Global Business insights

Global markets digest a cautious Fed decision as inflation stays elevated and US growth remains resilient.  We break down the UK Budget, the ECB’s latest rate decision, South Africa’s bigger economy, and strong Microsoft earnings alongside Alphabet’s Worst day.  For tech earnings it was the good, not so good and the ugly. Microsoft beats expectations, Amazon not as good a performance and Alphabet...

Nigeria’s economic reforms are laying stronger foundations for sustainable growth and renewed investor confidence. But can these foundations hold without overhauling welfare safety nets and institutions and tackling a rising inequality? As the Abuja summit continues, Niyi Yusuf, CEO Andersen Consulting Nigeria and Nigeria Economic Summit Group (NESG) Chairman, joins the conversation on a transitio...

Could the US midterms send oil prices soaring and shake global markets? We examine scenarios for Brent crude, including the risk of $150 oil, Middle East tensions, US energy policy and political gridlock. Plus, what Democratic or Republican gains could mean for Wall Street and the global economy.

Technology optimism is powering markets despite rising geopolitical and economic uncertainty. Strong results from Tesla, SpaceX, Meta and IBM reinforce enthusiasm around AI, robotics and infrastructure spending. Can innovation continue overpowering global risks and sustain investor confidence?  Meanwhile, South Africa is betting on fiscal discipline and a new fiscal anchor as Finance Minister read...

Africa is proving more resilient than many expected. The IMF is forecasting 4.6% growth in the continent, outpacing China for the first time in many decades. Major reforms, rising investment, expanding trade partnerships, and mega infrastructure projects are also reshaping the continent's future. Discover why global investors are taking a fresh look at Africa as sovereign risk ratings improve...

Nigeria’s inflation fell to 14.63% in September, its fourth monthly decline, though month-on-month core inflation rose 1.11%. With growth accelerating, risk outlooks improving and the IMF raising its GDP forecast, what does this mean for monetary policy and business? At an IMF fireside chat today, US Federal Reserve Chair, Kevin Warsh, said AI is driving a surge in investment that is spreading to...

Has Kemi Badenoch broken a political glass ceiling for Africans in the diaspora? Despite controversy over her comments about Nigeria, the UK Conservative Party leader’s journey offers important lessons about ambition, opportunity and belonging.  In Part 2 of our analysis of Badenoch’s rise, Nigerian-born Canadian entrepreneur Emmanuel Adebola, Executive Director of ANE Global and an advocate for e...

AI is transforming business, creating huge opportunities and new risks for companies worldwide. Jon Geldart, Director-General IOD UK lists 10 principles to help Boards realise AI’s benefits. This episode explores the boardroom playbook for AI success, covering governance, strategy, workforce transformation, risk management, competitive advantage, geopolitics, and why directors must act now to capt...

Kemi Badenoch is emerging as a stronger Conservative leader, drawing comparisons with Margaret Thatcher through her pro-business, lower-tax message. But can her plans deliver the  economic growth that Britain needs?   Meanwhile, also in the UK, Andrew Bailey is warning of risk of a Liz-Truss type crisis as markets await UK October Budget. Nigeria’s Finance Minister, Taiwo Oyedele, has unveiled mea...

Brent crude has remained above $100 a barrel, raising fears of another global economic shock. This episode examines supply disruptions, Middle East tensions, OPEC+’s declining influence, rising living costs and the unrest gripping France.  In her curtain-raiser speech for the IMF’s 2026 Annual Meetings, Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva discusses the oil shock and warns that AI cannot be igno...

At 66, Nigeria is at a pivotal crossroads. President Tinubu says painful reforms are working and prosperity lies ahead. But when will these reforms create much more jobs, curb high inflation, deliver reliable power, strengthen institutions, lift millions from poverty and improve living standards—or are they simply promises Nigerians have heard before? This analysis argues that Nigeria cannot affor...

UK Prime Minister Burnham is pursuing policies that critics see as a return to socialism, including broader welfare provision, state-owned utilities and closer ties with the EU. We examine the economic risks, potential backlash and likely market response.  Today, it was the groundbreaking ceremony, as work began on Kenya’s Lamu Dangote Refinery amid earlier protests and legal challenges. US Presid...

The EU was on the menu, so was Africa and emerging Asia, Taiwan and Ukraine – as Trump and XI dined at a summit event that signalled a reshaping of a new global power axis. How should nations be responding to the different dynamic emerging? But the November midterm elections in the US could change everything. Could it? This is one episode you need to watch.

Trump and Xi Jinping met amid ceremony and fine dining, against a backdrop of a fragile trade truce, AI competition, and geopolitical tensions. This episode examines whether economic partnership can outweigh strategic rivalry and what the summit and recent market shifts mean for global markets and Africa. Morgan Stanley analysts warn that a proposed US diesel ban could force refiners to reduce out...

Nigeria's Central Bank stunned markets with its biggest interest-rate cut in nearly 20 years, resetting the MPR to 23%. Is this a strategic recalibration to boost growth, confidence, investment, and jobs, or a risky move amid inflation concerns and global uncertainty? We break down the decision, market reaction, and economic implications.  US President Trump at the United Nations General asse...

Anthropic has appointed Accenture as an independent evaluator of its models’ safety. Both companies expect to invest at least $1 billion in new safeguards to address AI-related risks, marking the first use of an independent evaluator. Should the rapid development of artificial intelligence be slowed in the interest of safety?  This episode examines the debate over AI risks, industry competition, a...

As expected, the Bank of Japan today raised interest rates to 1.25%, following similar moves by the US Federal Reserve on Wednesday and the European Central Bank last week. The Bank of England was the outlier, opting for a cautious hold. Central banks are signalling that rates will remain higher for longer amid persistent inflation, volatile energy markets, trade wars and geopolitical tensions.

The Dangote IPO is drawing national and indeed global attention — but what lessons, risks and implications does it present? Nigeria’s annual inflation eased to 15.39% in August, while JP Morgan reinstated naira-denominated government bonds in its emerging market index a decade after removing the country. Is Nigeria’s economy finally emerging from the woods?

Is the IMF supporting recovery in developing countries, or deepening inequality through austerity measures? This episode explores OXFAM’s warnings, rising poverty and inflation, mounting social unrest, and the wider debate over IMF policies. Also look out this week for coverage of the upcoming US Federal Reserve FOMC and Bank of England MPC rate decisions, as well as Nigeria’s August inflation dat...

The ECB’s latest rate hike, combined with hotter-than-expected US inflation data, has increased speculation that the Federal Reserve could raise rates again. Rising energy prices, stubborn inflation, and growing debt costs are putting pressure on global markets. Meanwhile, BRICS leaders gather amid geopolitical tensions, and the UK economy posts stronger-than-expected growth driven by AI. #Federal...

Apple enters the foldable smartphone market today with its highly anticipated iPhone Duo, unveiled by new CEO John Ternus.  South Africa’s economy contracted in Q2 as high energy costs weighed on its fragile recovery. Oil prices have again reached the $100 mark, as US-Iran retaliatory strikes deepen supply concerns and central bankers warn of renewed inflation risks.  Manufacturers are reassessing...

UK business confidence is improving, but firms remain concerned about taxes, regulation, energy costs and weak demand. As Andy Burnham settles in as Prime Minister, his new leadership team faces mounting pressure to revive growth, while global risks add further uncertainty to an already complex economic outlook for Chancellor Healey before his first Budget next month. Other major business stories...

Democratic Republic of Congo passport corruption case is moving closer to trial in a court in Brussels, renewing questions about governance, accountability and Africa’s development. DRC is often cited among the world's poorest countries despite its vast natural resources.  Professor Anthony Kila examines the roots of corruption, the systems that sustain it and how it can be defeated. He argue...

In latest central bank warnings about AI, Bank of England Governor, Andrew Bailey, says ability to conduct cyberattacks is the most important concern. Transparency International is more concerned that illicit payments are increasingly leveraging alternative digital payment channels. The latest economic growth picture, from August Purchasing Manager’s Indices shows remarkable resilience in global e...

FIFA President Infantino’s $20B investment plan collapses as UEFA prepares a criminal complaint against him, highlighting football’s path to commercialisation, power struggles and geopolitics. AI bellwether NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang says it has entered a golden age — but for whom – as its shares soar.  As global competition for money and power intensifies, the intensity of engineering of consent can...