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Kenya’s new budget targets significantly lower deficit

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KENYA

After redeeming much of its USD2bn Eurobond in February, the government has effectively dispelled fears of a default. Nevertheless, it remains under pressure to consolidate public…

Flat US defence spending puts Pentagon under pressure

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US

While Congress broadly supports existing defence programmes and the current level of spending, an increase below inflation leaves the Pentagon struggling to manage current…

Macron faces political risks over French fiscal woes

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FRANCE

The government is highly dependent on steady GDP growth to meet its pledges on deficit-reduction and tax cuts. It was forced to implement EUR10bn (USD10.7bn) in emergency cuts in…

China’s population will continue to shrink

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CHINA

Policies in the 1980s to restrict the birth rate gave China a demographic dividend, with an enlarged working population driving GDP growth, but that has been exhausted. The…

Germany’s CDU will shift further to the right

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GERMANY

After months of internal division, the CDU’s senior figures united behind leader Friedrich Merz, elected a new executive and adopted a new programme that marks a reversion to…

Pakistan will be optimistic about its IMF talks

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PAKISTAN

Islamabad now seeks a larger, longer-term bailout programme with the Fund. Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb has suggested that a staff-level agreement on such a package could…

Attracting investment may prove difficult in Nigeria

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NIGERIA

However, these macro-level improvements belie both uneven reform implementation and the worsening economic environment faced by most Nigerians.

Gulf legislatures will fail to boost their authority

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GULF STATES

The functions, authorities and memberships of those bodies, however, vary widely. The development of each depended on the real or perceived threat of political opposition, the…