GlobalSource Partners | Country Insights

On November 27 Lukashenka said that once the new constitution is implemented he will retire as president. He said the constitution must limit presidential prerogatives. He has not set a date for the new constitution to come in.Earlier in November Lukashenka said he had no intention of resigning t...

Santa has coal for our socks, Cosmic says

TURKEY · Report · 29 Nov 2020

Once again, without any hope that anyone will listen to it or read it, the politics author starts by explaining the centrality of the raging COVID-19 outbreak for the Turkish economy and politics. If you believe in THE VACCINE, you may skip over these pages… Odds for sanctions by the EU to be ...

MinFin submitted to Verkhovna Rada a revised spending plan 2021 allegedly approved by the IMF

UKRAINE · In Brief · 29 Nov 2020

On November 26th the Cabinet finally submitted to the parliament a revised spending plan 2021 for the second reading. Minister of finance, Sergiy Marchenko claimed this version of spending plan 2021 was allegedly positively evaluated by the IMF. However, from the details, which have been released...

Local elections in Ukraine

RUSSIA / FSU POLITICS · In Brief · 28 Nov 2020

In Lviv Mayor Andriy Sadovyi was re-elected with 62% of the vote. This was well ahead of the challenger who is an ally of Poroshenko. However, Sadovyi only won in the second round. In the first round no one secured over 50% of the vote.On November 24, on Lviv City Council the European Solidarity ...

Polluting factory in Russian North to be closed

RUSSIA / FSU POLITICS · In Brief · 28 Nov 2020

A Nornickel factory in Nikel, Murmansk Region will be shut. It emits 80 000 tons of sulfur dioxide as well as other dangerous gases each year. The nickel producing factory is to Norway. The Norwegians have repeatedly complained about it. There is acid rain on the taiga forest on the Kola Peninsul...

Peru: Turning more optimistic on economic performance

PERU · In Brief · 27 Nov 2020

With more information following the swearing-in of President Francisco Sagasti and his first announcements, we have decide to revised up our forecast. We are raising our real GDP growth forecast to -12.4%y/y in 2020 from a previous of -13.9%y/y discussed in our latest GSP report; and to 9.7%y/y f...

Banking sector: Deposit outflow may be a potential problem

RUSSIA ECONOMICS · Report · 27 Nov 2020

Interest rates on ruble retail deposits started to climb in November. The maximum rate among the top 10 banks exceeded 4.5% for first time since early August. This fact may indicate certain structural problems in the sector. The volume of retail deposits is declining, reflecting the relocation of...

GULF WEEKLY: Oil rallies, Dubai & Oman tap bonds, Bibi visits MBS

GULF COUNTRIES · Report · 27 Nov 2020

A skimmable summary of key developments overlaid with our analysis and links to further information. Headlines include: * Oil touched $49, the highest since the March OPEC+ meeting, ahead of the next key meeting. We anticipate a 3-month delay to the 2m b/d taper. * MBS hosted Israel’s prime m...

No sign of progress at yesterday's meeting of the prime ministers of Hungary and Poland

HUNGARY · In Brief · 27 Nov 2020

PM Orbán and Polish PM Morawieczki met in Budapest yesterday, to discuss the situation around the two governments' veto on the EU's fiscal package. A statement with an explicit proposal was issued after the meeting, but in our view the latter did not take the issue any closer to a positive outcom...

Argentina 2021: a slow recovery and higher inflation

ARGENTINA · Forecast · 27 Nov 2020

Our forecast for the Argentine economy in 2021 differs significantly from the official forecast in the 2021 Budget Law. We forecast a slower recovery of GDP growth and a significantly higher rate of inflation than that projected by the authorities. At the same time, we expect a slightly lower pri...

Strict lockdown is on agenda

UKRAINE · In Brief · 27 Nov 2020

The Cabinet intends to impose new strict lockdown for the New Year holidays, approximately from the mid of December till the mid of January. COVID-19 incidences have already exceeded 16000 cases per day and healthcare system barely proceeds the flow of heavy cases. The Minister of healthcare alre...

India to make 100 million doses of Russian coronavirus vaccine

RUSSIA / FSU POLITICS · In Brief · 27 Nov 2020

On November 27 Russia announced that the Sputnik V vaccine will be made by Hetero. The Indian drug maker will manufacture 100 million doses. Sputnik V will be produced in Brazil, China and South Korea.The Russian Direct Investment Fund is part funding this. Production will commence early in 2021....

Turkey’s Covid-19 outbreak: The truth comes out and it’s scary

TURKEY · In Brief · 27 Nov 2020 · 1 response

There are some predictions Iwish I had gotten wrong, as it happens to me in 90% of cases. This is one of them. Pressured by the health community and the opposition, Health Minister Mr. Fahrettin Koca began announcing Covid-19 “case” numbers rather than “patients”. Overnight, Turkey’s cases-cum-pa...

Azerbaijan outraged at French Senate endorsing Nagorno Karabakh independence

RUSSIA / FSU POLITICS · In Brief · 27 Nov 2020

On November 26 Baku demanded that France be expelled from the Minsk Group. The group consists of France, Russia and the USA, The OSCE controls the Minsk Group. France is more sympathetic to Armenia than any other Western country.The French Senate proposed that Nagorno Karabakh be recognized as in...

Russia fires new hypersonic missile

RUSSIA / FSU POLITICS · In Brief · 27 Nov 2020

On November 26 a Tsirkon missile was fired from a warship: Russia proudly announced. The missile traveled at Mach 8 and hit a target in the White Sea 450 km from its launch.Putin said that Russia might be obliged to station Tsirkon missiles close to the US coast if an arms control agreement is no...