Data
Wages in Uzbekistan climb 17% y/y in 1Q to monthly average $568
Increase extends a multi-year trend.
Uzbekistan registers strong first-quarter growth of 8.7%
Broad-based expansion increasingly driven by services and construction.
Taiwan household wealth reaches record $5.82 trillion
Taiwan's role as the global hub for AI chips is now directly inflating domestic private capital. While the equity boom is creating massive paper wealth, the concurrent spike in mortgage debt suggests a growing divide between rich and poor.
Poland's population set to fall by 31.6% by 2100, Eurostat says
Poland’s population is projected to decline to 25.6mn by 2100, the third-largest drop in the European Union, with only Lithuania and Latvia expected to record steeper declines.
South Korean finance giants hit record $4.2bn profit
The record-breaking performance masks a deepening fracture in the Korean financial landscape: while parent groups are thriving, core banking units are hitting a wall.
Uzbekistan government bond issuance doubles from 2023 to 2025
Corporate market reaches record size of UZS 5.28 trillion ($437mn).
_0_1777249690.jpg)
Fitch turns negative on Taiwan’s CPC
The outlook revision reflects uncertainty over CPC’s ability to restore interest coverage above 4.0x, amid higher oil prices and limited cost pass-through.
Korea growth rebound driven by chips but energy shock looms
South Korea’s economy rebounded sharply in the first quarter, driven by strong semiconductor demand, though policymakers are warning that a global energy shock is likely to weigh on activity in the months ahead.
Russia's central bank cuts rate to 14.5% in eighth consecutive cut
Bank of Russia has cut its key interest rate by 50 basis points to 14.5% in its eighth consecutive rate cut, with the regulator forecasting annual inflation will fall to between 4.5% and 5.5% in 2026.
Which countries have fertility rates above the replacement level - OWID
Fertility rates — which measure the average number of children per woman — have been falling worldwide. Since 1950, global fertility rates have halved, from almost 5 children per woman to 2.2, Our World in Data (OWID) reports.
Moldova’s industrial output up 2.4% y/y in January-February
Expansion supported by strong growth in the energy sector, while a steep contraction in extractive industries weighed on overall performance.
Heidelberg Materials acquires Turkish partner Sabanci’s 40% stake in cement maker Akcansa for $437mn
Takeover rules will require buyer to make mandatory tender offer for listed 21% stake in acquired company.
Turkey holds benchmark rate at 37% in line with expectations
Rate-cutting cycle came to a halt as energy prices spiked with the start of the Iran war.
Bulgaria’s fiscal council sees zero growth, 5% inflation in worst-case outlook
Bulgaria’s Fiscal Council said economic growth could stall and inflation hit 5% in 2026 under a worst-case scenario, according to new official data.
Over a fifth of Bulgarians live below the poverty line
Bulgaria remains the EU’s poorest member state, despite steady economic growth in recent years.
BSP tightens policy in the Philippines as inflation surge overrides growth concerns
The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas raised its policy rate by 25bp to 4.50% on April 23, in the process demonstrating the prioritisation of inflation risks after a sharp rise in price pressures throughout March.
Counterfeit dollars and cash hoarding disrupt Tehran currency market
Tehran's informal currency market is being flooded with counterfeit dollars sold below market rates, as organised networks extract high-denomination Iranian banknotes for use in cross-border fuel smuggling settlements via Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Currency strain forces Bank Indonesia to delay rate cuts
Indonesia’s resilience is being tested. While the country has successfully decoupled its inflation rate from the global energy spike through subsidies, it cannot decouple its currency from global risk sentiment.
Gulf war poses major threat to global fertiliser markets and food security, IFPRI warns
The ongoing Iran war is disrupting global fertiliser markets with up to 30% of global fertiliser trade passing through the Strait of Hormuz, IFPRI warns, with Africa and South Asia particularly vulnerable to food security risks.
Argentina's central bank sees wider room to build reserves on export and corporate inflows
Argentina's central bank expects greater room to build international reserves on export inflows, $3.2bn in unconverted corporate debt and investment incentive programme receipts, targeting $8bn of reserve accumulation in 2026.