Global Remittances Hit New Record: Fueled by Record Migration, Prop Up Autocrats
August 6th, 2023
Courtesy of the Wall Street Journal, a report on the growing scale and importance of remittances to the developing world, which hit a record $647 billion, aiding the poor but helping keep strongmen from Nicaragua to Tajikistan in power: More people than ever are migrating worldwide, with millions of people sending home record amounts of cash […]
Read more »Crippling Fuel Crisis Turns Cuba Towards Old Friend Russia
July 4th, 2023
Via BBC, an article on Cuba’s acute fuel shortages which – on top of years of food insecurity, inflation and electricity blackouts – is pushing Cuba closer to Russia: Cuban taxi driver Jorge Lloro is reminded of his nation’s historic ties to Russia every time he gets behind the wheel of his navy blue, Soviet-era […]
Read more »China Expands Its Economic Reach Into The United States’ Backyard
May 20th, 2023
Via East Asia Forum, an article on China expanded economic reach into Central and South America: In early March 2023, General Laura Richardson, head of the United States Southern Command, told a US congressional hearing that Chinese actions in South America posed a threat to US safety. According to General Richardson, China is on a […]
Read more »Cuba Announces Surprise Reversal of US Dollar Deposit Ban
April 13th, 2023
Via France24, a report on Cuba’s surprise lifting of its ban on US dollar deposits in banks, reversing a policy which had been in place since June 2021: Cuba’s government on Monday announced a surprise lifting of its ban on US dollar deposits in banks, reversing a policy which had been in place across the […]
Read more »Cuba’s Deepening Economic Crisis Is Putting Diaz-Canel in a Bind
January 27th, 2023
Via World Politics Review, a look at Cuba’s current economic crisis: Cuba is suffering. That was the inescapable conclusion from a recent trip to the island. The aged electrical grid is collapsing for lack of maintenance and spare parts, causing sporadic blackouts across the island. Factories bereft of raw materials and electricity are only operating […]
Read more »Cuba’s Bustling Black Markets Hold An Important Economic Lesson
December 23rd, 2022
Via Eurasia Review, commentary on Cuba’s black markets and economic condition: Black Markets have always been regarded as networks where buyers and sellers transact goods and services notorious for being morally wrong. Things like hard drugs, illegal prostitution, or guns that are not registered are among the many elements people cite when someone introduces the […]
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.