Eyes on the Middle East and on China’s softer GDP outlook – Sound Economies with Mel & Peter, 5 March 2026
Markets plunged as the US and Israel launched attacks against Iran, though the more important question is: what happens after these military operations? We discuss possible outcomes in the globally important region. This episode, we also look at China’s 2026 economic outlook and Berkshire Hathaway’s optimism towards Japanese conglomerates.
(00:00) – Episode rundown
(00:19) – Intro
(00:49) – Quick updates
(02:14) – Berkshire Hathaway’s bullishness towards Japanese trading houses
(06:05) – China’s Two Sessions and the tempered GDP outlook
(09:18) – Stoking up China’s defence spending and household consumption
(16:59) – Self-sufficient chip production in Chinese manufacturing
(19:34) – Military campaign in the Middle East
(30:02) – Our global outlook
“Sound Economies with Mel & Peter” is a weekly podcast 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.
Tune in to this episode on Spotify, YouTube, and wherever you listen to podcasts.
