Looking beyond China’s tech stocks
Chinese equities have not been spared by a global tech sell-off, but we find opportunities in other sectors that have lent strength to overall stock market performance in the past quarter. Stock market investors have been so keenly focused on high-technology companies since 2025, and for good reason. Advancements in the artificial intelligence (AI) space... Read More →
Dreams of homeownership in Brazil very much alive
Real estate prices have been on the rise, yet that has not deterred Brazilians from becoming homeowners. However, this market is being reshaped by the demand of a new generation. For many Brazilians, homeownership has been equated to stability, security, and personal achievement for the longest time, and this concept has been passed on to... Read More →
Germany’s gas, grid, and green energy
For once, the constraint affecting Germany’s energy transition is neither money nor bureaucracy – it is a booming world economy. To achieve its goal of climate neutrality by 2045, Germany is investing heavily in renewable energy sources like wind and solar power. However, the wind blows and the sun shines unpredictably, sometimes in the wrong... Read More →
Riding on Malaysia’s auto sector
In 2025, Malaysia overtook Indonesia in Southeast Asia’s automotive market. The question is if the country can deepen the domestic supply chain to attract foreign investors. The energy crisis that started in early March 2026 has exposed the economic cost of Malaysia’s reliance on petrol. In a previous article, the government had already reduced the... Read More →
Can Japan pass the baton? Venture capital meets the succession crunch
Japan’s SMEs are running a relay race, but many are struggling to find someone to take the baton. In July, Japan recorded just over 1,000 bankruptcy cases, marking the second consecutive month above that threshold. High prices and labour shortages were among the biggest corporate pressures, but another long-running Japanese problem also played a role:... Read More →
Still a green light for British renewables
UK energy keeps hitting gold with renewable energy and its net zero goals. The UK remains one of the global leaders in renewable energy installation, as it is behind one of the more aggressive programs to meet its net zero emission ambitions by 2030. Despite the push for green energy, are there legitimate warning signs... Read More →
Caution ahead for Brazil’s presidential election
Adding to domestic and global uncertainties is the head-to-head presidential race, making the Brazilian market a challenging environment for investors leaning towards more defensive strategies. Brazil will hold its most awaited presidential election this October. While there are four candidates, there are really two main and different ideologies going head-to-head. On one side, the incumbent... Read More →
Setting up Malaysian MSMEs for a growth push
The Malaysian government is starting to see the importance of its micro, small, and medium enterprises to the country’s GDP growth amidst global uncertainties. The Malaysian economy expanded faster in the second quarter of 2026 at 6 per cent, more robust than the 5.4 per cent recorded in January-March. However, the business climate tells a... Read More →
The capital offence of German companies
Germany needs an increase in investments, and much of it relies on private pockets. Hardly a day passes without a German corporate boss urging the federal government to adopt their favourite policy. The wish list is familiar: lower taxes, flexible workforce changes, more public investment, less public spending, and tariffs to fend off Chinese rivals.... Read More →
The kids aren’t alright
The UK is feeling the cost of having its youth waiting for career opportunities that do not come knocking. From March to May 2026, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) reports that the UK’s unemployment rate held at 4.9 per cent, the same result as that of three months prior. This is generally within expectations... Read More →