Putin took time out from meetings with Chinese President Xi Jinping who had just arrived in Moscow for a three-day state visit to speak to lawmakers from more than 40 African countries and woo them with generous promises of economic and military aid
Russia's oil product exports have slumped by 20% in February, marking the lowest level since May 2022, according to tanker tracking data reported S&P on March 2 in a note. Shipborne exports of crude, however, have held up well and remain robust.
Of the 6.3bn people who reside outside of liberal democracies, 70% have a positive view of China and 66% of Russia.
The free flow of ideas, people, goods, services, and capital across national borders leads to greater economic integration. But globalization, the trend toward these things moving ever more freely between nations, has slowed in recent years.
Italian PM Giorgia Meloni completed a two-day visit to Algeria on January 24. The visit’s main goal was to consolidate diplomatic and commercial ties and secure a deal for increased gas exports through the TransMed pipeline.
There is an old joke that the role of economic forecasters is to make astrologers look good. Forecasting GDP or inflation for the upcoming year with any degree of accuracy is virtually impossible, but there are some scary signs appearing.