GlobalSource Partners | Country Insights

Administrative Reform is under analysis in the House. The rapporteur, Arthur Maia, plans to submit his report on the text this week. The court-ordered payments PEC is also under analysis and should be put to a vote on September 8. The bill on the Electoral Code should be put to a vote this week. ...

Russia provides support to Central Asian defense order

RUSSIA / FSU POLITICS · In Brief · 30 Aug 2021

On August 26 it was reported that Russia has had orders for weapons and helicopters from Central Asian countries. The former Soviet republics in that region are apprehensive as the Taliban has taken over Afghanistan. The Taliban has taken possession of hundreds of tanks, APCs, artillery pieces an...

Today begins dialogue on the reform agenda proposed by President Abinader

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC · In Brief · 30 Aug 2021

Today begins the dialogue with the political parties on the reform agenda proposed by President Luis Abinader in his speech on last August 18, on the occasion of the first year of his mandate. The dialogue takes place within the Economic and Social Council. The representatives of the political pa...

Living with Covida Loca

PHILIPPINES · Forecast · 30 Aug 2021

With the emergence of highly transmissible virus mutants and the use of repeated lockdowns to control surges in infections, we are revising our earlier premise that the economy could progressively open up as immunization expands. Rather, we now think the more probable scenario is that the economy...

The first hike is likely in Q322, if the Fed shifts bias as well

ISRAEL · Report · 30 Aug 2021

1. Recent economic data point to fairly robust growth at the start of Q322, as travel restrictions abroad support domestic consumption. 2. We cannot rule out a rate hike in Israel in Q322, assuming a rapid recovery and a tightening bias from the Fed. 3. Similarly, the surprising rate hi...

What does Xi Jinping’s "common prosperity" mean for the economy?

CHINA ADVISORY · Report · 30 Aug 2021 · 2 responses

Xi Jinping launched his vision for common prosperity officially in an internal meeting in the Politburo on August 17. This was a follow-on to the harsh regulations imposed on China’s technology sector. Although Xi has been using the term “common prosperity” for several years, its appearance in hi...

IMF gives Belarus USD 850 million

RUSSIA / FSU POLITICS · In Brief · 29 Aug 2021

On August 24 it was announced that the money had been granted to Belarus despite the opposition and Western governments counselling against it. The Belarusian economy has suffered significantly from sanctions for the past 12 months. Meanwhile Belarus has banned the Belarusian Journalists' Associa...

Russian tech is gradually pushing out foreign tech in Russia

RUSSIA / FSU POLITICS · In Brief · 28 Aug 2021

The Russian Government is determined to tame foreign online platforms especially for social media. Some speculate that the government intends to end these platforms in Russia by the close of 2021. That is improbable. The import substititon effort has been ongoing since 2018. This is partly a resp...

The STF confirms the constitutionality of Central Bank autonomy, and Pres. Bolsonaro calls for Congress to vote against the measure prohibiting judges, policemen and the military from running for office for 5 years after leaving their posts

BRAZIL POLITICS · Report · 27 Aug 2021

There were 8 votes in favor of the constitutionality of the law that provides for the autonomy of the Central Bank and 2 votes against. It is an important win for the Ministry of the Economy. It is still uncertain whether Bolsonaro will submit a second impeachment request against Minister of the ...

GULF WEEKLY: Gulf facilitates Afghan evacuation, UAE royal visits Qatar, vaccination rates rise

GULF COUNTRIES · Report · 27 Aug 2021

A skimmable summary overlaid with our analysis and links. Headlines: * The UAE’s Sheikh Tahnoun visited Qatar’s Emir in a potential breakthrough in the bilateral feud. * Qatar, UAE, Kuwait and Bahrain are hosting Afghan evacuees, and Gulf states are contemplating relations with the Taliban. ...

Looking up

CENTRAL AMERICA · Report · 27 Aug 2021

The Guatemalan economy will recover more quickly than that of other Central American countries, with a more favorable outlook for the next 18 months. The evolution of the international economy, the improvement in domestic expectations and a rational handling of economic policy will be crucial to ...

The Covid infection curve is turning steeply upwards

HUNGARY · In Brief · 27 Aug 2021

Daily new Covid infections in HungaryNote: 7-day averages between May 31 and August 27 of each year; Source: worldometers.infoThe foregoing chart speaks for itself. The local 4th wave of Covid is knocking at the door quite loudly: as of this morning, the 7-day average of daily new infections rose...

DR Central Bank receives SDR allocation for USD649.05 m

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC · In Brief · 26 Aug 2021

As a result of the decisions of the IMF Board of Directors of August 2, 2021 that assigned DEG456.56 b with the purpose of strengthening the balance of payments of the member countries in the framework of the COVID-19 crisis, the Central Bank from the Dominican Republic has received USD649.05 m. ...

Nord Stream 2 faces legal setback

RUSSIA / FSU POLITICS · In Brief · 26 Aug 2021

On August 25 a German court held that the pipeline must comply with the EU's Gas Directive. This might require the company that operates the pipeline - a Swiss registered entity called Nord Stream 2 AG - to sell half of its capacity to third parties. Gazprom will still own the pipeline but not op...

“Common prosperity” recognizes that the underlying problem is the distribution of income

CHINA FINANCIAL · Report · 26 Aug 2021 · 3 responses

Special points to highlight in this issue: * “Common prosperity” is Beijing’s new buzz phrase. It is already being applied to so many policy announcements that it is hard to grasp its meaning and to differentiate it from previous buzz phrases like “rebalancing” and “dual circulation”. * I...