China’s Growing Economic Influence in Central Asia
October 1st, 2008
From The Foreign Policy Association, a nice summary of China’s growing influence in the Central Asian states. As the article notes, recent projects include: “-A 960-kilometer oil pipeline from Western Kazakhstan to Western China has partially started operations and should be carrying 20 millions tons of the black gold annually in only a few years […]
Read more »Mobius’ Emerging Opportunities
September 29th, 2008
Via The Financial Times, an interesting look at which emerging markets Mark Mobius (executive chairman of Templeton Asset Management) is focusing on, in spite of the recent credit-related financial turmoil. As the article notes, Mobius has long been at the forefront of drawing investors toward frontier markets, including Bangladesh, Botswana, Estonia and Tunisia, and now […]
Read more »KazMunaiGas and Shell Team Up For Kashagan Oil
September 22nd, 2008
According to Reuters, Kazakh state oil company KazMunaiGas will create a joint venture with Royal Dutch Shell to handle the production segment of the Kashagan oilfield. As noted in the article: “…Energy Minister Sauat Mynbayev said KazMunaiGas would take over production-related operations at Kashagan in five years and join its new operational structure, according to […]
Read more »Will China Finally Build a Rail Link with Central Asia?
August 30th, 2008
As reported by Window on Eurasia, Chinese, Kyrgyz and Uzbek experts have reached agreement on the route of a railway line between China and Central Asia, but this project – which would transform the geopolitics of the region – still faces some serious technical and political obstacles. As the article notes: “…experts have agreed on […]
Read more »The Kazakh Economy: A Contrary View
August 30th, 2008
From The Spectator, an interesting look at how the credit crunch has reached & affected Kazakhstan. Unlike the bullish news we regularly see on the country’s petro-driven economy, this article notes: “…these are troubling times for Kazakhstan’s 15 million citizens. The economy is slowing — from over 9 per cent growth in 2006 to an […]
Read more »Ka$hakhstan
August 10th, 2008
Via Arabian Business, an interesting look at the wave of Middle Eastern investment targeting Kazakhstan. Up for grabs is the vast and untapped commodity wealth of a country the size of Western Europe, with all the wheat, copper and uranium that Gulf states need. As the article notes: “…The head of investment banking at Renaissance […]
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.