January 12th, 2019
Via International Policy Digest, an article on Turkmenistan: In recent years, Turkmenistan has received little media coverage, either in the mainstream media or in business journalism. It remains, though, a highly closed society, does not operate or allow a free press and independent and reliable news is scarce. The Turkmen government is aggressively seeking foreign […]
Read more »Attractive Frontier Markets (According To Citi)
January 12th, 2019
Via CNBC Africa, a report on frontier markets: Egypt, Kenya and Romania come out as most attractive Frontier Markets (FM), while Kazakhstan, Vietnam and Morocco come out least attractive. Here is what the model says about the top 3: ? Egypt leads the pack thanks to a host of supportive signals, including valuations (PE and […]
Read more »January 11th, 2019
Via The Diplomat, the story behind China’s long-stalled mine in Afghanistan where – nine years after Chinese companies took control of Mes Aynak – copper extraction has yet to start: One-third of the Afghan population lives below the poverty line (earning less than $2 a day) and a further 50 percent are barely above this […]
Read more »Virtual-Cash Treasure in Zimbabwe Sparks Fight Over Billions
January 5th, 2019
Courtesy of The Wall Street Journal, an interesting report on a shareholder tussle has broken out over EcoCash, Zimbabwe’s homegrown PayPal-like mobile payment service: After years of brutal hyperinflation, Zimbabwe became known as a place where cash was almost worthless. Now, investors are fighting over EcoCash, the country’s homegrownPayPal PYPL 5.09% -like service that has zoomed into the economy’s cash […]
Read more »January 5th, 2019
Via China In Central Asia, a detailed look at BRI in Central Asia: After the collapse of the Soviet Union the newly independent countries of the Central Asian region for the first time in their modern history looked beyond the iron curtain with which they were isolated from the world within the Soviet era. They […]
Read more »Iran’s Economic Crisis Drags Down the Middle Class Almost Overnight
December 26th, 2018
Courtesy of The New York Times, a look at Iran’s economic crisis: Less than a year ago, he was running a thriving computer accessories business, driving a new car and renting a comfortable two-bedroom apartment in the center of Tehran. But last month, Kaveh Taymouri found himself riding a rusty motorcycle on his hourlong commute […]
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