Sound Economies with Mel & Peter: 15 January 2026
Trump vows to raise public spending on defence but demands defence companies to temper dividend payouts in favour of reinvesting to raise production, and we explain why this is unhealthy. This episode, we also look at the escalating attack on... Read More →
Thailand throws a lifeline to SMEs for much-needed economic boost
Thai businesses have been lagging behind in innovation compared to its ASEAN peers. In particular, small enterprises have been struggling financially to the point of some closing shop.
Next Week in China: 12-16 January 2026
It will be relatively quiet on the data front as the holiday season winds down, with only a handful of releases scheduled for mainland China and Hong Kong.
Sound Economies with Mel & Peter: 8 January 2026
Big shifts headline the new year. In our maiden episode for 2026, we look at cost of living pains in the US and Europe against a fast-growing middle class in Asia, the latter fueled by high economic growth. We explain... Read More →
A stellar year for US stocks
US stocks beat expectations and notched multiple record highs in 2025, overcoming the odds amid a slowing economy and an increasingly squeezed consumer base. Will this trend hold next year?
Brazil and the pendulum swing of shifting tariffs
Trump is doubling down political pressure on Brazil to get what he wants, at the cost of trade flows between the two nations.
More rate cuts for England? Too early to call
The Bank of England cut its key interest rates despite inflation steadily creeping up. Its optimism seems to be paying off, but it is too early to be relieved.
Outsized German borrowing continues to derail the economy
While increasing debt levels are reason to look closer at government finances, missing public investment is the real danger in the years to come.
The Eurozone flip
Greece is repaying its debt ahead of schedule and Italy is getting upgraded by Moody’s. Meanwhile, France lost another rating nudge and Germany’s economy remains frozen. It looks like the future in the Eurozone is somewhere else than it used to be.
China state-owned factories lead the charge
State-owned Chinese firms carry the heavier burden of keeping the country’s manufacturing sector on high growth mode. Is this sustainable?