Emerging Markets

The SADC Summit in Durban Puts Critical Minerals at the Centre

Sixteen southern African heads of state meet in Durban on 17 August under a theme built around critical minerals, with South Afric…

Kenya Borrowing Plan Reaches for Yen, Yuan and Sukuk Money

The Treasury’s 2026/27 borrowing plan leans on Japanese money and liability management, and keeps a Chinese panda bond and an Isla…

Dangote Refinery IPO Is Aimed at Nigerian Savers, Not London

Chief executive David Bird calls the planned October listing a “people’s IPO”, aimed at Nigerian retail savers, with no foreign li…

Ashaiman and Parts of Accra Face 14-Hour Power Outage Sunday

GRIDCo will cut power to parts of Greater Accra from 3:30am to 6pm on Sunday, 16 August 2026, for emergency repairs to a transmiss…

Egypt Growth Outlook Cut to 5 Percent as Inflation Delays Rate Cuts

Egypt · ECONOMY Key Facts —Growth downgrade: BMI cut its fiscal year 2026/27 real gross domestic product growth forecas…

Europe Intelligence Brief August 15, 2026: One Percent, Or All Of It

Rio Times · Europe Intelligence Brief August 15 Key Facts — A hundred and eighty billion The Dutch bank Triodos estimates heat and…

USA & Canada Intelligence Brief August 15, 2026: Four Days And A Draft

Rio Times · USA & Canada Intelligence Brief August 15 Key Facts — Four days A 50% American tariff on roughly $20 billion of C…

S&P Affirms Cape Verde Sovereign Rating as Tariff Relief Extended

Cape Verde · ECONOMY Key Facts —Rating affirmed: S&P Global Ratings confirmed the Cape Verde sovereign rating at B…

TAAG Angola Airlines Opens New Angola–Senegal–Cape Verde Route in October 2026

Angola · BUSINESS Key Facts —Launch date: The Luanda–Dakar–Praia route begins on 31 October 2026, in the opening week o…

South Africa’s Democratic Alliance Unveils a Quiet Manifesto Strategy

South Africa · POLITICS Key Facts —Manifesto launch: The Democratic Alliance launched its 2024 election manifesto on 17…

Chile Day 2026: Quiroz Takes His Market Reform to Madrid and London

Chile · Economy Key Facts What: Chile Day, Chile’s annual investor roadshow, heads to Europe. When: Madrid on September…

Falabella Puts IKEA Online and a New Chairman in Charge

Chile · Retail Key Facts What is new: IKEA products are now sold on Falabella.com in Chile, launching in late August 2026. A …

Codelco Overhauls Its Leadership With Five New Vice Presidents and Four Division Chiefs

Chile · Mining Key Facts What happened: On August 14, 2026, Codelco reshuffled its top ranks, naming five vice presidents and…

Havanna Sales Drop 9.7% as Argentina’s Alfajor Icon Falls Into the Red

Argentina · Business Key Facts Net result: Havanna swung to a loss of ARS 747 million (~US$502,000) in the second quarter of …

Argentina’s YPF Luz and Genneia Hit Pause on Their New York IPOs

Argentina · Markets Key Facts Both delayed: Power generators YPF Luz and Genneia have postponed their planned New York (NYSE)…

Terpel’s First-Half 2026 Sales Reach US$6.4 Billion as Profit Jumps 25%

Colombia · Business Key Facts Revenue: COP 19.94 trillion (~US$6.38 billion) in the first half of 2026, up 5.9% year on year.…

Paraguay Mining and Energy Ministry Plan Eyes US$11 Billion

Paraguay's government has proposed a new Ministry of Mines and Energy, plus an electricity regulator, to help attract a projected …

Mexico Fuel Overhaul Ends Premium Gasoline Subsidy and Shifts Support to Diesel

Mexico's Finance Ministry ended the fiscal stimulus on Premium gasoline, trimmed the break on regular Magna, and steered the bigge…

Guatemala Property Tax Reform: 45 Towns Collected Nothing in 2025

New data shows 45 of Guatemala's 340 municipalities collected nothing from the IUSI property tax in 2025, as a reform reshapes who…

Mexico’s 50 Doctors Pitches US$200 Million El Salvador Hospital Plan to Bukele

The Mexican private chain 50 Doctors presented President Bukele with a more than US$200 million plan for five hospitals and a seni…

Panama Fiscal Room Shrinks as Canal Slot Costs Hit US$4 Million

Moody's affirmed Panama at Baa3 but warned its fiscal room is shrinking under 'special laws,' even as Panama Canal auction slots h…

Ecuador Illegal Mining Raid Destroys 9 Excavators in the Amazon

Ecuador's Army destroyed nine excavators used for illegal gold mining in Napo and Morona Santiago, a strike worth more than US$1 m…

Venezuela Gold: Old Rivals Unite to Reclaim US$4 Billion in London

About 31 tonnes of Venezuelan gold, worth roughly US$4 billion, has been frozen at the Bank of England since 2018. Now the country…

Bolivia Constitutional Reform: Everyone Wants It, Except President Paz

Everyone in Bolivia is talking constitutional reform, from a recall referendum to an 11-point blueprint. But President Paz is spen…