4 May 2108 In April 2016, Saudi Crown Prince (Deputy at the time) Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) announced his Saudi Arabia 2030 economic strategy. The ambitious plan has two major objectives. First of all, the collapse in oil prices after 2014 requires a major overhaul of Saudi fiscal policy to reduce the huge budget deficit. … Continue reading Saudi Arabia 2030: Vision Versus Reality
17 April 2018 As with any disputed relationship, there are three sides to every story: my version, their version, and the truth. So it is with the deepening Sino-American bilateral trade conflict. In order to reach a workable resolution to the current dispute (which I fully expect), policymakers on both sides need to consider the … Continue reading US-China Trade: Three Sides to Every Story
4 April 2018 Enjoy the podcast in which I review how well our 2018 strategic themes are playing out, and take a look athe the rest of the year. Inflation, populism, and protectionism were the key Q1 market drivers, even as the US tax reform boosted American corporate earnings significantly. Personnel changes at the White … Continue reading Q2 Global Strategy: Iran, Korea, China & Russia Hold the Key
27 May 2018 Financial markets have celebrated the selection of Cyril Ramaphosa as leader of the ANC in December 2017, and his subsequent election as the Republic's president. The beleaguered Rand (ZAR), for example, has rallied over 20% in the past four months. Even the rating agencies have jumped on the band wagon. Both Fitch … Continue reading South Africa: Dawn of a New Era?