NEWS FLASH

UPCOMING WEBINAR - PANAMA IN FOCUS: US RELATIONS, CANAL STRATEGY AND FI...

Inflation in June: no real surprises this time
ISRAEL · Report · 19 Jul 2021

Inflation came in as expected, with core inflation reaching 1.2% y/y. There are signs that some transitory inflation is dissipating. Looking ahead, we expect inflation to hover around the low end of the target as pressure for appreciation continues, offset by higher housing rental prices

Politics: PAN at a crossroads for defining its identity and consolidating its voter support
MEXICO · Report · 19 Jul 2021

The PAN is now Mexico’s main opposition party. It has displaced the PRI, which in the June 6 mid-term elections lost all eight of the gubernatorial races in states it governed and has now dropped to third place among the country’s political parties. The PAN’s strong ideological and programmati...

Russia launches new hypersonic missile
RUSSIA / FSU POLITICS · In Brief · 19 Jul 2021

On July 19 the Tsirkon cruise missile was tested again. Putin boasted that this weapon is invincible. Over the past few years Russia has said that its new generation of weapons would give it a decisive advantage in any conflict. The Defense Ministry was eager to distribute videos demonstrating th...

In frozen limbo
TURKEY · Report · 18 Jul 2021

Despite warnings from the Taliban, Ankara will dispatch troops to defend the Kabul Airport, though the timing is vague. The new appointee to become the US Ambassador to Turkey, Jeff Flake, has received mostly positive reviews in the Turkish press. There are unconfirmed reports of a deal betwee...

South Africa's Week of Insurrection, Crime Against the State, Instability and Massive Destruction of Economic Infrastructure
SOUTH AFRICA · In Brief · 17 Jul 2021 · 1 response

What began as an unexpected outbreak of violence and looting at the beginning of this week is now officially classified as "a failed insurrection", coordinated by a network of political leaders and their associates in the national security structures of the country. On the face of it, the outbrea...

Coronavirus in Russia worse than ever
RUSSIA / FSU POLITICS · In Brief · 17 Jul 2021

On July 16 Russia suffered 799 coronavirus deaths. That is the highest ever figure. The trajectory is ever upwards. The official figure is 270,000 deaths thus far. The situation is so bad that the government has stopped publishing a daily update on the number of active cases. The reason given is ...

Bolsonaro is in stable condition and does not require surgery, the LDO was approved and Congress enters a formal recess on July 18, and a number of matters will be put on hold
BRAZIL POLITICS · Report · 16 Jul 2021

The electoral fund approved in the LDO is about three times the amount approved in 2019/2020. The Pandemic CPI will be put on hold during the recess. The truckers' digital transport document was approved in the House yesterday.

GULF WEEKLY: OPEC+ compromise pending, Sultan visits Saudi, Fitch stabilizes Saudi outlook
GULF COUNTRIES · Report · 16 Jul 2021

A skimmable summary overlaid with our analysis and links. Headlines: * The UAE is willing to support an OPEC+ extension to end-2022 in return for a 0.5m b/d hike in its baseline. * JCPOA talks appear to be stalled until at least mid-August. * Coronavirus rates are improving in Kuwait and Oma...

Inflation in June: no surprises this time; core inflation remains low
ISRAEL · In Brief · 16 Jul 2021

June’s CPI came in at 0.1% m/m and 1.7% y/y (up from 1.5% last month), in line with domestic forecasters (and our forecast), although Bloomberg had zero m/m as the consensus. Core inflation (the CPI excluding energy and fresh produce) reached 1.2% y/y (up from 1.0% last month). As expected, the h...

Russia building icebreakers for the Arctic
RUSSIA / FSU POLITICS · In Brief · 15 Jul 2021

Shipyards in St Petersburg are building four nuclear powered icebreakers. Russia wants to assert its control over the Arctic. Global warming has meant that more of that ocean is navigable for more of the year than ever. Moscow hopes that it might even become navigable year round with icebreakers....

Bolsonaro was taken to São Paulo for treatment due to abdominal pain, the Pandemic CPI was extended for an additional 90 days, and the LDO is put to a vote in the Joint Budget Committee, the House and the Senate
BRAZIL POLITICS · Report · 15 Jul 2021

If President Bolsonaro eventually requires surgery, Vice President Mourão will return from his trip to Angola to take over the presidency. Cristiano Carvalho, attorney of Davati Medical Supply in Brazil, testifies in the CPI. Yesterday, the House approved a bill that prohibits evictions until the...

Breakthrough with judicial reform: parliament approves reboot of the High Council of Justice
UKRAINE · In Brief · 15 Jul 2021

We are witnessing a real breakthrough with judicial reform. We wrote previously that on June 29th parliament gave green light for reload of the High Qualification Commission of Justice (HQCJ) with dominating role of international experts in selection of the HQCJ members. The HQCJ is like an HR de...

Bolsonaro is taken to the hospital due to abdominal pain, the income tax bill should be put to a vote in the House in August, and Francisco Emerson Maximiano and Emanuela Medrades testify in the Pandemic CPI
BRAZIL POLITICS · Report · 14 Jul 2021

The changes to the income tax bill proposed by Deputy Celso Sabino were well received in Congress. The bill that deals with the spending ceiling for public servants’ salaries returns to the Senate after being edited in the House. The Senate may vote on the bill that reinstates free TV and radio t...

​MPC: No surprises, unsurprisingly
TURKEY · Report · 14 Jul 2021

The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) left the policy rate (one-week repo) unchanged at 19%, as expected. There is no material change in the new statement, as regards the key paragraphs on inflation and monetary policy outlook.

​From US inflation to Philippine monetary policy
PHILIPPINES · In Brief · 14 Jul 2021

For months now, global markets have been fretting about rising US inflation with anxieties running higher following upside surprises in the headline rate and news after the Fed’s June policy meeting that its next interest rate increase may come in 2023, a year ahead of what was earlier signaled. ...