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COMMENT: Thailand’s baht appreciation a symptom of underlying malaise
Economic fundamentals in Thailand hardly justify a stronger currency. Growth has been tepid, inflation low, and interest rates insufficiently active to pull in speculative capital both at home and from overseas.
Kosovo Business Alliance warns diaspora investments locked in non-productive real estate
Business representatives say €9bn real estate investments are “dead capital” that generate neither jobs nor economic growth.
EBRD cuts Ukraine’s 2025 growth forecast to 2.5% amid war uncertainty
Ukraine’s economy is projected to expand by 2.5% in 2025, down from a previously forecast 3.3%, as the ongoing war with Russia weighs on investment and trade, the EBRD said.
Russia draft 2026 budget cuts military spending for the first time, introduces new taxes
Russia’s Ministry of Finance presented the 2026-2028 budget that keeps spending flat, introduces new taxes to fund a ballooning budget deficit and cuts military spending for the first time in three years.
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Russian banks’ August profits halve on higher reserves and weaker interest income
Russian banks posted sharply lower monthly profits in August as higher loan-loss provisions and weaker interest income weighed on earnings, the Central Bank of Russia said.
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Japan’s Nikkei hits record high as LDP leadership race starts
Japan’s benchmark Nikkei index closed at a historic high on September 22, supported by expectations of economic stimulus as the contest for leadership of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party formally got underway.
Uzbekistan’s foreign trade climbs 20% to $51bn in Jan-Aug
Analyst notes strong Chinese export flows to Central Asian country but says great percentage of shipments were actually bound for Russia.
Holidays in the sun hit Polish retail sales figures in August
Polish retail sales grew just 3.1% y/y in August, slowing from a 4.8% y/y rise in July.
Nearly half of Russians think aliens may be hiding among humans on earth - poll
Almost one in two Russians believe extraterrestrials could be on Earth and camouflaged, hiding in the general population, according to a nationwide survey published by the Russian Public Opinion Research Center (VTsIOM).
Romania’s macroeconomic confidence index rises after rating outlook affirmed
Boost in confidence follows affirmations of Romania's sovereign rating by Fitch Ratings and Moody’s Investors Service, after the government advanced its first package of fiscal measures in July.
Sri Lanka’s government debt projected to peak at 101% of GDP in 2025
Sri Lankan banks hold substantial amounts of government debt, with total exposure exceeding 20% of system assets. Interest expenditure remains high, with payments expected to reach 51% of government revenue in 2025.
New KIIS report says invasion boosted Zelenskiy approval rating
Russian President Vladimir Putin’s decision to launch a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 “has substantially increased Zelenskiy’s approval rating,” according to a new release from the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology.
Inflation falls in 70 Russian regions but remains above target
Consumer prices declined in 70 Russian regions in August compared with July, according to data released by the Central Bank of Russia on September 18, as annual inflation also eased in 77 of the country’s regions. (chart)
Belarus reports modest GDP growth 1.6% in 8M25
Belarus’ economy expanded by 1.6% in the period from January to August 2025, according to preliminary estimates from the National Statistical Committee, state news agency BelTA reported on 17 September.
Most Ukrainians reject Russian peace plan, back continued resistance, poll shows
An overwhelming majority of Ukrainians remain committed to resisting Russia’s invasion and reject Moscow’s latest peace proposals, even as many recognise that the war is unlikely to end soon, according to a new survey by the KIIS.
Young Bulgarians turn to stocks over real estate, survey shows
Real estate remains the most popular option overall but younger investors are leading a shift towards stock market investing, says survey commissioned by Revolut.
State of global democracy - Statista
The Economist Democracy Index rates countries on the state of their governing system each year. In the latest edition, corresponding to the year 2024, only 25 countries (6.6% of the world's population) have been rated as "full democracies"
Inflation wipes out wage gains in Romania as real incomes decline
Romanian households saw their purchasing power shrink in July as inflation outpaced wage growth.
Extreme poverty falling steadily – OWID
To track progress towards ending extreme poverty, the United Nations relies on World Bank estimates of the number of people living below a poverty threshold called the “International Poverty Line” (IPL), Our World in Data (OWID) reports.
Two thirds of Germans fear a Russian invasion fuelling far-right election gains in western heartland
Public anxiety over a potential Russian attack on Nato territory has surged in Germany following the recent drone incursion on September 10 into Polish airspace that coincided with sharp gains by the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD).