The European Commission (EC) has on 23 October asked Italy to revise and resubmit its draft budgetary plan (DBP). The EC had already identified serious non-compliance with Italy’s budgetary obligations, making today’s request to revise the DBP almost inevitable. Now that the relevant letter has been sent, Rome will have…
Another round of import curbs, this time to prevent the fallout of the U.S.-China trade war on the Indian economy, is on the cards. The administration of Prime Minister Narendra Modi could impose a new series of restrictions as early as October-end, as the government struggles to defend the rupee…
There will be a second round pitting the far-rightist Jair Bolsonaro from the Social Liberal Party (PSL) and the leftist Fernando Haddad from the Workers’ Party (PT), as we previously forecast in publications from 4, 5, and 7 October. Bolsonaro came close to reaching the 50% threshold for a first-round victory…
The urgency of attending to the victims from the earthquake and tsunami that hit the island region of Sulawesi will likely be the administration’s focus over the next few weeks, to avoid any political fallout as election season starts. Necessities – food, water, fuel and medicine – are in short…
A delegation of Japanese bureaucrats and business leaders visited Beijing on Tuesday, 25 September for the first meeting of a Japan-China public-private committee to develop joint initiatives for infrastructure investments in “third countries.” The meeting was the result of extensive discussions between Tokyo and Beijing regarding the possible conditions for…
The Changing Dynamics In a move that could have a far-reaching impact on companies, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission recently announced that it has withdrawn two guidance letters relating to how investors use proxy advisors. These withdrawals by the SEC, along with its stated rationale for the withdrawals…
The most likely run-off scenario pits the far-right candidate Jair Bolsonaro (PSL) against Fernando Haddad, heir to former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva of the leftist Workers’ Party (PT) . Odds in fact have increased in favor of such an outcome after Haddad became the official PT on 11…
Mayoral and regional elections on 9 September were accompanied by public protests over the unpopular pension reform. The ruling United Russia party lost some voter support but still won most key electoral races. Looking ahead, the Kremlin may propose additional measures to appease the protesters to avoid…
President Erdogan’s fresh attempts to compensate for the crisis in his relations with the US by re-engaging with the EU are set to fall far short of his expectations.The EU will neither grant any major political concessions nor provide Turkey with any meaningful financial assistance. Perhaps more worryingly, the focus…
President Enrique Pena Nieto and president-elect Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador (AMLO), flanked by several existing cabinet members and their successors, staged an unusual joint press conference yesterday, 20 August, to mark the formal start of the transition to the new AMLO administration on 1 December. The tone of the event…
The temporary labour sector is facing a period of change and uncertainty. Temporary labour agencies face significant challenges from a raft of legislative and administrative changes and increased scrutiny from HMRC, all whilst operating with typically thin profit margins. Further regulatory changes, as well as threats from new challenges such…
President Joko Widodo has chosen cleric Ma’ruf Amin to be his vice-presidential running-mate while retired general Prabowo Subianto has selected Jakarta-vice governor Sandiaga Uno. Although more will be said about Widodo’s choice and the reaction to his drafting of Amin will be mixed, the vice-presidential candidates are unlikely to shift…
