Emerging Markets
Latin America, Africa and the Middle East: the currencies, commodities and companies of the emerging world.
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Colombia’s Law to Join the BRICS Bank Died in Congress Without a Single Debate
Being admitted to the BRICS bank and being a member of it are two different things. South America's two candidates have now spent …
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Milei Widens Argentina F-16 Secrecy to Parts Sent Abroad
President Javier Milei signed Decree 735/2026, classifying the export of material tied to Argentina's new F-16 fleet. It is the fo…
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Costa Rica Safety for Retirees: What the Numbers Show
Costa Rica's marketing as safest for retirees clashes with homicide data showing a medium level of violence; here's what the numbe…
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Ecuador’s Puerto Bolivar Is 93% Done With a US$30 Million Cold Store for Bananas
Right now an Ecuadorian banana grower harvests when the ship is coming. The point of this warehouse is to let them cut on any day …
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Vale Wants Brazil’s Mining Output to Reach US$99 Billion a Year by 2035
This is not a spending plan. It is a list of things Vale wants the next government to do, with a number attached to what happens i…
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Brazil Suspends 14 Betting Sites, Including Three From a Company Facing Scrutiny
The regulator did not accuse these firms of rigging anything. It accused them of not filing, which in a licensed market is the off…
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USA & Canada Intelligence Brief August 18, 2026: Permits Up, Building Down
American builders filed more permits and poured less concrete, and a 50% tariff on a list of Canadian goods lands on Wednesday. Th…
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Asia Intelligence Brief August 18, 2026: Four Capitals, One Recalculation
Wang Yi lands in Seoul on Wednesday, Japan's ten-year yield hits its highest since 1996, and China's July missed everywhere. The p…
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Venezuela Inflation Tops Latin America at 576% in July 2026
Venezuela's annual inflation reached about 576% in July 2026, the highest in Latin America, as the government rolled out a new ren…
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Fitch Warns Colombia’s Fiscal Deficit Could Near 7% of GDP in 2026
Fitch's lead analyst says Colombia's 2026 deficit could near 7% of GDP, calling the public finances the government's 'Achilles hee…
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Braskem Idesa, Braskem’s Mexican Unit, Files US Chapter 11 to Cut US$920 Million in Debt
Braskem Idesa, the Mexican petrochemical venture controlled by Brazil's Braskem, filed US Chapter 11 to erase more than US$920 mil…
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Argentina Budget Surplus Fails to Calm Jittery Markets
Argentina posted a rare overall budget surplus in July, but country risk climbed toward 500 points and ADRs fell about 4% as marke…
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Chile Economy Shrinks 0.2% as Mining Slump Drags Down Growth
Chile's GDP fell 0.2% in the second quarter as mining slumped, prompting recession talk the central bank's own quarterly data do n…
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Venezuela Supermarket Sales Jump 21% in Units Amid 580% Inflation
Venezuela's supermarket sales rose 21% in units from January to July 2026, even as annual inflation hit 580%, while a localized co…
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Central America: Diesel, Floods, TPS, Hospital Funds
Guatemala's diesel price, Honduras's TPS legal aid, and El Salvador's hospital investment lead this week's Central America roundup…
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Dominican Court Ends Falcondo Nickel Concession
A Dominican court ends the Falcondo nickel concession for breach, while Jamaica names a new central bank governor and Guyana expan…
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Panama Week: Railway Plans, Court Rulings, Tocumen Growth
Panama's week: railway plans, confirmed acquittals, and 15% airport traffic growth. The post Panama Week: Railway Plans, Court Rul…
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Uruguay Cattle Fund Bankruptcy Leaves US$272 Million Shortfall
Conexión Ganadera's collapse left a US$272 million shortfall in its bankruptcy estate, exposing what happens when cattle funds sit…
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Mexico Consumer Spending Flat, Manufacturing Jobs Sag
Mexico's consumer and industrial sectors are cooling, with spending stagnant and manufacturing jobs extending a 40-month decline. …
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China Lifts Suspension on 8 Ecuadorian Shrimp Plants
China's customs agency lifted its suspension on eight Ecuadorian shrimp plants, while six remain suspended, and Ecuador's July inf…
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Bolivia Links Large-Buyer Diesel to World Prices
Bolivia moves large-buyer diesel to a market-linked Bs 18 per litre; ordinary drivers keep the Bs 9.80 subsidy. The post Bolivia L…
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First Abu Dhabi Bank Misr Posts Strong Profit Growth in Egypt
Egypt · FINANCE Key Facts —H1 2024 profit: FABMisr reported net profit of EGP 15.8 billion (about US$330 million) in th…
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Kenya Charcoal Prices Hit 78-Month High, Squeezing Urban Households
Kenya · ENERGY Key Facts —Retail price: The Kenya National Bureau of Statistics reported an average retail charcoal pri…
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Copper Overtakes Iron Ore at BHP, and Most of It Comes From Chile
BHP's FY2026 results show copper became its top earner for the first time, with Chile's Escondida leading the way. Here's what it …