Israel and Iran Tensions being Played Down This should be seen as a warning to show that Israel can strike back at a time and place at its choosing. At the same time the Iranians have blamed drones for the…
To Counter China, Japan and US Forging Closer Military Ties The Russian-Ukrain War and aggresive Chinese moves against the Phillipines and Asian Pacific are a reminder that the risk of conflict looms large. The expanding alliance between China, Russia and…
Inflation Data Points to Higher for Longer The CPI Report shows that for March, a key inflation indicator exceeded expectations, causing concern for Federal Reserve officials who fear their efforts to curb rising prices may be slowing down. This now…
Oil Fundamentals and Geopolitical Risks The energy sector has seen a surge in prices due to escalating geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, with crude oil futures reaching five-month highs. Despite differing opinions among analysts on the rally being headline-driven…
Economics Plays a Bigger Role in Turkey's Local Elections The recent local elections in Turkey have shown a significant shift in the political landscape, with the opposition breaking through and winning mayoralties in major cities. Istanbul and Ankara were two…
How the Chinese are Pursuing a Dual Approach On the positive side, the agreement to resume military communication was welcome as a way to reduce military accidents that could escalate into war. This happened during the Asian-Pacific Economic Forum in…
BOE on Hold but Dovish Policy Shift towards Cuts The Bank of England decided to keep interest rates unchanged at 0.5%, with two members changing their stance from previously advocating for rate hikes to now favoring a hold. The pound…
FED Three Rate Cut Plan is on Track for 2024 Federal Reserve officials indicated that they still expect to cut interest rates by three-quarters of a percentage point this year, leading to record highs in US equity markets. The market…
Rising Wages and Speculation on BOJ Rate Hike The Bank of Japan (BOJ) is currently in the spotlight as speculation mounts regarding a potential rate hike, signaling a possible end to the era of negative interest rates that the country…
Inflation Report Means FED will Remain Cautious Inflation rose in February, with the consumer price index increasing by 0.4% for the month and 3.2% compared to a year ago. This slight increase was slightly ahead of expectations. Key factors contributing…