Policy & Economy
Madagascar’s violent protests over power and water exposes fragile fundamentals. With GDP growth slowing to 3.2%, inflation at 8.6%, debt at 45% of GDP, and FX reserves covering just 3.6 months, unrest may widen spreads across frontier debt ETFs (EMB, FRNT) and hit mining giants RIO and S.TO.
Policy & Economy
Ørsted (ORSTED.CO) shares jumped after a U.S. court revived its $5B Revolution Wind project, averting $1B+ in losses. The ruling eases near-term risk but political uncertainty, cost inflation, and sector-wide PPA strains mean the stock’s bounce looks more like relief than re-rating.
Markets
China Mobile (0941.HK) is pushing iSolutions, a one-stop enterprise digital bundle built on its subsea cables and global PoPs. Can a telco challenge hyper-scalers like AMZN, MSFT, GOOGL, and 9988.HK? Execution, regulation, and margin pressure will decide if this pivot is disruption or branding.
Markets
China Gezhouba’s 60MW floating solar plant is more than a pilot—it pits FPV economics against Indonesia’s coal incumbents. If tariffs hold and scale follows, global solar suppliers (JKS, CSIQ, 601012.SS) and IDX contractors stand to gain, while ADRO.JK and PTBA.JK face demand erosion.
Policy & Economy
Global chips hit USD 697B in 2025, with Taiwan holding 64% foundry share and exports at USD 165B. Africa imports 95%+ of chips, making South Africa’s alignment pivotal as China eyes a USD 100B fab push into emerging markets.
Policy & Economy
U.S. GDP’s 3.8% surprise looks like strength, but much of it stems from collapsing imports and inventory quirks. Beneath the headline, rate paths, bond yields, and global capital flows are shifting—forcing markets to rethink resilience.
Markets
Ollo Africa, now Togo’s first fintech with a BCEAO regional banking license, can scale from 8M to over 150M customers across WAEMU. The move raises investor hopes for a valuation leap, but execution risks—credit, liquidity, and compliance—will determine if this is a breakout or a cautionary tale.
Policy & Economy
CAF’s $5B child pledge with UNICEF is more than a Latin story. For Africa—home to 40% of the world’s children—it signals that human capital is now investable infrastructure, with debt spreads, ESG flows, and sovereign risk on the line.
Policy & Economy
Russia’s record $712.6B reserves boost BRICS optics, but sanctions and liquidity traps reveal limits. Gold’s rally (XAUUSD $2,650) and yuan reliance (USDCNY 7.30) fuel talk of a BRICS currency—yet governance and credibility hurdles keep it a mirage.
Markets
The LSE suffers another blow as PHLL delists, exposing how London discounts complexity and why sponsors like Goldman prefer private ownership to public patience.
Markets
Ignoring Africa’s $40B annual productivity loss from untreated mental illness is no longer viable. Investors tracking NPN, SBK, EQTY, and GTCO may find the next growth edge is cognitive resilience, not commodities.
Policy & Economy
Sarkozy’s guilty verdict is historic, but OATs remain stable. France accounts for 15% of euro area GDP, with €2.9T public debt and euro reserves near 20% globally—proof markets care more about fundamentals than old scandals.