In late May, the world’s largest car-carrying ship docked at the port of Itajaí, Brazil, marking more than a symbolic arrival. It carried thousands of electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles from BYD Co. Ltd. $002594.SZ — China’s largest new energy vehicle (NEV) producer — as part of an aggressive push into emerging markets. For Brazil, the ship’s docking also symbolizes deeper concerns over trade dynamics, industrial policy, and economic sovereignty in the face of surging Chinese auto imports.
The Egyptian government has finalized a financial closure agreement with Scatec ASA $SCATC.OL —a leading Norwegian renewable energy developer—for a 1 gigawatt (GW) solar project, marking a significant step toward expanding the country's clean energy portfolio. The agreement, announced by the Egyptian Cabinet, enables the project to officially advance to the construction phase.
U.S.-based agribusiness leader Bunge Ltd. $BG is on the verge of securing regulatory approval from Chinese antitrust authorities for its proposed $8.2 billion acquisition of Viterra, a grain and oilseed trader backed by Glencore $GLEN.L. The decision, expected within days, represents a pivotal moment in a deal that could reshape the landscape of global commodity trading and agricultural processing.
U.S. consumer inflation appears to have risen modestly in May 2025, according to economists surveyed by FactSet. The Consumer Price Index (CPI) is projected to have increased by 2.5% year-over-year, up from 2.3% in April. This marks the first acceleration in four months, highlighting a renewed inflationary push driven by revived trade tariffs.
Indonesia’s newly established sovereign wealth fund, Danantara Indonesia, is reportedly engaged in early-stage talks with GoTo Group $GOTO.TA regarding a possible acquisition of Grab Holdings Ltd. $GRAB. While neither party has officially confirmed merger negotiations, the prospective deal could significantly alter the competitive dynamics in Southeast Asia’s digital economy.
The Federal Reserve’s decision to lift a longstanding cap on Wells Fargo's $WFC total assets marks a pivotal turning point for one of the United States’ most scrutinized banks. Instituted in 2018 following a series of compliance failures, the $1.95 trillion asset limit had severely constrained the bank’s ability to grow. The removal of this restriction represents not only regulatory validation of internal reforms but also opens new strategic avenues for business expansion.
Shares of Australian steelmaker BlueScope Steel Ltd $BSL.AX jumped sharply on Monday, reaching a more than three-month high after former U.S. President Donald Trump announced plans to double tariffs on imported steel. The move reignited investor interest in companies with significant U.S. operations, particularly those expected to benefit from potential trade barriers targeting foreign steel producers.
On Wednesday, the Reserve Bank of New Zealand (RBNZ) lowered its official cash rate (OCR) by 25 basis points to 3.25%. This decision reflects the central bank’s assessment of escalating economic risks linked to recent shifts in US trade policy under President Donald Trump. The RBNZ indicated that the easing cycle would be somewhat more extensive than its projections from three months ago, citing heightened global uncertainties and market volatility that challenge monetary policy formulation.
Citigroup Inc. $C has named Prashant Tucker as the new Head of Corporate Banking for South and Southeast Asia, marking a pivotal leadership shift as the U.S.-based financial giant deepens its presence across key Asia-Pacific (APAC) markets. The appointment, disclosed through an internal memo reviewed by Reuters, is effective immediately and is part of Citi’s broader restructuring strategy to enhance regional oversight and performance in high-growth emerging economies.
Allegro, the leading e-commerce platform in Poland and a significant player in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE), announced a strategic expansion of its local marketplace offerings to distinguish itself from Asian competitors such as Temu. The company’s Chief Financial Officer revealed this initiative on Thursday, emphasizing a growing focus on improving delivery times and consumer experience by reducing reliance on products with extended shipping periods predominantly originating from Eastern Asia. This strategic pivot follows Allegro’s recent adjustments in its regional operations across Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Hungary.
On Wednesday, Canadian telecom giant BCE Inc. $BCE, operating under the Bell brand, experienced a large-scale service disruption that affected over 92,000 users nationwide. The outage, which began early in the morning and was still ongoing as of 9:51 a.m. ET, was documented by Downdetector.com, a platform that monitors service interruptions by aggregating real-time user reports.
Levi Strauss & Co. $LEVI has announced the sale of its Dockers brand to Authentic Brands Group (ABG), the parent company of Reebok and Van Heusen, for $311 million USD. The move aligns with Levi’s long-term strategic pivot toward strengthening its flagship Levi’s® label and expanding its activewear segment, particularly through its Beyond Yoga business.
