Geopolitical Events

Geopolitical Events

Russia and Ukraine peace talks end without ceasefire & Bitcoin drops below 40,000 USD

Global indices finished relatively flat compared to recent day's price action on the back of failed peace talks between Russia and Ukraine and the ECB decision to speed up the ceasing of stimulus support. All eyes were on the USA and their CPI figures which came in as expected with a rise of 0.8% for February and the 12-month figure increased by...

March 11, 2022
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Potential for Ukraine and Russian Negotiations drives a market rebound

The global markets had a strong night of trading on the back of renewed peace talks between Russia and Ukraine. Equity indices were up, whilst commodities took a breather from their recent highs. Reports coming out of Europe indicated that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has cooled off on the prospect of Ukraine joining NATO and is open to d...

March 10, 2022
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Are EV cars inevitable?

Since the recent crisis in Europe, you would have noticed a few things in the stock market which have directly or indirectly affected your normal day to day life, as a motorist one of the first things that you would have taken note of, is the price of fuel. Only a fortnight ago petrol prices for unleaded fuel was sold for $149.99 per litre (APCO se...

March 8, 2022
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Volatile market continues following failed peace talks between Russia and the Ukraine

Global indices were choppy overnight, mainly finishing lower on the back of failed peace talks and Russia continued advances in Ukraine. According to reports from the French government, the Russian president Vladimir Putin intends to take the country by any means and that “the worst is to come”. The reports sent the FTSE 100 down 2.57%. The dec...

March 4, 2022
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Is Bitcoin ready for a reversal?

Bitcoin has seen a resurgence in recent days on the back of the Ukraine/Russian conflict. The price has risen 15% as money has poured into the cryptocurrency. Western countries have placed economic sanctions as an attempt to reduce military conduct from Russia. This includes excluding several Russian banks from the SWIFT network. Consequently, the ...

March 4, 2022
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What is SWIFT and the sanctions against Russia?

The Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication, legally S.W.I.F.T. SC, is a Belgian cooperative society providing services related to the execution of financial transactions and payments between banks worldwide. Its principal function is to serve as the main messaging network through which international payments are initiated. ...

March 4, 2022
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Russia takes a hit

Last week, Russia took a step that not many people thought it would take – they invaded Ukraine. Even though the tensions have been building in the region since the annexation of Crimea in February 2014, not many people thought Vladimir Putin would take the step to invade a sovereign nation. Five days on from the start of the invasion, we have...

March 1, 2022
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OPEC and allies reach a compromise

The oil industry has remained pressurized by a supply glut and the ongoing uncertainty on the demand outlook with respect to the structural changes in the energy market and the pandemic. The recent vaccine updates and hopes that the pandemic may soon be under control, is providing support to a fundamentally battered energy market. As the year com...

December 4, 2020
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US Elections: COVID-19, Policies and Markets

The Political Event of the Year 2020 The most-waited political event of the year is fast approaching: the US elections will take place on the 3rd of November. The nominees of the two main political parties - Republican and Democratic party are yet to be announced at the Presidential Nominating Convention. However, the clear frontrunners are Pres...

August 14, 2020
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Forex This Week: What to Expect

In the month of May, major currencies were stronger against the US dollar as risk sentiment improved and haven currencies like the US dollar, the Yen and Swiss franc have lost momentum. Commodity-linked currencies were among the best performers against the US dollar; lifted by higher commodity prices. Source: Bloomberg   The US Dollar As ge...

June 1, 2020
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EURUSD: EU Recovery Plan and EU’s Frugal Four

EU Recovery Fund After a standoff between the EU and Germany, following a critical ruling on ECB’s quantitative easing program by Germany’s constitutional court, the gradual reopening of economies of member states within the Eurozone has brought some optimism. The downside risks for the Eurozone and its shared currency have somewhat eased o...

May 26, 2020
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First Quarter: Crisis, Volatility, and Opportunities

The first quarter of 2020 was marred by unpredicted events that rattled the financial markets: Tensions between US and Iran; The extreme weather conditions across the globe as a result of climate change; The novel coronavirus; and An oil price war between Saudi Arabia, the oil kingdom, and Russia. A Trio of Crises Faced by an unpreced...

March 31, 2020
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The Perfect Storm Brewing in the Oil Market

The Perfect Storm Brewing in the Oil Market The oil and gas industry has been undergoing significant challenges due to the structural shift within the industry. A pandemic-induced economic downturn and an oil price war have now added another layer of uncertainty to the oil markets. Tensions between Saudi Arabia and Russia have disrupted the stab...

March 27, 2020
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2019 in a Nutshell and the Transition to a New Decade

If we could describe the year 2019 in one word, we believe uncertainty says it all. The world entered 2019 with a high level of ambiguity and is poised to finish the year with the same extent of uncertainties. The Global Economic Policy Uncertainty Index which is a GDP-weighted average of national EPU indices for 20 countries has remained in ele...

December 20, 2019
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The Loonie – Best Performing G10 Currencies

The Loonie Best Performing G10 Currencies After a tight campaign marred by scandals, Justin Trudeau secured another term as Prime Minister. Unlike a clear win in 2015, the Prime Minister did not pass the threshold of 170 seats and will lead a minority government. The governing party will be forced to depend on other parties to pass legislation....

October 24, 2019
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