Sound Economies with Mel & Peter: 12 February 2026
Markets rallied after Prime Minister Takaichi’s Liberal party dominated Japan’s lower house election, but we stay wary about bold fiscal expansions without sustainable funding. We also look at China getting ahead in the global chips race, US fast food giants feeling the pinch, and confirm a global shift away from US investments in 2026.
Time stamps:
00:00 – Start
00:29 – Quick updates
03:26 – The latest on global markets
04:24 – Markets celebrate Japan’s election outcome
12:47 – China joins the microchip race
17:08 – Fast food chains in the US feeling the pinch
22:37 – Takeaways from Stockholm’s TechArena Investor Day
29:01 – Our global forecast
“Sound Economies with Mel & Peter” is a weekly podcast show where our founding CEO Peter Lundgreen and Manila-based Chief Economist Mel Lopez discuss what’s happening in economies around the world and their views of the global financial markets.
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