An App Company in Kazakhstan Just Had the Biggest IPO Since Birkenstock in October
January 23rd, 2024
Via Quartz, an article on Kaspi.kz, maker of a super app, which recently raised approximately $1 billion in its stock offering: Kaspi.kz, a mobile app company, launched its initial public offering (IPO) on the Nasdaq stock exchange Friday, raising about $1 billion. On its first trading day, shares of Kaspi.kz debuted 0.5% above its offer […]
Read more »Central Asia’s Gradual Economic Repositioning
December 26th, 2023
Via East Asia Forum, an article on Central Asia’s gradual economic repositioning: In 2023, the Central Asian leaders showed increased willingness to institutionalise cooperation through annual summits and unified approaches to third countries. Despite foreign policy challenges associated with the Russia–Ukraine war, water disputes with Afghanistan and clashes on the Kyrgyz–Tajik border, the focus of […]
Read more »Huawei’s Growing Presence in Central Asia’s Telecom Industry
December 26th, 2023
Via The Diplomat, a report on Huawei’s growing presence in both Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan: In the wake of Western sanctions, Huawei has pivoted toward emerging markets, including within Central Asia. The invasion of Ukraine has further underscored the need for adaptability, prompting Huawei to strategically relocate some of its Moscow office staff to Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan to avoid secondary […]
Read more »Beijing Digs In for Central Asia-China Gas Pipeline
December 21st, 2023
Via the Lowy Institute, commentary on the challenges facing a discussed Central Asia-China gas pipeline: China’s ongoing pursuit of a cross-border pipeline with Turkmenistan in Central Asia has repercussions for both the region and Australia. In October, China’s President Xi Jinping called for enhancing the China-Turkmenistan comprehensive strategic partnership, having already pushed to speed up the building of the […]
Read more »Far Away From Houston, a U.S. Energy Partner Waits: Kazakhstan
December 19th, 2023
Via Real Clear Energy, an article on Kazakhstan: A key piece of America’s low-carbon future sits in the steppes of Central Asia. The path there is not along the transportation corridors Xi Jinping is currently working to build from China to Europe. Nor does it lie in the pockets of Vladimir Putin and his gang who last month […]
Read more »Why the Middle Corridor Is a Double-Edged Sword
December 19th, 2023
Via The Diplomat, a report that Europe is pushing hard to advance the Middle Corridor, but other countries like China, Russia, Iran, and Azerbaijan will almost certainly benefit from the infrastructure being built: In late November, the World Bank published an economic analysis on the potential of the Middle Corridor to develop over the next decade. 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.