Argentina: Too Little, Too Late
Editorial The Central Bank has changed the game. For the first time in a long time, it decided to devalue faster and timidly change the interest rate structure. It left the monetary policy rate at 38% but raised the reverse repo rate from 19 to 24%. Somehow, both measures are … Become a member […]
CHINA: Which Chinese companies are too big to fail?
Rumors about financial distress at China’s largest property developer have raised questions about which companies Beijing considers too big to fail. Policymakers have become more selective about providing bailouts as they seek to discourage moral hazard, but preserving s… Become a member to read the rest of this article
MEXICO: AMLO Rejects IMF Recipes but Agrees to Modest Infrastructure Stimulus
The concluding statement of an International Monetary Fund (IMF) Article IV mission published yesterday, 6 October, reaffirms existing concerns over the lack of countercyclical policies and, more specifically, the misguided direction of energy policy. In fact, the unusually direc… Become a member to read the rest of this article
MACRO: How politics and institutions continue to shape responses to Covid-19
Governments across the world tend to be more unpopular in countries with comparatively high Covid-19 deaths. The low confidence in governments’ handling of the pandemic, and heightened political polarization might limit certain countries’ ability to control the resurgenc… Become a member to read the rest of this article
COTE D’IVOIRE: Calls to postpone election unlikely to be heeded
President Alassane Ouattara is highly unlikely to give in to opposition demands to postpone the 31 October general election by three months or even more. While the opposition has failed to muster enough pressure to force concessions, its unrealistic demands make it even easier t… Become a member to read the rest of this […]
EU: The Key to Global “Strategic Autonomy” Lies in Domestic Politics
Questions of geopolitics played the central role at last week’s special European Council meeting in Brussels. But for all the talk of “strategic autonomy,” the debate in the European Council highlighted that the key to a new European positioning on the world stage lies in domesti… Become a member to read the rest of […]
EUROPE: CEE PULSE
The preliminary results of the regional and senate elections in the Czech Republic suggest growing political competition for the ruling Action of Dissatisfied Citizens ahead of the general election in 2021. Poland’s reshuffled government faces a challenging agenda… Become a member to read the rest of this article
SOUTH AFRICA: State Capture Progress?
The Hawks – the Directorate for Priority Crimes Investigation (DPCI) – have denied an Independent Media report suggesting the imminent arrest of ANC Secretary-General Ace Magashule, who has long been implicated in ‘state capture’ corruption. The ‘fake news’ comes on the heels of … Become a member to read the rest of this article