International Business with Fexingo: Global Trade, Cross-Border Deals, and Multinational Operations

This episode dives into the escalating export controls between China and Japan, focusing on new restrictions targeting drone makers, nuclear firms, and defense institutes. Lucas and Luna explore how these moves are reshaping global tech supply chains, using the latest data on the yen hitting 161.4 per dollar and the strong dollar at 120.4 on the trade-weighted index. They discuss real-world impact...

In this episode of International Business with Fexingo, Lucas and Luna examine how the surging US dollar is forcing multinational corporations to rethink their supply chains, pricing, and debt strategies. With the trade-weighted dollar index hitting 120.4 and emerging market ETFs like EEM down 5.6% in a week, the hosts drill into the specific case of a South Korean memory chip maker caught between...

In this episode of International Business with Fexingo, Lucas and Luna dig into the 2026 memory chip shortage that is rattling tech giants like Apple, Microsoft, and NVIDIA — while crippling smaller hardware makers. They explore how the crisis emerged from a perfect storm of AI-driven demand spikes, geopolitical tensions in the Strait of Hormuz, and a concentration of memory production in South Ko...

In this episode, Lucas and Luna examine how the surging US dollar—now at a trade-weighted index of 120.4—is fundamentally altering global supply chain strategies. They focus on the plight of emerging market suppliers who invoice in dollars but pay costs in weaker local currencies, using the example of a Vietnamese electronics component maker. The hosts discuss how companies like Apple are rethinki...

As trade tensions and the US dollar surge reshape global supply chains, Mexico is emerging as a manufacturing powerhouse, particularly in auto production. Lucas and Luna explore why Mexico has attracted over $15 billion in foreign direct investment in the automotive sector since 2024, surpassing China for the first time in a decade. With the peso at a competitive level and nearshoring incentives u...

As the US dollar strengthens past 120 on the trade-weighted index, emerging market stocks are taking a beating. South Korea's KOSPI is down nearly 9% in a week, and China's FXI has dropped over 5%. In this episode, Lucas and Luna unpack the mechanics of the dollar-EM trade — how a stronger greenback makes dollar-denominated debt more expensive, drains foreign reserves, and forces central banks to...

The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) is quietly becoming a major force in global supply chains. In this episode, Lucas and Luna examine how the agreement is driving intra-African trade, with specific data on Nigeria's rising non-oil exports and the boom in cross-border e-commerce. They discuss the role of Kenya's digital services trade and why multinationals are setting up regional hub...

The EU's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) is reshaping international trade with tariffs on imports based on their carbon footprint. In this episode, Lucas and Luna examine how CBAM affects exporters in developing nations—especially steel and aluminum producers in India, China, and Brazil. They discuss specific compliance challenges, the potential for trade disputes at the WTO, and why som...

The Japanese yen has fallen to 161 per dollar, its weakest in decades, and the carry trade that has fueled global risk assets for years is starting to crack. Lucas and Luna break down how hedge funds and retail investors borrow cheap yen to buy high-yielding emerging market bonds, why the Bank of Japan's policy shift is changing the math, and what the recent selloff in EEM and FXI tells us about t...

Lucas and Luna explore the surge in Latin American tech listings in mid-2026. With the iShares Latin America ETF down 4.7% over the past week and the broader emerging market ETF off 2.3%, regional volatility is high. Yet a wave of Brazilian and Mexican fintechs, logistics platforms, and neobanks have filed for US and local IPOs, raised by the combination of falling US interest rate expectations, a...

South Korea's stock market just suffered one of its worst single-day drops in history. In this episode, Lucas and Luna dig into what caused the sell-off, why Morgan Stanley says it's not breaking down structurally, and what the episode tells us about the hidden risks still lurking in global markets. They connect the rout to a stronger yen, shifts in Taiwan's tech earnings, and the broader re-ratin...

In this episode of International Business with Fexingo, Lucas and Luna examine how the Strait of Hormuz evacuation plan announced June 23, 2026, is accelerating a shift in global oil shipping routes. They discuss the growing risk premium on Persian Gulf crude, the rise of alternative supply routes from the US and Africa, and what this means for import-dependent countries in Asia. The hosts referen...

Episode 69 explores Taiwan's strategic chokehold on advanced chip packaging — the unsung bottleneck in the global semiconductor supply chain. With Taiwan Semiconductor leading the CoWoS and 3D stacking revolution, Taiwan is cementing its indispensability beyond just manufacturing. Lucas and Luna break down why the packaging race matters, how it affects AI hardware costs, and what that means for th...

Lucas and Luna explore the unexpected rally in emerging market bonds as of June 2026, driven by a weakening US dollar and a search for yield. They break down why the trade-weighted dollar index has slipped to 119.5, how that benefits EM debt, and which countries are attracting the most capital. Specific data points include the recent outperformance of Taiwan (EWT up 5.2% in a week) and South Korea...

South Korean stocks are up 11% in the past five days, outpacing every major emerging market. Lucas and Luna dig into what's driving the rally: the won's weakness, the government's 'Value Up' program pushing corporate reforms, and a potential Iran deal easing geopolitical fears. But they also question whether the surge masks structural risks like export dependence on China and household debt. With...

Lucas and Luna explore how India has transformed into the dominant global supplier of generic pharmaceuticals, now accounting for over 20 percent of global generic drug exports. They discuss the role of the Indian pharmaceutical industry in supplying medicines to Africa and Southeast Asia, the impact of the trade-weighted US dollar index falling to 119.5, and how a weaker dollar benefits Indian dr...

Episode 65 of International Business with Fexingo dives into the emerging strategy of 'tariff arbitrage' — how multinationals are restructuring production and trade flows to exploit tariff differentials between countries. Lucas and Luna examine a concrete case: a mid-sized German auto parts supplier that shifted assembly from China to Vietnam, saving 12% on U.S. import duties while keeping its Chi...

While U.S. indices hover near records, Taiwan’s benchmark has surged over 20% year-to-date. Lucas and Luna explore how the island’s dual engines—semiconductor dominance and a booming AI supply chain—are drawing global capital. They break down the role of TSMC’s capacity expansions, the ripple effects on the Taiwan dollar, and why foreign investors are piling into ETFs like EWT, which gained 7.2% i...

After decades of being known as a net seller of foreign assets, Japan is staging a quiet but stunning reversal. Japanese companies have announced over $80 billion in outbound acquisitions so far in 2026, putting the country on track for its biggest year of cross-border M&A since the bubble era of the 1980s. In this episode, Lucas and Luna unpack the micro-mechanics behind the macro shift: why the...

Lucas and Luna explore a new frontier in India's services exports: global R&D and engineering outsourcing. While Indian IT firms have long dominated call centers and back-office work, they are now capturing a growing share of multinational R&D budgets — from chip design to pharmaceutical research. Lucas breaks down the numbers: India's R&D services exports reached $47 billion in the past year, up...

While Mexico and India grab headlines, Vietnam is quietly pulling ahead in the second wave of supply chain diversification. Lucas and Luna examine how Vietnam's trade surplus with the US has surged, its FDI inflows hit new records, and its currency stability gives it an edge over regional rivals. They discuss the specific sectors driving growth—from electronics assembly to footwear—and why the cou...

South Korea's shipbuilding industry is experiencing a renaissance. In this episode of International Business with Fexingo, Lucas and Luna dive into the factors behind the surge: a weak won, strong demand for LNG carriers, and the K-Construction boom in the Middle East. They examine how Hyundai Heavy Industries and Samsung Heavy Industries are winning orders from QatarEnergy and Saudi Arabia's Visi...

In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore why Wall Street banks and foreign corporations are rushing to tap China's bond market for cheap yuan-denominated debt. With the trade-weighted dollar down slightly to 119.5 and the yuan steady at 6.76 per dollar, China's relatively low interest rates have become an irresistible arbitrage opportunity. Lucas breaks down how panda bonds — yuan bonds issued by f...

Episode 58 examines how India's services export surge is reshaping global trade. Lucas and Luna discuss the shift from goods to services outsourcing, with India's IT and business process exports reaching $340 billion annually. They explore why companies like Microsoft and Goldman Sachs are expanding their Indian operations, and how this trend affects the broader trade balance. The hosts reference...

South Korea's KOSPI has surged 15% in the past week, making it the best-performing major market globally. But Lucas and Luna dig into why that rally might be a mirage. They examine the currency dynamics at play — the won strengthening against the dollar — and question whether foreign investors are truly buying into Korean equities or just hedging against a weaker greenback. With the won at 1,300 p...