GlobalSource Partners | Country Insights

Recent economic and financial data show that Kazakhstan’s economy is still performing fairly well, though perhaps falling a bit short of expectations, with GDP in the first half of 2026 up 4.1% year-on-year and the short-term indicator - a monthly measure of activity across six key sectors - risi...

Heavy burden

BRAZIL ECONOMICS · Report · 17 Aug 2026

Economic activity slowed more than anticipated despite several stimulus measures announced for this year, concentrated in particular on credit extension. We see two kinds of limitations. First, the credit channel depends on institutions that select borrowers according to their own criteria, which...

Weekly report, August 17, 2026: Strong macroeconomic data meets political and geopolitical woes

ISRAEL · Report · 17 Aug 2026

Key headlines: * Israel’s macroeconomic fundamentals continued to surprise positively. July inflation declined to 1.5%, while Q2 GDP rebounded by 15.9% annualized, much more strongly than expected. * The September 1 Bank of Israel decision is becoming a close call. Strong growth, rapid wage...

The end of dual power: the Constitutional Court rejected all three remaining Fidesz motions today

HUNGARY · In Brief · 17 Aug 2026

Following the rejection of a Fidesz motion to reverse the re-nationalisation of public interest trusts the other day, all three remaining motions handed in by Fidesz were rejected by the Court today. As a result, President Baka remains in office, rather than former president Mr. Sulyok being put ...

Campaign kickoff—Lula and Flávio Bolsonaro’s proposals and other weekly topics

BRAZIL POLITICS · Report · 17 Aug 2026

This week's Talking Points: • Lula and Flávio kick off their campaigns. On the first day of the official election campaign, President Lula (PT) and Senator Flávio Bolsonaro (PL) adopted different strategies. At a political rally held at Vila Euclides Stadium in the ABC region of São Paulo, Lu...

Politics: Homicides declined in 2025, but the real numbers and the effectiveness of the government's strategy remain in question

MEXICO · Report · 17 Aug 2026

INEGI's preliminary 2025 homicide figures (27,989, a rate of 21.4 per 100,000 inhabitants) confirm a genuine decline in intentional homicides, but one considerably smaller than the government claims. A gap of over 4,300 cases separates INEGI's count from the SNSP's. The gap is rooted in divergent...

Argentina's recovery-drivers, risks and timing - Slide presentation and webinar replay

ARGENTINA · Presentation · 17 Aug 2026

How will Argentina navigate the tradeoff between disinflation and economic growth in the second half of 2026? Can steady or rising dollar demand destabilize the peso ahead of the presidential election? Can MECON's financing program ameliorate investor concerns about reserve accumulation and credi...

The official campaign period began this Sunday and will run through October 1, Alcolumbre said he would move forward with the 6x1 work schedule proposal, and two presidential polls will be released this week

BRAZIL POLITICS · Report · 17 Aug 2026

The campaign period officially began this Sunday (August 16) and will run through October 1, three days before the first round of the election. Radio and television campaign advertising begins on August 28 and will also run through October 1. Last week, President Lula (PT) met with Senate Preside...

Bracing for a comprehensive Black Sea seaports blockade

UKRAINE · In Brief · 16 Aug 2026

We are heading toward a complete blockade of Black Sea seaports, affecting both Ukraine and Russia. To understand what's happening, let's start with a broader view of the battlefield in Russia's war against Ukraine. Russian forces on the ground have effectively stalled, with no meaningful advance...

GULF WEEKLY: Hormuz deal stalls, Kuwait’s oil production rebounds, Qatar LNG loadings rise

GULF COUNTRIES · Report · 14 Aug 2026 · 1 response

A skimmable summary overlaid with our analysis and links. Headlines: * There were no direct US-Iran strikes, but rhetoric was heated, and a Hormuz deal was not finalized. * Iran fired on three Adnoc tankers, and the US fired on a cargo ship heading for Iran. * The Houthis repeatedly struck A...

Sustained growth

INDONESIA · Report · 14 Aug 2026

Indonesia's Central Board of Statistics released its national accounts data for Q2 2026, showing that the Indonesian economy grew 5.29% Y/Y, below the Q1 rate of growth of 5.61%. With that, Indonesia's economy has grown by 5.45% in the first semester of 2026. The Central Board of Statistics al...

Chile's Tough Tariff Dilemma

CHILE · In Brief · 14 Aug 2026

The Chilean political and business class is still digesting the United States’ decision to impose a 12.5% tariff on a large share of Chilean exports. While the country will certainly take an economic hit, the real question is political, as the move challenges several assumptions that have guided ...

Flávio Bolsonaro had difficulty registering his candidacy, the official campaign period begins on Sunday and runs through October 1, and the government said it notified the U.S. about instating reciprocal tariffs

BRAZIL POLITICS · Report · 14 Aug 2026

When Senator Flávio Bolsonaro attempted to register his candidacy for the presidency, he was prevented from doing so because the Superior Electoral Court (TSE) system showed that he was affiliated with Missão rather than the PL. Yesterday, the TSE restored Flávio’s PL affiliation. His candidacy h...

Great news: Constitutional Court refused a Fidesz request to reverse the re-nationalisation of 'public interest trusts'

HUNGARY · In Brief · 14 Aug 2026

Fidesz has asked the Constitutional Court to annul four provisions of the Constitution's 16th and 17th amendment, all approved by the Tisza-dominated new parliament. These were: - the provision required for the so-called public interest trusts (PITs), a legal construction, through which Fidesz ex...

Shein’s IPO and the Chinese economy

CHINA ADVISORY · Report · 13 Aug 2026

Clothing company Shein’s expected IPO in 2026 is attracting attention because of its size and the global reach of the company. The IPO also sheds light on broader issues: a micro analysis of the company and region provides a window into China’s economy. Shein has been an important part of the loc...