In an earlier blog "Iran: Assessing the Economic Fallout", I identified Asia as the most vulnerable region to the war in Iran and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. Subsequently, financial markets have reflected these risks. Indeed, countries from Pakistan to the Philippines have taken recent measures to cope with the economic fallout. Now, [...]
Tag: asia
Iran War: Assessing the Economic Fallout
The US-Israeli attacks on Iran, and the virtual closure of the Strait of Hormuz, have sent oil prices soaring above $100 per barrel. With the war now two weeks old, I consider some of the economic and financial market fallout. As the consequences will increase the longer the conflict continues, the failure of the Trump [...]
China: Beggar-thy-Neighbor Policy Creates Risks
Even if one doesn't trust China's data, there's no doubt the economy has proved surprisingly resilient, despite the Trump 2.0 tariffs. And, the outcome of recent Sino-US trade negotiations indicate they enjoy considerable leverage in future talks, given America's current dependence on Chinese rare earth materials. As the Year of the Horse approaches, therefore, is [...]
COP 30: The Planet Doesn’t Do Politics
23 November 2025 The COP 30 summit in Belem Brasil now has concluded. Let's face it, progress on climate change has lost momentum. Not only has Potus 47 ditched America's Net Zero commitment, but leaders from key polluting nations China, India, Russia, and the USA did not attend the conference. In line with the 2015 [...]