EMerging Equity
Reform
Fiscal Impact Of Lower Oil Prices On Latin America And The Caribbean
The plunge in world oil prices—from $105 to about $50 per barrel since mid-2014—has been a boon for oil-importing countries, while presenting challenges for oil exporters. By Robert Rennhack and Fabián Valencia In general, oil importers will enjoy faster growth, lower inflation, and stronger external positions, and most will not encounter any significant fiscal pressures. … Continue reading
Disinflation In EU Countries Outside The Eurozone – IMF
By Plamen Iossifov and Jiri Podpiera Inflation has been falling sharply across Europe since 2012 (see Charts 1 and 2). Across Central and Eastern Europe (CEE), inflation expectations have also drifted down especially among countries who peg their currencies to the euro (Bulgaria, Croatia and Lithuania, which adopted the euro on January 1, 2015), but also … Continue reading
Oil Prices: Eventually The Gulf States Will Run Out Of Power – OpEd
By Steffen Hertog Oil prices have now halved in six months to around $50/barrel thanks to OPEC’s refusal to cut production. This means all the member countries are revising their government spending policies. While countries such as Iran and Venezuela face an imminent fiscal crisis, the short-term ramifications for the Arabian peninsula’s oil monarchies are less dramatic. In … Continue reading
Vietnam’s Leaders Look To Consolidate Gains In 2015
By Thomas Jandl For Vietnam’s leadership, 2014 was another year of growing into a role as an increasingly active international player, both diplomatically and economically. Two events — the Haiyang 981 oilrig incident and TPP accession negotiations — gave Vietnam a place in the spotlight and shed light on a continued path for 2015. Vietnamese … Continue reading
India Can Become The Economic Driver Of The BRICS
By Arman Sidhu Global Political Insight Headlines concerning a slumping rouble in Russia, infrastructure issues in Johannesburg, and slow growth in both Brazil and China might not be the bearer of bad news for everyone. For India, such a time represents an opportunity in the face of global economic woes. It has not been a … Continue reading
FARC Ceasefire Not The End Of Colombia’s Energy Sector Woes
By Sergio Rojas Geopoliticalmonitor On 17 December, FARC declared a unilateral ceasefire of offensive operations against government forces. This announcement comes at a crucial time, not just in terms of ongoing peace negotiations that were recently imperiled by the abduction of a general, but also the government’s push to find foreign investors to develop Colombia’s … Continue reading
Rapprochement Between The U.S. And Cuba And Sanctions Against Venezuela – OpEd
By William Camacaro and Frederick B. Mills In a historic address on December 17, 2014 on “Cuba policy changes” President Barack Obama declared, “our shift in policy towards Cuba comes at a moment of renewed leadership in the Americas.” This “renewed leadership,” in our view, seeks to gradually undermine socialism in Cuba, check waning U.S. influence in the … Continue reading
Xi’s Reform Gambit
By Andrew Sheng & Xiao Geng Project Syndicate When Deng Xiaoping initiated China’s market-oriented reforms 35 years ago, he – and the Chinese Communist Party – was taking the biggest political risk since the founding of the People’s Republic in 1949. When President Xi Jinping unveiled his own reform agenda at last year’s Third Plenum … Continue reading
