Venezuelan-Russian Energy Axis: Global Power Politics
August 1st, 2008
As recently discussed by The Latin Business Chronicle, the emerging Venezuelan-Russian energy axis is a 21st-century throwback to the Cold War Soviet-Cuban alliance and may be emblematic of geopolitical forces rising to challenge U.S. leadership and influence. As the article notes: “…Chávez and the Russian duo want to redistribute global power as expediently as possible. […]
Read more »Race to the Frontier
August 1st, 2008
From The Financial Times, an interesting article noting that, while investor appetite for emerging markets is dwindling as worries about rising inflation and falling equity markets grow – particularly in China and India – frontier markets such as Africa and the Middle East remain quite popular. As the report notes: “…African markets are not immune […]
Read more »Russia’s Chess Match in The Middle East & North Africa
August 1st, 2008
From The National, an interesting analysis of Russia’s recent diplomatic and trade activities in the Middle East and North Africa in a bid to enhance its geopolitical clout and gain access to, and at least partial control over, the region’s oil and gas reserves. As the article notes: “…Among the former global superpower’s tactics: linking […]
Read more »China & Kyrgyzstan: Closer (But Unbalanced) Ties
August 1st, 2008
From The Asia Times, an interesting examination of China’s efforts to steadily strengthening political and economic ties with small, landlocked Kyrgyzstan, with one eye on the sizeable energy reserves of its neighbors to the north and west. As the article notes, this integration results in Kyrgyzstan’s dependence on Chinese income and infrastructure growing deeper by […]
Read more »Vietnam’s Economy: Growing Pains
August 1st, 2008
From The American, a detailed look at how – despite rapid economic growth in the past few years - the past several months have offered a reality check for Vietnam, as inflation has spiked and concerns have mounted over currency depreciation and macroeconomic stability. As the article reports: “…In June, the consumer price index inflation rate […]
Read more »Turkmenistan’s Relationship with Gazprom
August 1st, 2008
Via Energy Daily, an interesting look at evolving relationship between Turkmenistan and Gazprom, specifically Turkmenistan’s ability to play off Chinese and Western interest in its reserves as a way to keep Gazprom “in line”. As the article notes: “…Eurocrats perturbed by Gazprom’s growing dominance of Europe’s natural gas market and its hardball capitalist tactics, take […]
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.