A recent April 2025 Economic Impact Study by Nielsen has quantified what many in Thailand’s sports and tourism sectors have long suspected: ONE Championship, the world’s largest martial-arts organisation, generates approximately US $470 million in annual economic value for Thailand through its portfolio of combat-sports events (Bangkok Post, nationthailand). From packed stadiums in Bangkok to […]

Introduction The fifth edition of the Qatar Economic Forum, Powered by Bloomberg, arrives at a pivotal juncture in global affairs, marked by seismic shifts in markets, technology, and geopolitics. Under the patronage of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, the Forum convenes from May 20–22, 2025, at the Qatar National Convention […]

Introduction Early on Friday, Moody’s Investors Service cut the United States’ sovereign credit rating by one notch—from Aaa to Aa1—citing the nation’s burgeoning US $36 trillion debt burden and a track record of persistent fiscal deficits. As the last of the three major ratings agencies to downgrade America’s once-pristine rating, Moody’s move has sharpened investor […]

Global oil markets are shifting beneath the weight of economic uncertainties and a surging wave of electric vehicle (EV) adoption. In its May Oil Market Report, the International Energy Agency (IEA) warned that, after a surprisingly robust first quarter, demand growth for the remainder of 2025 will cool materially signaling a pivotal moment for producers, […]

Bangladesh is poised to unlock $1.3 billion in June from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), covering both the fourth and fifth tranches of its $4.7 billion Extended Credit Facility. The long-delayed disbursement follows a staff-level agreement on key reforms—most critically, a shift toward a more flexible exchange-rate regime via a crawling peg mechanism, alongside an […]

President Donald Trump, during a high-profile appearance at the Saudi-US Investment Forum in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, has announced his administration’s decision to lift the long-standing sanctions on Syria. This move, following the dramatic fall of the Assad regime in December of the previous year, marks a significant shift in US foreign policy and has sent […]

In a significant development that offers a temporary respite from escalating trade tensions, top officials from the United States and China announced on Monday that they have reached a mutual agreement to roll back the majority of their recently imposed tariffs. This accord also includes a commitment to a 90-day pause on any further tariff […]

India has tabled a sweeping proposal to reduce its average tariff differential with the United States from nearly 13% to under 4%, in exchange for an exemption from existing and potential new U.S. tariffs. The move comes as New Delhi races to clinch a landmark trade agreement before President Donald Trump’s 90-day tariff suspension lapses, […]

On May 8, 2025, the Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) voted 5–4 to cut its benchmark interest rate by 25 basis points, lowering it from 4.50 percent to 4.25 percent. This decision—its fourth reduction since August 2023 and second in 2025—reflects the Bank’s response to escalating global trade tensions, particularly the tariffs announced by U.S. President Donald Trump on […]

In a significant move toward thawing frayed economic ties, China and the United States have confirmed plans to hold high-level trade and economic talks in Switzerland from May 9 to 12, 2025. At the invitation of the Swiss government, Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of […]