectations were divided). In the press conference the Governor was clear that elevated geopolitical risks and FX stability were key to the decision: “In view of recent developments, which indicate a substantia...

President Lula may make a decision regarding the president of Petrobras this week, the Joint Committee on the payroll tax exemption should be installed, and government rushes to finalize the Tax Reform regulations
BRAZIL POLITICS · Report · 08 Apr 2024

We are expecting some developments regarding Petrobras this week. President Lula may decide whether or not Jean Paul Prates will remain in office. The president of BNDES, Aloizio Mercadante, is currently the main option to replace Prates. On Tuesday, April 9, the Joint Committee is scheduled to b...