Belarus' Lukashenko is a shoo-in for his seventh election as president
Lukashenko mulls building a second nuclear power plant
North Korea rejects Belarus summit proposal, calls for clarity in relations
Belarusian blogger sets up a parody bank and token as a joke and unexpectedly becomes a millionaire
US sets February 27 deadline for discharging Russian oil tankers
EU leaders brace for emergency summit if Hungary continues to block extension of Russian sanctions
Protests against Fico’s pro-Kremlin turn intensify across Slovakia
Where are the world’s rare earth metals?
Putin says the Ukraine war "might not have happened" if Trump was president in 2022, as the two leaders flirt ahead of a mooted meeting
President Pellegrini calls situation in Slovakia “serious” in wake of country-wide protests, PM Fico coup plot claims
Trump says he wants to meet Putin “as soon as possible”, as Zelenskiy lobbies Davos for support
COMMENT: Europe needs to start the fightback against Trump now
Analysts expect ‘perfect storm’ of political risks in 2025
Love in the Baltics in a time of war
Emerging Europe split between eager anticipation and wary acceptance ahead of Trump inauguration
Spike in Czech beer exports to Russia highlights cracks in Moscow-bound trade and businesses
Bomb threats to schools in Hungary traced to emails sent through Yandex platform, IT experts say
City of Budapest vows to exercise pre-emptive rights over plot for planned €5bn luxury project by UAE investor Eagle Hills
Wizz Air stops refuelling at Belgrade airport to comply with US sanctions
OUTLOOK Poland 2025
Polish PPI eases decline rate to -2.6% y/y in December
Trump issues anti-wind executive order
Diagnostyka aims to raise €400mn with Warsaw IPO
OUTLOOK Southeastern Europe 2025
Albania's PM signals possible shift on TikTok ban
Sanctions stepped up in the Western Balkans, but with mixed results
BALKAN BLOG: Polluted Balkan capitals choke on winter smog
Bulgaria’s new government gives up on January 2026 eurozone entry
Bulgaria’s ruling coalition rejects central bank law changes putting eurozone entry at risk
Croatian shops nearly empty as boycott gets underway
Croatian robot boat to tackle microplastics in the Adriatic
Kosovo shuts down Serbian parallel institutions, escalating tensions with Belgrade ahead of elections
Expected settlement of energy crisis in Transnistria may have a security cost
Moldovagaz’s head says $709mn debt to Gazprom close to being settled
Leader of Moldova’s separatist Transnistria flies to Moscow to settle energy crisis
Dispute with Croatia over Jadran training ship could block Montenegro’s EU entry
Romania’s CFA analysts' sentiment improves despite Fitch warning and political turmoil
Lack of large deals shrinks Romania’s M&A market
ECOFIN endorses Romania’s 7-year fiscal plan
Serbia goes on strike
Are Georgia and Serbia heading for coloured revolutions?
URUS-ClearPic: Across Eurasia, China is leveraging supply risk successfully – so could others
Istanbul-listed contractor Enka to build Essar's 350-MW hydrogen plant in UK for GBP 529mn
Turkey delivers another 250bp rate cut in line with expectations
Turkish Airlines resumes Damascus flights after 13-year hiatus
India’s doubts over TAPI Pipeline persist amid security and geopolitical concerns
PANNIER: Tajikistan, Taliban tone down the hostile rhetoric
Central Asia emerges as new e-commerce hub
Growing Islamic finance in Central Asia to unlock GCC investment
Russia and Armenia seek to ease strained relations
New US strategic partnership could be revolutionary for Armenia
COMMENT: Armenia makes a strategic turn from Russia towards the West
Armenian prime minister discusses EU membership plans with European Council president
Saving the Caspian Sea for Central Asia and Kazakhstan
Fatal road accident triggers widespread protests in Azerbaijan
NEO: Why pick-up points for online orders are gaining popularity vs. home delivery
Gas exports to Europe to boost Azerbaijan's growth over next decade
Tbilisi actors breathe new life into Georgia’s resistance movement
Georgians celebrate US friendship in Tbilisi while former president Zourabichvili attends Trump inauguration
Two abducted in central Tbilisi following ‘anti-mask law’ protest
China’s satellite internet provider Spacesail sets up in Kazakhstan
Kazakh central bank’s dollar sales to mirror gold purchases
Thoughts of teenagers licking backs of “psychedelic toads” bother MPs in Kyrgyzstan
National security chief rows back on comments he decided to assassinate Kyrgyzstan’s top mobster
OUTLOOK Small Stans & Mongolia 2025
Angry Mongolians take to streets in public backlash over taxes and smog
Mongolia revives traditional "Ghengis Khan" script bichig
EBRD delivers 26% expansion in investments in 2024, commits record €16.6bn across economies
Iran, Tajikistan sign 23 cooperation agreements in landmark visit
A tale of two Tajikistans: the macro and micro realities
Football talent Khusanov poised to become first Uzbek to play in English Premier League after Man City signing
Uzbekistan privatises HUMO, Paynet succeeds with $65mn bid
Sanctioned Russian cargo ship sinks in Mediterranean after explosion
Russia's budget oil breakeven price world’s second lowest as oil revenues recover
Southeast European countries look to Algeria to diversify energy supplies
Slovenia turns back to Algerian gas after flirtation with Russian supplies
IEA: Access to energy improving worldwide, driven by renewables
The hurricane season in 2024 was weird
Global warming will increase crop yields in Global North, but reduce them in Global South
Hundreds of millions on verge of starvation, billions more undernourished as Climate Crisis droughts take their toll
Global access to energy starts to fall for the first time in a decade, says IEA
Saudi Arabia hosts kingdom's first Africa summit, to boost ties, promote stability
Putin at 2023 Africa-Russia summit: Wiping debts, donating grain and boosting co-operation
Botswana throws the diamond industry a lifeline
Nelson Mandela worried about natural diamonds, Leonardo di Caprio defended them, makers of lab-grown stones demonise them
Botswana’s 2,492-carat diamond discovery is golden opportunity to replicate legendary Jonker diamond's global legacy
Kamikaze marketing: how the natural diamond industry could have reacted to the lab-grown threat
Russia’s Rosatom to support nuclear projects across Africa at AEW2024
JPMorgan, Chase and HSBC reportedly unwittingly processed payments for Wagner warlord Prigozhin
Burkina Faso the latest African country to enter nuclear power plant construction talks with Russia
IMF: China’s slowdown will hit sub-Saharan growth
Moscow unlikely to give up Niger toehold as threat of ECOWAS military action looms
CAR mercenary becomes first African to die in Ukraine conflict
Overcoming insecurity to unlock the Central African Republic’s mineral riches
Rain, rain go away
Africa, Asia most people living in extreme poverty
10 African countries to experience world’s fastest population growth to 2100
EM winners and losers from the global green transformation
Russia seeks to expand its nuclear energy dominance with new international projects
EBRD warns of risks for emerging markets pursuing industrial policies
Russia blocks UN Security Council resolution on Sudan humanitarian crisis
G20 summit wraps up with a joint statement strong on sentiment, but short on specifics
SDS storms fed by sand and dust equal in weight to 350 Great Pyramids of Giza, says UNCCD
Southern Africa has 'enormous' potential for green hydrogen production, study finds
Malaysia seeks BRICS membership
Kazakhstan has no plans to join BRICS, says Astana
Sri Lanka to apply for BRICS membership
From oil to minerals: Gabon’s ambitious mining transition
How France is losing Africa
Guinea grants final approvals to Rio Tinto for $11.6bn Simandou iron-ore project
Mixing with the running stars at Kenya’s Home of Champions high altitude training camp
Kenya’s untapped mineral wealth holds the promise of economic transformation
US adds 17 Liberian-flagged bulk carriers and oil tankers to Russian sanctions-busting blacklist
Panama and Liberia vying for largest maritime registry
Force majeure at Libya’s Zawiya Refinery threatens exports and oil expansion plans
Russia, facing loss of Syrian base for Africa operations, seen turning to war-torn Sudan or divided Libya
Libya’s mineral riches: unlocking a future beyond oil
Russia funding war in Ukraine via illegal gold mining in Africa – WGC report
Ukraine claims it was behind massacre of Wagner Group mercenaries in Mali
Can Morocco's phosphate wealth put it at the centre of the global battery supply chain?
Hajj aftermath: deaths, disappearances and detentions spark investigations across world
Sri Lanka's LTL Holdings targets African power sector
Russia's nuclear diplomacy binding emerging markets to the Kremlin
Can Niger's military junta seize the country's uranium opportunity?
Disaster season: heat waves sweep the world – in charts and maps
More than 5,000 Nigerian women trapped in Iraq
Niger and beyond: Francophone credit delivers coup de grâce
EBRD 2023: Bank to expand into the whole of Africa plus Iraq
Global coal trade approaches its peak
The world has passed peak per capital CO₂ emissions, but overall emissions are still rising
Trump threatens BRICS with tariffs if they dump the dollar
SITREP: Middle East rapidly destabilised by a week of missile strikes
Colombian mercenaries trapped in Sudan’s conflict
Air France diverts Red Sea flights after crew spots 'luminous object'
COMMENT: Tunisia on the brink of collapse
Tunisian President Kais Saied re-elected for second term
WHO declares "global public health emergency" owing to mpox outbreak in Central Africa, new virus strain
Climate crisis-driven global food security deteriorated between 2019 and 2022 and is even affecting the US
Cost of repairing Syria’s power infrastructure put at $40bn by electricity minister
Indian banks' profitability to moderate in FY26
Former chief of the Bank of Japan sees more rate hikes on the horizon
China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway officially launched, but sidetracked at least until summer
Is China ready for Trump’s tariff threats?
Feed-in-tariff costs for Japanese solar in 2025 set at JYP10 per kw/h
Pakistan urges World Bank to fund smart meter project
Microsoft to invest $3bn in India
INTERVIEW: REnergy Dynamics eyes 175 tonnes per day in compressed biogas projects in India
Chinese power projects under CPEC leave Pakistan struggling with debt
Japan’s ramen shops face crisis as rising costs push more to bankruptcy
Aluminium prices dip as Trump considers 10% tariff on Chinese imports
India's Competition Commission approves major steel industry acquisition
Trump vows to block Nippon Steel's $14bn bid for US Steel
Sanctions have created opportunities for Chinese tech companies in Russia
Powerful earthquakes hit Taiwan, TSMC evacuates employees
Seoul-listed DoubleU acquires 60% stake in Turkey’s Paxie Games for $27mn
COMMENT: Gulf states court Russia but stop short of strategic shift
Bahrain's security chief meets Syrian commander amid diplomatic push
Bahrain and Iran to begin talks on normalising relations
Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Kuwait set to offer Russians visa-free entry
Iran's Hezardastan sells Android app store Café Bazaar to local Tapsell
Fighter jet crashes in Iran without casualties
Iran’s leader remains silent on Trump at Tehran industry expo
COMMENT: Trump's cryptocurrency venture sparks debate as memecoin risk data emerges
China's Shanghai SUS Environment secures $497mn contract for waste-to-energy project in Iraq
Iraq seeks Iran-backed militia disarmament in new push
ISTANBUL BLOG: “Dog bites man” story as Erdogan arrests more mayors, but there’s more here than meets the eye
IDF Chief of Staff resigns over October 7 security failure
IDF launches major operation in Jenin, four Palestinians killed
Former Jordan official foresees regional challenges under Trump
UPDATED: Hamas military leader thanks Iran, vows resistance will continue
Damascus International Airport resumes operations
Turkey, Syria tandem could mean piped Qatari gas for Europe and a supercharged Middle East clean energy transition
Qatar-Turkey-Europe gas pipeline ambition could be back on following fall of Assad
Syrian foreign ministry urges Kuwait to reopen embassy in Damascus
Kuwait greenlights tax deal with Iraq to prevent double taxation
Iran demands 'equal footing' with Kuwaiti and Saudi plans to drill for gas in Gulf
French president in Lebanon to meet the country's new leaders
ICJ's Nawaf Salam appointed as Lebanon's new Prime Minister
Lebanon faces a new phase: will Hezbollah surrender its weapons to the state?
Lebanon ends two-year void with military chief Aoun as president
US winds down Guantanamo Bay with removal of Yemenis to Oman
So you want to get on the right side of Donald Trump? Try gift-wrapping a hotel
ANALYSIS: Regional escalation on the table following Israeli strike on Iran
The world reacts to Trump 2.0
Syria seeks Qatar support in rebuilding effort as ministers meet in Doha
Saudi crown prince pledges $600bn US investment in Trump call
COMMENT: A call for stability and inclusion as Syria grapples with an extremist government challenge
New Syrian Administration seeks to rejoin Arab League
Abu Dhabi plans AI transformation across government services by 2027
Albania, Italy and UAE to build €1bn Adriatic subsea cable
Yemen launches missile at Israeli base amid US-UK airstrikes escalation
Trump's return to White House draws polarised Latin American response
Argentina announces ambitious nuclear programme linked to AI development
Latin America set for tepid growth as Trump tariff threat looms, ECLAC says
Latin America urged to boost tax take and private investment to close development gap
IMF: Breaking Latin America’s cycle of low growth and violence
COMMENT: Trump’s White House picks signal rocky start with Latin America
Latin America trapped in low growth cycle, ECLAC warns
Bolivian President Arce declares "coca is not cocaine" as country expands coca industry
Bolivia's lithium deals with Russia, China raise sovereignty concerns as state bears heavy risks
Brazil court blocks Bolsonaro from attending Trump inauguration over flight risk fears
Russia arrests Colombian fighter in occupied Kursk as mercenary crackdown widens
Iranian influx to Venezuela via Colombia triggers regional security fears
Trump reverses Biden's Cuba terror list removal hours after taking office
Cuba prisoner release after terror delisting marks last-gasp reset in US ties before Trump return
Brutal gang violence over failed voodoo spell claims nearly 200 lives in Haiti's capital
Trump announces 25% tariffs on Mexico and Canada from February 1
EU and Mexico strike historic trade pact
Amazon Web Services to invest $5bn in Mexico digital hub push
Trump vows to “take back” Panama Canal in inauguration speech
Panama rejects Trump's military threats over canal control
Peruvian president's secret plastic surgery ignites scandal
Murder exposes secret prostitution ring in Peruvian Congress
BRICS bank chief touts Uruguay membership in Montevideo talks
Italian aid worker held without charge in Venezuela for two months
Venezuela’s Maduro sworn in for third term as international criticism mounts
Bangladesh’s BNP urges interim government to expedite elections
Bangladesh revokes former Prime Minister Hasina’s passport
Bangladesh explores tank purchase from Turkey as India receives request for Hasina’s extradition
Controversial 10-GW hydropower project in Tibet greenlit by Beijing
China's coast guard deployment raises tensions in South China Sea, Philippines protests
Balancing growth and sustainability: Southeast Asia’s energy dilemma
US imposes preliminary duties on Southeast Asian solar imports
Hong Kong firm to build 150-MW wind power plant in Cambodia
ING: Beyond the hydrogen hype it is all about execution
Japan hikes rates in a move that goes largely unnoticed
Death sentence for Chinese killer
Peru's APEC summit exposes trade tug-of-war between Beijing and Washington
Rising gold ETF inflows set to drive global bullion prices
Russian exports of diamonds to Hong Kong up 18-fold in 5M24
India business expansion slows to 14-month low in January
India's NTPC plans solar joint venture in Sri Lanka
Landslide in Central Java, Indonesia claims 17 lives, nine still missing
Bali shuts down "Russian Village"
Russia backs Vietnam's bid to join BRICS
Hiroshima invites Trump to mark 80th anniversary of atomic bombing
BCPG to invest $945mn in power projects, prioritising clean energy
Malaysia maintains key interest rate as economy shows resilience
Authorities seize $3.8mn of meth in northeastern India
Hundreds of children killed or injured in Myanmar in 2024: UNICEF
Over 120 dead as powerful tremor hits Tibet
Nepal floods - death toll rises to 209
Kolkata hospital rape and murder case sparks international outcry, raises questions
South Asia hit by floods and landslides after heavy rainfall
Human rights groups urge Zelenskiy to protect North Korean soldiers captured in Ukraine
Trump labels North Korea a 'nuclear power' as he eyes diplomatic revival
North Korea issues warning in response to air drills with B-1B bombers
Russia’s arms exports slump, Kremlin preparing for possible war with Nato
Papua New Guinea tribal conflict leaves 30 dead amid gold mine dispute
The Philippines takes a stand against China's maritime aggression in the South China Sea
Trump to give thumbs up on expedited arms supply to Taiwan
Extreme weather surges in 2024
Kamala Harris to visit Singapore, Bahrain and Germany on final vice-presidential overseas trip
Singapore’s PacificLight Power embarks on $735mn hydrogen power plant project
Yoon's failed martial law declaration leaves South Korea in political turmoil
Sri Lanka’s merchandise exports in October up 18.22%
Taiwan’s GDP growth up on back of domestic demand
Taiwan set to cull 120,000 green iguanas
BRICS expands membership, adding Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand
German Prosecutors Confirm Termination of Money Laundering Investigation Against Alisher Usmanov
Comments by President of the Russian Fertilizers Producers Association Andrey Guryev on bilateral meeting between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin
PhosAgro/UNESCO/IUPAC green chemistry research grants awarded for the 8th time to world's best young scientists
PhosAgro Tops RAEX ESG Ranking
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The CFA Romania Association's Macroeconomic Confidence Indicator increased in December by 6.7 points to a still gloomy value of 38.1 points on a 0-100 scale.
Moderation in domestic demand, real appreciation in the lira and improvement in inflation expectations remain on track.
Real estate, construction and energy remained the dominant sectors, says new report from EY.
Country's telecom, industrial production and automotive companies said to be popular when it comes to potential transactions.
Inflation expectations in Serbia’s financial sector dropped in December, aligning with the central bank’s target range, the central bank said.
The average net wage in Romania (chart) increased by 13.1% y/y in November (+12.3% y/y in October) after a significant 2.3% m/m advance in the month (the steepest monthly advance since March) mainly driven by the manufacturing segment.
Volume of transactions, however, contracts 44% y/y to $1bn from $1.8bn in 2023.
Romania’s consumer prices (chart) increased by 0.3% m/m in December resulting in a 5.14% y/y headline inflation, marginally faster compared to the 5.11% y/y in November and only 1.5 percentage points lower compared to 6.6% y/y one year earlier.
Romania's bleak economic outlook and the gradual phasing off of fiscal incentives are set to negatively affect FDI in the coming year.
Engineering company Koncar's share price has soared on the back of its new joint venture with Siemens and high demand for its transformers during the green transition.
Total of 28 sellers included nine making market debuts. For sales, Treasury ranked first, raising $13bn via five papers.
Average deal size TRY 1.75bn and average size of stakes sold 24%. Most companies issued privileged shares to favour owners.
Although Bulgaria remains the EU's poorest country, Bulgarians purchased cars costing as much as €2.5mn.
Independent economists' research group, however, measures inflation at 83% y/y.
December moderation least pronounced in eight months.
Regulator also narrows interest rate corridor.
Increase compares to official inflation of towards 50%, unofficial inflation of towards 90%. Turks in usual fury.
Economic performance was dragged down by agriculture, while manufacturing sector grew.
Falling population attributed to departure of many Kosovars to work abroad in search of a better life, a trend that persists across the Balkans.
Policy rate lowered despite slight rise in inflation, attributed to higher food prices.
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