Analyzing Bulgarian President Radev’s statements on the Russo-Ukrainian war
RUSSIA / FSU POLITICS · In Brief · 10 Feb 2025

• President Rumen Radev wants the EU to be actively involved in negotiations. • Radev heavily criticizes the prosecution of the war, sanctions and lack of political achievements. • Radev open to restoring Russian gas flows to Europe after a peace deal. CONTEXT On February 5, we attended the Econo...

Politics: Trump escalates threats against Mexico, including direct intervention against cartels
MEXICO · Report · 10 Feb 2025

Mexico is closely and apprehensively watching developments in Washington given U.S. President Donald Trump’s threats to impose a 25% tariff on Mexican exports to the United States and talk of possible intervention against drug cartels. At the last minute, the tariff threat was averted, for 30 day...

President Ramaphosa delivers the first State of the Nation Address under the new Government of National Unity
SOUTH AFRICA · Report · 10 Feb 2025

President Cyril Ramaphosa delivered the 2025 State of the Nation Address on February 6, marking his first address as the leader of the Government of National Unity. During his speech, he outlined several key initiatives and developments across various sectors of South Africa's socio-economic land...

Economic growth remained decent in 2024
RUSSIA ECONOMICS · In Brief · 10 Feb 2025

Rosstat reported that in 2024, the country’s GDP reached R200039.5 bln and grew by 4.1%. The growth figure appeared slightly higher than our forecast and it looks as though some acceleration of economic growth occurred in December (as monthly sectoral economic statistics showed). We think that th...

Tough prospects for Daniel Noboa
ECUADOR · In Brief · 09 Feb 2025

By 9 pm, February 9th, with 56% of polls having been counted, President Daniel Noboa who started leading the presidential race with 6% over Luisa Gonzalez, is now down to less than 2% of difference. The sample should be pretty stable at this point thus, this difference might continue until tomorr...

On Turkey’s (political) fat tails
TURKEY · Report · 09 Feb 2025

Having poured his heart out first in the recent quarterly/forecast report, the politics author is no mood to revisit the same old territory. Regarding “routine business,” he merely recaps the week’s developments pertinent to the main narrative, the most important of which is a “historic” statemen...

Keeping inflation at bay could be tricky
PHILIPPINES · In Brief · 08 Feb 2025

Last January 30, 2025, the media bannered that inflation may likely fall within the target of 2-4% for the next two years. This was based on the latest BSP survey of external forecasters as contained in its latest Monetary Policy Report. Mean inflation rate was quoted at 3.1% against the central ...

GULF WEEKLY: Kuwait budgets a large deficit, Saudi PMI soars, Sharjah issues bond, GCC opposes Trump’s Gaza plan
GULF COUNTRIES · Report · 07 Feb 2025

A skimmable summary overlaid with our analysis and links. Headlines: * Oil dipped for a third week despite Trump’s return to maximum pressure on Iran. * Saudi Arabia’s PMI surged to 60.5, the strongest in a decade. There were dips in other Gulf states. * Fitch puts the Saudi fiscal breakeven...

Inflation Report: End-2025 forecast up, but easing cycle very likely to continue
TURKEY · Report · 07 Feb 2025

The CBRT has released the first Inflation Report of the year. The Bank, somewhat unexpectedly, revised up its end-2025 inflation forecast already to 24% from 21% previously (midpoints), while maintaining the 5 pp band around the forecast, as well as the 12% forecast for next year (see Slides 39-4...

The STF resumed the trial of the tax case regarding companies headquartered abroad, truck drivers will meet tomorrow to discuss diesel price increases, and an interview with Motta published today
BRAZIL POLITICS · Report · 07 Feb 2025 · 1 response

The Supreme Federal Court (STF) has resumed the trial of RE No. 870.214 in its virtual plenary session. The case discusses the possibility of levying the Corporate Income Tax (IRPJ) and Social Contribution on Net Profit (CSLL) on profits earned by a company based in Brazil through a controlled co...

TOPIC OF THE WEEK: Kyrgyzstan looking to tap international markets
CAUCASUS / CENTRAL ASIA · Report · 07 Feb 2025

Kyrgyzstan has made news recently, having announced its intention to issue sovereign bonds worth US$1.7bn for the first time in its history. This would be a significant financial move for Bishkek given the size of its economy (US$17bn in 2024). It is aimed at diversifying funding sources and redu...

Webinar replay - Turkey: What's in store in 2025?
TURKEY · Report · 07 Feb 2025

What are the upsides and downsides of Erdogan and Trump? How will geopolitical factors in Syria and Israel play out for Turkey? Is there a peace dividend on the horizon? Are early elections ahead? How will the CBRT steer Turkey's economy, given its fairly tenuous credibility? Is tangible disinfla...

Outgoing member of the Monetary Council sends out a hawkish message
HUNGARY · In Brief · 07 Feb 2025

Just a few days before the release of the January CPI data on February 11, Monetary Council member Gyula Pleschinger spoke to Reuters, saying the following: - CPI-inflation may have run above 5% yoy in January, and is likely to return to the MNB's 2-4% target range only by the end of 2025;- avera...

Slide Presentation - Turkey: What's in store in 2025?
TURKEY · Report · 06 Feb 2025

Get insight into Turkey's politics and economics with the slide presentation from our webinar, "Turkey: What's in store in 2025?" What are the upsides and downsides of Erdogan and Trump? How will geopolitical factors in Syria and Israel play out for Turkey? Is there a peace dividend on horizon? A...

The framework for the income tax exemption is ready according to Haddad, the TCU approved an urgent audit into the management of Previ, and the STF is scheduled to rule on a case against three PL party members
BRAZIL POLITICS · Report · 06 Feb 2025

According to Finance Minister Fernando Haddad, the compensation framework for the bill that exempts individuals earning up to R$5,000 from income tax is ready. The bill is expected to be submitted in March, after the Ministerial Reform. Yesterday, the Federal Audit Court (TCU) approved an urgent ...