Dialing For Dollars In Iran
October 9th, 2009
Courtesy of The New York Times, an interesting look at a special type of investment in Iran, namely the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps’ recent takeover of a majority share in the nation’s telecommunications monopoly. As the article notes: “…The nearly $8 billion acquisition by a company affiliated with the elite force has amplified concerns in […]
Read more »China: Interested In Mining North Korea’s Mineral Wealth
October 7th, 2009
Via The Financial Times, a report that China aims to gain access to North Korea’s mineral wealth. As the article notes: “… if resource-hungry China hopes revived camaraderie will also grant it a large bite of North Korea’s massive untapped mineral wealth, analysts and diplomats warn, Beijing could be sorely disappointed. North Korea’s mineral wealth […]
Read more »Turkmenistan: Market Diversification
October 4th, 2009
Via Bloomberg, a report that Turkmenistan’s willingness to ship natural gas to European partners if they build a pipeline across the Caspian Sea to transport fuel westward. As the article notes: “…We’ll be happy to work with European partners, should they choose to build a pipeline to our border,” Yagshigeldy Kakaev, director of state-run gas […]
Read more »Resource Nationalism And Structural Changes In The Global Oil System
October 2nd, 2009
Via Gregor.us (subscription required for complete newsletter), some detailed commentary of the structural changes in the global oil system and the new era of resource nationalism which has emerged. As the article notes: “…From Moscow’s Spring 2004 attack on Khodorkovsky and Yukos, to the late 2005 campaign initiated by MEND in the Niger Delta, these […]
Read more »Wireline Politics: Russia’s Telecom Diplomacy in Central & South America
October 2nd, 2009
Courtesy of Foreign Policy, an interesting report on Russian investment in Nicaragua and Venezuela, and some likely geopolitical quid pro quos. As the report notes: “…Nicaragua’s decision to legitimize Russia’s geopolitical adventures and recognize the independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia was rather odd (I am still curious as to how many Nicaraguans were aware […]
Read more »Burmese Dreams?
September 30th, 2009
While not specifically investment oriented, an interesting New York Times Op-Ed on Myanmar and the likely path forward in this enigmatic country & market in the short-term: The U.S. decision to engage with Myanmar’s generals is a recognition of reality, however brutal. Years of sanctions have failed. Emotional support for the jailed opposition leader Daw […]
Read more »Focusing primarily on The New Seven Sisters - the largely state owned petroleum companies from the emerging world that have become key players in the oil & gas industry as identified by Carola Hoyos, Chief Energy Correspondent for The Financial Times - but spanning other nascent opportunities around the globe that may hold potential in the years ahead, Wildcats & Black Sheep is a place for the adventurous to contemplate & evaluate the emerging markets of tomorrow.