Colombia

Economics

Politics

Colombian President Gustavo Petro said he would ​submit a new tax reform bill to Congress ‌to balance the 2026 budget, El Colombiano reported on April 7.

Colombia: Petro Seeks New Tax Reform To Fund 2026 Budget, Threatens To Bypass Congress

South Korea

Kazakhstan

Energy

Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev accepted an invitation to visit Seoul in September for the inaugural South Korea-Central Asia summit after meeting South Korean President Lee Jae Myung's special envoy Kang Hoon Shik, Qazinform reported April 8. 

Kazakhstan: Tokayev Accepts Invite to Visit Seoul for First South Korea-Central Asia Summit

United States

Iran

Israel

Lebanon

Oman

Military & Security

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Iran would grant vessels safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz with the coordination of Iranian armed forces if U.S.-Israeli attacks against Iran stopped during the two-week ceasefire announced on April 7, Reuters reported on April 7.

Iran, U.S.: Iranian Armed Forces To Coordinate Strait of Hormuz Maritime Transit During Two-Week Ceasefire

U.S.-Iran Relations

U.S. President Donald Trump said in an April 8 Truth Social post that any country supplying Iran with "military weapons" would be immediately subject to a 50% tariff,  without specifying the authority under which the tariff would be implemented.

U.S.: Trump Threatens Tariffs on Countries Providing Weapons to Iran

Europe

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer will travel to the Gulf on April 8 to meet regional leaders and support efforts to sustain the U.S.-Iran ceasefire and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, according to a government statement.

Europe, Iran: Starmer Leads European Diplomatic Push To Sustain Hormuz Ceasefire

China

Japan

The upper house of Japan's Diet passed the general budget for fiscal year 2026 on April 7, with 122.3 trillion yen ($766 billion) in spending, up 6.2% from 2025. 

Japan: Budget Passes, Takaichi Prioritizes Defense Over Food Tax Cut

China on April 7 released regulations on the "security of industrial and supply chains," effective immediately, that outline an early warning system for industrial and supply chain security threats, the creation of reserves for key goods and emergency measures to mobilize reserves and supply chains.

China: Supply Chain Security Rules Retaliate Against Foreign Threats

New Zealand

India

India and New Zealand are reportedly set to sign a free trade agreement on April 24 to boost trade and investment, The Economic Times reported on April 7.

India, New Zealand: Governments Set To Sign FTA on April 24

The world is connected, but even the broadest topics deserve an individual look. Below are our latest and most relevant economics analyses.

Below are our latest and most relevant economics analyses.

Sub-Saharan Africa

Americas

Asia-Pacific

Eurasia

Middle East and North Africa

South Asia

Beyond Quantitative Easing

The New Silk Road

The Fate of the Eurozone

South America: Split Decisions on Trade

Banking

Commodities: A Cautionary Tale

Social Issues

European Disintegration

Russia's Internal Struggle

China in Transition

A Japanese Awakening

East African Integration

Assessments

Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi answers questions at a legislative budget committee session in Tokyo on April 7, 2026, while Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi (left) looks on. 

Japan's ability to sustain increased spending on defense and other strategic investments in the coming years will be constrained by sluggish economic growth, high government debt and a challenging geopolitical landscape.

Reviewing Japan's New Budget: Balancing Spending Hikes and Fiscal Reality

Columns

On Geopolitics

The Geopolitics of Demographics

Geopolitics of Demographics

Demographic decline, driven by falling fertility rates worldwide, is likely irreversible but will also increasingly differentiate countries based on their ability to adapt through sound immigration, labor, technological and fiscal policies.

Adapting to Demographic Decline: Policy Tradeoffs and Global Divergences

Peru

The exterior facade of the Legislative Palace of Peru is seen in Lima.

With a record 35 candidates running in the April 12 race and no clear frontrunner, numerous scenarios remain possible, including a win by an anti-establishment outsider, a mainstream right-wing figure or another leftist.

Peru's Presidential Election: Potential Outcomes and Their Implications

Snapshots

Myanmar

Afghanistan

Nepal

Pakistan

A freight train carrying cargo containers rides along a railway track in Ajmer, India, on Aug. 26, 2025.

Global Trade

New Delhi's decisions to permit specific imports and fast-track minority investments highlight its strategy of addressing critical manufacturing shortages, though relations are unlikely to extend beyond low-level confidence-building measures.

India Cautiously Opens up to Chinese Investment

Iraq

Iraqi women light candles in memory of the victims of the U.S.-Israeli attacks on Iran and Lebanon during a rally in Baghdad's Tahrir Square on April 2, 2026.

Violent spillover from the Iran war will further complicate Iraq's government formation process, while disrupted oil exports will heavily strain Baghdad's finances and raise the risk of unrest.

Iraq Is Caught in the Crossfire of Another Destabilizing War

Rastriya Swatantra Party leader Balendra Shah is sworn in as Nepal's new prime minister in Kathmandu on March 27, 2026.

Prolonged global supply chain disruptions and threats to foreign remittances linked to the war will constrain the new administration's ability to deliver on its economic promises.


New Nepalese Government's Agenda Threatened by Iran War Fallout

Hungary

 A campaign billboard featuring a portrait of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban is seen in Budapest's 3rd district on March 27, 2026.

Hungary's April 12 parliamentary elections are primed to be the country's most competitive national vote since 2010 and may remove Prime Minister Viktor Orban's Fidesz party from power.

Hungary's Upcoming Elections May Unseat Orban After 16 Years

This photo, taken in Lima in November 2024, shows Chinese President Xi Jinping (left) and Peruvian President Dina Boluarte attending the inauguration ceremony for the Chinese-built and operated "megaport" in the small Peruvian town of Chancay.

Environment, Science & Technology

As Washington formalizes a new hemispheric doctrine centered on security and supply chain dominance, regional governments face mounting pressure to align their defense and economic policies with U.S. geopolitical interests.

How the U.S.'s Anti-China Strategy for Latin America Could Unfold

U.S.-China Relations

The Geopolitics of Natural Resources

As competition for natural resources and critical raw materials intensifies, companies -- not just countries -- must be more mindful of risks in their physical supply chains.

The Geopolitics of Natural Resources: An Introduction

Yemen

Houthi loyalists chant slogans on March 27, 2026, in Sanaa, Yemen, as they participate in a protest staged to show support for Iran in its ongoing war against the United States and Israel.

Yemen's Iran-backed Houthis will likely progressively expand their target set beyond Israel if the war intensifies, raising the risk of more economically disruptive attacks on regional shipping and energy infrastructure.

The Implications of the Houthis Joining the Iran War

Cyber

Israel-Hamas Conflict

Russia-Ukraine Conflict

The second quarter will test global resilience as lingering conflicts and energy shocks converge to heighten economic uncertainty and geopolitical volatility.

2026 Second-Quarter Forecast: An Excerpt

Media

Podcasts

How will the trajectory of China-U.S. trade conversations change in light of conflict in the Middle East?

The Decision Advantage: The Impact of the Iran War on the Asia-Pacific Region

Economics

SITUATION REPORTS

Colombia: Petro Seeks New Tax Reform To Fund 2026 Budget, Threatens To Bypass Congress

Kazakhstan: Tokayev Accepts Invite to Visit Seoul for First South Korea-Central Asia Summit

Iran, U.S.: Iranian Armed Forces To Coordinate Strait of Hormuz Maritime Transit During Two-Week Ceasefire

U.S.: Trump Threatens Tariffs on Countries Providing Weapons to Iran

Europe, Iran: Starmer Leads European Diplomatic Push To Sustain Hormuz Ceasefire

Japan: Budget Passes, Takaichi Prioritizes Defense Over Food Tax Cut

China: Supply Chain Security Rules Retaliate Against Foreign Threats

India, New Zealand: Governments Set To Sign FTA on April 24

Forecasts

ANALYSES

SECTIONS

Explore

Subscribe

Help & Support