GlobalSource Partners | Country Insights

President Jair Bolsonaro leads the first meeting of the National Coordination Committee for the Pandemic Response. The new Public Tender Law should be sanctioned on Thursday. Wednesday is the deadline for the functioning of the Joint Committee on Tax Reform. This week's Talking Points: ...

Lockdown watch

PHILIPPINES · In Brief · 29 Mar 2021

Metro Manila and 4 surrounding provinces (“NCR plus”) went into the most stringent lockdown classification (“ECQ”[1]) today that will last a week. Checkpoints have been set up, a long curfew (6pm to 5am) imposed and only one person per household allowed to go out for essential procurements. The l...

Russia and the internet

CIS POLITICS · Report · 29 Mar 2021

On March 10 Russia slowed down Twitter for several hours. The aim was to penalize Twitter for failing to remove prohibited content. Putin is keenly alive to the importance of controlling the media. Information warfare is being used more and more by governments, and the keyboard is apparently migh...

4 Ukrainian soldiers killed fighting

CIS POLITICS · In Brief · 29 Mar 2021

On March 27 Ukraine annonced the deaths of the servicemen and that several more were wounded. There was shelling by separatists that killed the soldiers. 19 soldiers have been killed in 2021. Zelensky said he wanted the conflict to be de-escalated. Until now the ceasefire signed in July 2020 has ...

The economic rebounds as restrictions are lifted

ISRAEL · In Brief · 29 Mar 2021

Weekly Macro Wrap Up 29.3.21 Recent economic data remains rather positive and reflects the rapid opening up of the economy on the back of mass vaccination. We stress the weekly credit card purchases which increased by 6% in the last week through the 25.3, and has increased by 31% since mid-Februa...

Flights from Russia to Uzbekistan and Tajikistan resume

CIS POLITICS · In Brief · 28 Mar 2021

On March 27 it was announced that flights between the three countries shall restart on April 1, 2021. This will delight migrant workers from Central Asia who have been reduced to absolute poverty for the last 12 months. Flights will be less frequent than before the pandemic. They will start with ...

GlobalSource Partners Analyst Webinar Series: Turkey - Final Countdown?

TURKEY · Report · 28 Mar 2021

This Sunday we are attaching a link to the replay of our webinar, “Turkey: Final countdown?” and the presentation from the webinar. We will keep you posted on events with In Briefs, if need be, and we are also planning to issue a short quarterly note, in which we will reflect on recent past ev...

Lockdown order for "NCR plus"

PHILIPPINES · In Brief · 27 Mar 2021

At around 6:30 tonight, President Rodrigo Duterte placed Metro Manila and four surrounding provinces (“NCR plus”) under Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ), ordering people to stay at home and shuttering businesses deemed non-essential. But unlike last year, public transport will continue to oper...

Russian personal debt at an all time high

CIS POLITICS · In Brief · 27 Mar 2021

The percentage of personal income that Russians are spending repaying their debts is at its highest ever level. The Central Bank of Russia published this datum on March 26. The everage debt burden rose to 11.7% of a person's income. The debt burden has been growing for years. The pandemic is the ...

Russia to strengthen links with Myanmar

CIS POLITICS · In Brief · 27 Mar 2021

On March 26 the Russian deputy defense minister visited Myanmar and expressed his country's wish to increase trade and cooperation. He was meeting the Mynmarese Army's commander in chief. Russia sells significant quantities of arms to Myanmar.At the UN, Russia has voted against any criticism of M...

A critical year

CENTRAL AMERICA · Report · 26 Mar 2021

Guatemala performed better than its regional partners in 2020. Though the COVID-19 pandemic affected the global economy, its intensity differed from country to country. In Guatemala, temporary restrictions on economic activity were compensated for by positive external results in merchandise expor...

Covid watch (4)

PHILIPPINES · In Brief · 26 Mar 2021

The surge in covid19 cases continued this week with the daily new cases reaching another high of 9,838 today. The 7d average was 7,846 this week, up another 50% from last week and more than doubling in a span of 12 days. Metro Manila accounted for about half of the total. Most worrisome, health f...

GULF WEEKLY: Kuwait’s emir returns to a crisis, Covid worsens, IMF lifts Bahrain debt forecasts

GULF COUNTRIES · Report · 26 Mar 2021

A skimmable summary overlaid with our analysis and links. Headlines: * Covid cases are on the rise, particularly in Bahrain and Kuwait, and new restrictions are being introduced. * Saudi Arabia rehashed a Yemen ceasefire proposal that the Houthis unsurprisingly rejected. This comes as their a...

Russian rocket launches UK telecomms into space

CIS POLITICS · In Brief · 26 Mar 2021

On March 25 a rocket took off from the Vostochny cosmodrome in the Russian Far East bearing 36 British satellites for phone and internet connections. OneWeb is a UK company seeking to finish a group of low orbit satellites to improve broadband worldwide.The company is striving to complete the pro...

Suez Canal Blockage

INDIA · In Brief · 26 Mar 2021

The blockage in the Suez Canal is an important problem for global trade. It is particularly important for India. Increased costs of transportation are tantamount to a government-induced barrier to trade.The two biggest ports of India, at Nhava Sheva and Mundra, are on the West Coast. Indian trade...