Fulcrum Perspectives
An interactive blog sharing the Fulcrum team's policy updates and analysis.
US. Regulatory Week Ahead
Miran Likely to be Confirmed for Fed Seat on Monday, CFTC Nominee Points Finger at Who is Holding Up His Confirmation, SEC Has A Busy Thursday, and What Did FSOC Do Last Week?
September 15 - 19, 2025
A lot is going on this coming week in the regulatory space in Washington. The SEC is holding a roundtable, an investor advisory committee meeting, and a closed meeting on Thursday alone – and that comes the day after holding an Open Meeting to consider three new rule changes.
But first, we would note that Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) said this week he intends to hold a confirmation vote on Monday for Stephan Miran, enabling him to be seated for the Federal Reserve’s Open Market Committee meeting on Tuesday and Wednesday. Beyond wanting lower interest rates, Miran is seen as a strong supporter of Fed Vice Chair Michele Bowman’s deregulatory agenda.
While Miran’s confirmation seems set, another of President Trump’s regulatory nominees appears to be flailing – that being Brian Quintenz to be the next Chair of the Commodities Futures Trading Commission (CFTC). The Senate Agriculture Committee was set to hold a confirmation vote before the August recess, but the White House mysteriously asked the Committee to hold up, and no new vote has been scheduled. Quintenz, meanwhile, has gone on the offensive, blaming the Winklevoss twins for his confirmation being held up. Specifically, Quintenz said the brothers had reached out to President Trump to urge him to pull Quintenz’s nomination. No one has confirmed this actually happened, but it is pretty clear now that Quintenz’s nomination is in real trouble, and rumors are flying around Washington that the White House is now quietly making calls looking for a new CFTC Chair nominee.
Meanwhile, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent held a meeting of the Financial Stability Oversight Council (FSOC) last week. There were two things of note about the meeting: First, sitting in the meeting was Federal Housing Finance Authority Director William Pulte – the first sighting of Pulte in the same room with Bessent since it was reported that Bessent and he recently came close to a fist-fight at a private dinner. Bessent, having learned that Pulte had been bad-mouthing him to President Trump, threatened to punch him in the face, dared him to “step outside,” and tried to get him thrown out of the dinner. No fists were thrown at the FSOC meeting.
Instead, FSOC discussed and agreed upon priorities for the coming year, including their “intention to review its guidance related to nonbank financial company determinations under section 113 of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and the Council’s analytic framework for financial stability risks. “ They also voted to dissolve two Biden-era committees that focused on climate change as a risk to the US financial system.
Finally, the Senate Banking Committee held an interesting hearing on deposit insurance to push legislation to expand federal government deposit guarantees. Both Committee Chair Senator Tim Scott (R-SC) and Ranking Minority Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) have reportedly been discussing how to expand the deposit insurance program and seem determined to make it happen.
Below are all the other major events we are watching this coming week. Please let us know if you have any questions.
U.S. Congressional Hearings
U.S. Senate
· There are no significant events scheduled at this time.
House of Representatives
· Tuesday, September 16, 10:00 a.m. – The House Financial Services Committee will mark-up eleven separate pieces of legislation (see list HERE).
· Tuesday, September 16, 10:00 a.m. – The House Small Business Committee holds a hearing on "Pathway to Capital: The Role of SBA Lending in Supporting Main Street America."
· Tuesday and Wednesday, September 16 – 17 – The Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute holds its leadership conference. Among the remarks being given are:
- 10:30 a.m. Representative Delia Ramirez, (D-Ill.) delivers remarks on "Affordable Housing: Public-Private Solutions for Latino Families" (Oceanic A/B)
- 10:30 a.m.: Pablo Jose Hernandez Rivera, (D-Puerto Rico), participates in a discussion on "Unlocking Growth: Stablecoins as a Catalyst for Latino Small Business Success" (Ballroom B)
· Wednesday, September 17, 10:00 a.m. – The House Financial Services Committee’s Subcommittee on Housing & Insurance will hold a hearing on the Reauthorization of the Terrorism Risk Insurance Act of 2002.
· Wednesday, September 17, 2:00 p.m. – the House Financial Services Committee’s Task Force on Monetary Policy, Treasury Market Resilience, & the Economy will hold a hearing entitled “Less Mandats. More Independence.”
· Thursday, September 18, 10:00 a.m. – The House Financial Services Committee’s Subcommittee on Oversight & Investigations will hold a hearing entitled “Fraud in Focus: Exposing Financial Threats to American Families.”
· Thursday, September 18, 2:00 p.m. – The House Financial Services Committee’s Subcommittee on Digital Assets, Financial Technology, & Artificial Intelligence will hold a hearing entitled “Unlocking the Next Generation of AI in the U.S. Financial System for Consumers, Businesses, and Competitiveness.”
Federal Department & Regulatory Agency Meetings & Events
Federal Reserve Board and Federal Reserve Banks
· Tuesday & Wednesday, September 16 – 17 – The Federal Open Market Committee meets on interest rates.
U.S. Treasury Department
· Friday - Friday, September 12 – 18 – Secretary of the Treasury Scott K.H. Bessent will travel to the United Kingdom and Spain. While in Madrid, Secretary Bessent will meet with Spanish government counterparts to discuss the relationship between Spain and the United States. He will also meet with senior representatives from the People’s Republic of China (PRC), including Vice Premier He Lifeng, to discuss key national security, economic, and trade issues of mutual interest, including TikTok and cooperating on money laundering networks that threaten both the United States and China. Following his visit to Spain, the Secretary will visit the United Kingdom and engage with British government and private sector counterparts in London before joining President Donald J. Trump’s official State Visit with His Majesty King Charles III at Windsor Castle.
Department of Commerce
· There are no significant events scheduled at this time.
Department of Housing and Urban Development
· There are no significant events scheduled at this time.
Securities and Exchange Commission
· Wednesday, September 17, 10:00 a.m. – The SEC will hold an Open Meeting to consider three items:
1. Amending Form PF; Reporting Requirements for All Filers and Large Hedge Fund Advisers; Further Extension of Compliance Date;
2. Acceleration of Effectiveness of Registration Statements of Issuers with Certain Mandatory Arbitration Provisions, and;
3. Amend its Rules of Practice relating to procedures governing Commission review of staff actions made pursuant to delegated authority in connection with the determination of the effectiveness of a registration statement or the qualification of a Regulation A offering.
· Thursday, September 18, 9:15 a.m. – the SEC will hold a Roundtable on Trade-Through Prohibitions.
· Thursday, September 18, 10:00 a.m. – The SEC will hold a meeting of the Investor Advisory Committee. They will discuss reconsideration of the eligibility criteria and regulatory treatment of foreign private issuers. The committee will also discuss a potential recommendation regarding retail investor access to private market assets.
· Thursday, September 18, 12:30 p.m. – The SEC will hold a Closed Meeting.
Commodities Futures Trading Commission
· Monday and Tuesday, September 15 & 16 – On Monday, CFTC Acting Chairman Caroline D. Pham will speak at a fireside chat on “Instability as a Catalyst - Fintech’s Role in a Global Interconnected Economy” and participate in a panel discussion titled “Are Digital Assets Fundamentally Transforming the Ecosystem of Financial Markets?” On Tuesday, she will speak at a fireside chat on “Instability as a Catalyst - Fintech’s Role in a Global Interconnected Economy” and participate in a panel discussion titled “Are Digital Assets Fundamentally Transforming the Ecosystem of Financial Markets?” at Money 20/20 Middle East.
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation
· There are no significant events scheduled at this time.
Office of the Comptroller of the Currency
· There are no significant events scheduled at this time.
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
· There are no significant events scheduled at this time.
FINRA
· There are no significant events scheduled at this time.
Federal Housing Finance Agency
· Tuesday, September 17, Noon – FHFA Director William Pulte will speak at the Exchequer Club in Washington, D.C.
National Credit Union Administration
· Thursday, September 18, 10:00 a.m. – The NCUA board will hold a meeting to receive a briefing on the Share Insurance Fund.
Federal Trade Commission & Department of Justice Antitrust Division
· Tuesday, September 17, 9:00 a.m. – The FTC will hold a Closed Meeting.
Farm Credit Administration
· Thursday, September 11, 10:00 a.m. – The FCA Board will meet to receive a report on Quarterly Economic Conditions and Farm Credit System Conditions and Performance.
Farm Credit System Insurance Corporation
· There are no significant events scheduled at this time.
International Monetary Fund & World Bank
· There are no significant events scheduled at this time.
North American Securities Administrators Association
· There are no significant events scheduled at this time.
Small Business Administration
· There are no significant events scheduled at this time.
Trade Associations & Think Tank Events
Trade Associations
· Sunday – Tuesday, September 15 – 17 – The American Bankers Association holds its Bank Marketing Conference in New Orleans, Louisiana.
· Monday, September 16, 2:00 p.m. – SIFMA will hold its Women’s Leadership Forum in New York.
Think Tanks and Other Events
· Thursday, September 18, 10:00 a.m. – The American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research holds a discussion on the release of the Progressive Policy Institute's annual report "Investment Heroes 2025: The Shape of the AI-Enabled Economy."
· Thursday, September 18, 2:30 p.m. – The Brookings Institution will hold a hybrid event entitled “The Importance of Credible Government Economic Data to Business”
Please let us know if you have any questions or would like to be added t
Recommended Weekend Reads
Are the CRINKs a Real Global Power Bloc Or Not? Taking a Deep Dive into the US-Japan Trade Deal, and the Projected Impact of Generative AI on Productivity Growth
September 12 - 14, 2025
Each week, we gather up the best research and reports we have read in the past week and pass them on to you. Below is this week’s curated collection. We hope you find them interesting and informative, and that you have a great weekend.
What’s Up with The CRINK’s?
CRINK Economic Ties: Uneven Patterns of Collaboration Center for Strategic and International Studies
This brief explores the post-2022 economic ties among China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea—the so-called CRINK states. Historically, economic alignment among military allies has been uneven and has not necessarily indicated the formation of a cohesive bloc. The World War II–era Axis powers, for instance, had fragmented economic cooperation due to geographic distance, wartime needs, sanctions, mistrust, and a focus on self-sufficiency—factors that also constrain CRINK today. Still, signs, including rising trade in energy and dual-use technologies, point to growing economic coordination. Assessing these ties is difficult, however, due to limited or opaque data (especially from Iran and North Korea) and increased informal trade since Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine. This brief draws from diverse international and industry-specific sources to fill data gaps. Findings show uneven patterns: China-Russia economic ties have grown, especially in energy and dual-use goods, but Chinese investment in Russia remains modest amid concerns over sanctions-related investment risks. Other CRINK members show far weaker economic coordination.
Russia’s New Fear Factor Foreign Affairs
Among elites in Russia today, something dark is happening. According to Novaya Gazeta, the independent Russian newspaper, there have been 56 deaths of successful businesspeople and officials under strange circumstances since February 2022. Many of them have fallen out of windows. More and more, people who have loyally served Putin’s system are being persecuted, mainly on the grounds of corruption. As the Putin regime turns on its own people, it, too, has begun to replace them with a new breed of loyalists, people whose primary qualifications are their apparent fealty to the leader, and sometimes their participation in the war. Still, Putin prefers experienced and talented technocrats for the most responsible positions, such as governors and ministers. After more than three and a half years of war and mounting economic challenges, Putin’s aim is not to fight corruption. His goal is to avoid internal threats. And to do that, he needs to turn the elites into a frightened and therefore controllable class.
China’s Anti-Western Bloc? Not So Fast Center For European Analysis
The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in Tianjin from August 31-September 1 was filled with carefully curated images of the post-Western world that China is working to construct. For the men complaining that they, and their peoples, have been poorly rewarded by the global system, this was a big moment. Photographs captured China’s Xi Jinping, Russia’s Vladimir Putin, and India’s Narendra Modi in a huddle and holding hands. That in itself was enough to send a not-very-friendly message to the United States and its European and Asian allies. But that snapshot failed to show intense competing agendas among these countries. For now, at least, it is premature to interpret it as either a significant challenge to the Western order or an alliance of authoritarian states.
Why India and China Remain Bitter Rivals Shyam Saran/Time
Shyam Saran is a former Foreign Secretary of India and the author of “How China Sees India and the World.” In this essay, he argues that the visuals of exaggerated cordiality between Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India, President Vladimir Putin of Russia, and President Xi Jinping of China at the recently held Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit on September 1 displayed China’s convening power. But the gathering of major non-Western leaders in Tianjin, a city in eastern China, didn’t do much to resolve the long-standing border dispute and ever-growing competition between India and China.
Update on the Trade Wars
Investing in Security and Success: Analysis of the US-Japan $550 Billion Strategic Investment Fund The Hudson Institute
The centerpiece of the recent trade agreement between the United States and Japan was Japan’s promise to invest $550 billion in a new fund that would help “rebuild and expand core American industries.” On September 4, the US and Japan signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) that details the full scope of the investment framework, including:
Japan should allocate the $550 billion before President Donald Trump’s term ends on January 19, 2029.
Investments should go to key strategic sectors—semiconductors, pharmaceuticals, critical minerals, metals, shipbuilding, energy (including pipelines), artificial intelligence (AI), and quantum computing.
The president will create an investment committee to recommend and oversee investments. The US Secretary of Commerce will chair the investment committee and select its other members.
A consultation committee, with designees from both the United States and Japan, will advise an investment committee, which will then recommend projects. The consultation committee will also provide legal and strategic input to the investment committee.
The United States Investment Accelerator will execute, manage, and administer the investments. This office is based within the Department of Commerce, and the Secretary of Commerce has the power to appoint its executive director.
The US will create a special purpose vehicle (SPV) for each investment. The US or its designees will govern these investment SPVs.
With the president’s approval, the US will propose projects and their investment amounts for Japan to review. Japan will have about two months to respond and transfer the necessary funds—in US dollars—to the investment accelerator.
Japan has the right to decline to fund all or part of a project. But the US can then impose tariffs on Japanese imports in response.
Japan and the US will evenly split profits from the project until Japan recoups its investment. Afterward, profits will be disbursed at a ratio of 90 percent to the US and 10 percent to Japan.
The US government will try to arrange leases to federal land, access, water, power, and energy to investment projects, as well as organize offtake arrangements. The federal government will also expedite relevant regulatory processes.
When possible, Japanese firms will receive priority over comparable foreign firms to serve as vendors and suppliers for projects.
A Guide to Trump’s Section 232 Tariffs, in Maps Council on Foreign Relations
Section 232 tariffs aim to protect U.S. national security. Created by the Trade Expansion Act of 1962, Section 232 empowers the president to charge duties pending the results of a Department of Commerce investigation into the imports’ effects on national security. The Donald Trump administration has already used this tool to raise levies on aluminum, cars and car parts, copper, and steel—and has launched Section 232 investigations into nine other types of products. These twelve graphics dive into each sector, laying out the scale of imports, their concentration by country, and the geopolitics of exporting nations, separating friends—NATO members, major non-NATO allies, and free trade agreement (FTA) partners—from potential foes.
Geoeconomics, Data Centers, and Power Generation
Financial Bubbles Happen Less Often Than You Think William Goetzman/Wall Street Journal
Bubbles loom large in our historical understanding of the financial markets. They are memorable. They are colorful. They are scary. They raise questions about investor psychology and the madness of crowds. In good times, we worry if we’re going to be caught in the next big bubble. Looking at financial bubbles since 1790, however, we find that they are much rarer than their presence in the public imagination—and not necessarily purely negative. They sometimes set the stage for major changes in people’s worldviews, upending old ideas about the possibilities and limitations of business. Sometimes bubbles remake society itself, as all that investor money funds technological advances that change the world.
Abstract: This paper examines the resurgence of industrial policy and national security strategy across the United States, China, and the European Union. We analyze how these major economic powers are implementing distinct approaches to industrial policy while pursuing similar objectives of technological leadership and national economic prosperity. The United States has adopted a hawkish stance with extensive trade policies and subsidies. China has pursued ambitious growth in a range of sectors through long-term planning and strong government control. The European Union has balanced autonomy with trade openness and somewhat less state intervention. Our comparative analysis reveals that while these policies may be successful in strengthening domestic economies, they collectively reshape the world economy in ways that may disadvantage other nations, especially in the global South. However, ‘connector’ countries in the global South are benefiting by forging strategic ties with several superpowers. Additionally, the rise of China gives hope for South-South development cooperation that upend existing imperial arrangements often characterized by North-South relations. We argue that the convergence of industrial policy and national security represents more than a temporary response to recent disruptions; it signals a fundamental shift in the world economy towards more economic nationalism.
The Projected Impact of Generative AI on Future Productivity Growth Penn Wharton Budget Model
The Penn Wharton Budget Model (PWBM) team estimates that 40 percent of current GDP could be substantially affected by generative AI. Occupations around the 80th percentile of earnings are the most exposed, with around half of their work susceptible to automation by AI, on average. The highest-earning occupations are less exposed, and the lowest-earning occupations are the least exposed.
AI’s boost to productivity growth is strongest in the early 2030s, with a peak annual contribution of 0.2 percentage points in 2032. After adoption saturates, growth reverts to trend. Because sectors that are more exposed to AI have faster trend TFP growth, sectoral shifts during the AI transition add a lasting 0.04 percentage point boost to aggregate growth.
Compounded, TFP and GDP levels are 1.5% higher by 2035, nearly 3% by 2055, and 3.7% by 2075, meaning that AI leads to a permanent increase in the level of economic activity.
Caution is required in interpreting these projections of AI’s impact, which are based on limited data on AI’s initial effects. Future data and developments in AI technology could lead to a significant change in these estimates.
In ongoing work, PWBM is estimating the impact of AI on the federal budget. In very preliminary analysis, we estimate that AI could reduce deficits by $400 billion over the ten-year budget window between 2026 and 2035.
How Retainable are AI-Exposed Workers? Federal Reserve Bank of New York
Abstract: We document the extent to which workers in AI-exposed occupations can successfully retrain for AI- intensive work. We assemble a new workforce development dataset spanning over 1.6 million job training participation spells from all U.S. Workforce Investment and Opportunity Act programs from 2012 to 2023, linked with occupational measures of AI exposure. Using earnings records observed before and after training, we compare high AI exposure trainees to a matched sample of similar workers who only received job search assistance. We find that the average earnings return to training among AI-exposed workers is high, around $1,470 per quarter. Low-exposure trainees capture higher returns, and trainees who target AI-intensive work face a 29 percent earnings return penalty relative to their high-exposure peers who pursue more general training. We estimate that between 25 and 40 percent of occupations are “AI retrainable” as measured by their workers receiving higher pay for moving to more AI-intensive occupations—a large magnitude given the relatively low-income sample of displaced workers. Positive earnings returns in all groups are driven by the most recent years when labor markets were tightest, suggesting training programs may have stronger signal value when firms reach deeper into the skill market.
Data Centers Make the Beige Book, Plus Power Problems Paul Kedrosky Blog
Recent reports from the Federal Reserve’s Beige Book and five regional Federal Reserve Banks point out that the explosion of data center construction is “causing a step increase in regional electricity loads” – meaning, power generation is the biggest constraint on continued data center capex at the current rate.
The Global Week Ahead
France’s Government Faces a Tough No Confidence Vote, Japan’s Prime Minister Resigns, Brazil’s Former President Faces Prison, and the ECB Meets on Interest Rates
September 7 - 14, 2025
It is going to be another action-packed geopolitical week ahead for markets to keep close tabs on as there are a number of events with significant market implications.
First, French Prime Minister Francois Bayrou faces a no confidence vote on Monday after pushing for an austerity measures to deal with France’s current fiscal deficit which is approaching 5.4%. and the overall highest deficit of any member of the Eurozone. As things stand now, Bayrou looks like he is going to be forced from office and French President Emmanuel Macron will have to appoint a new prime minister who can mollify the various parliamentary factions and avoid an early legislative election. That is not going to be easy and, ultimately, it looks as if the only winner out of all this is the far-right National Rally Party.
Overnight in Japan, Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru announced he was stepping down after brutal legislative elections in July for his Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), leading to losing its parliamentary majority. Ishiba’s poll numbers were never very strong, but only worsened with President Trump’s tough tariffs on Japan, which Ishiba described as a “national crisis.” Ishiba has called for the LDP to hold an emergency leadership vote to choose his successor. No date has been set yet.
Also, this week, there will be a lot of market-impacting political action in Brazil. Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva (Lula) is convening on Monday a virtual meeting of the BRICS+ to discuss President Trump’s tariffs and how the BRICS members might form a multilateral response. Not all of the BRICS leaders will be attending - including Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and others – who are instead sending aids to cover the meeting (all of which suggests Lula’s efforts are likely not to come to much in terms of an organized response).
But later in the week, the Brazilian Supreme Court will be considering whether former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro and seven former aides and allies are guilty of attempting a coup in 2022 after Bolsonaro lost to Lula in elections. Heated protests have been held around the country in support of Bolsonaro, showing how politically split the electorate is at the moment.
Turning to the global economic and financial radar screens, the big event of the week is the European Central Bank’s (ECB) monetary policy meetings. Market consensus believes the ECB will hold rates at 2% and is looking for more economic assurances before moving to lower rates going forward.
Also, in Europe this week, the UK releases GDP figures on Friday, Germany releases trade figures and industrial production on Monday, and France releases industrial production figures on Tuesday.
In the Americas this week, markets are looking for the August PPI report on Wednesday and the August CPI report on Thursday, probably the two most important reports out before the Federal Reserve decides on rates on September 17th. Adding to this will be the University of Michigan consumer survey for September on Friday. Also, this week, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum will unveil the 2026 budget, which will be
Turning to Asia, Japan will release its GDP on Monday and PPI on Thursday. China will be releasing trade data on Monday and CPI on Tuesday.
Below is the rest of our detailed report of the major geopolitical and geoeconomic events in the coming week:
Sunday, September 7, 2025
Global
· OPEC+ meets to discuss oil output targets.
Americas
Political/Social Events –
· (To Be Confirmed) Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to visit Argentina through September 10th.
· In Brazil on Brazil's Independence Day, demonstrations will take place both in support of and in opposition to former president Jair Bolsonaro.
Economic & Financial Reports/Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Asia
Political/Social Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Economic & Financial Reports/Events –
· Indonesia Foreign Exchange Reserves (August)
· China Foreign Exchange Reserves (August)/ Standing Committee National People's Congress
· Japan Foreign Exchange Reserves (August)
Europe
Political/Social Events –
· There will be an informal meeting of EU Agriculture Ministers through September 9 in Copenhagen, Denmark.
Economic & Financial Reports/Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Middle East
Political/Social Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Economic & Financial Reports/Events –
· Israel Business Confidence (August)/ Foreign Exchange Reserves (August)
Africa
Political/Social Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Economic & Financial Reports/Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Monday, September 8, 2025
Global
· Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva will host a virtual meeting of BRICS leaders to discuss U.S. trade policies and rally support for multilateralism.
· The International Atomic Energy Agency’s Board of Governors meet in Vienna, Austria. Iran’s nuclear program will be the leading issue discussed.
Americas
Political/Social Events –
· Mexican President Schoenbaum presents her administration’s draft 2026 budget; budget expected to include plans to increase tariffs on Chinese automotive, textile, and plastics imports.
· The First Nuclear Energy Conference and Expo sponsored by American Nuclear Society and the Nuclear Energy Institute begins in Atlanta, Georgia.
Economic & Financial Reports/Events
· Chile Inflation Rate (August)/ Imports/ Exports/ Balance of Trade (August)/ Consumer Credit Change (July)
· USA Consumer Inflation Expectations (August)/ Used Car Prices (August)
· Argentina Industrial Production (July)
· Brazil BCB Focus Market Readout
Asia
Political/Social Events –
· The 14th National People’s Congress (NPC) Standing Committee is held in Beijing through September 12th. They are expected to approve a numb er of draft laws, including a draft atomic energy law, a draft law on public health emergency response, a draft law on national parks, a draft law on the safety management of hazardous chemicals, and other pressing issues.
· The Pacific Islands Forum leaders meeting will kick off in Honiara, the capital of the Solomon Islands, bringing together leaders of the body's 18 members. During the five-day gathering, they will discuss challenges facing the region, such as climate change, transnational crime and rising geopolitical tensions between China and West. External partners including the U.S., China, Japan and Taiwan are not invited to the meeting this year.
· The annual Asia Pacific Petroleum Conference, organized by S&P Global, will kick off in Singapore. Hundreds of petroleum, gas, petrochemical, trading, technology and financial executives, as well as senior government officials from across the globe, are set to convene in the city-state, where issues such as the financing of future energy solutions and the impact of technological innovations and disruptions on the energy sector will be discussed.
· The 14th Seoul Defense Dialogue (SDD) begins in Seoul.
· Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. continues his state visit to Cambodia, which runs through Tuesday, as the two Southeast Asian nations look to boost relations. On the agenda are mutual concerns over transnational crime and efforts to bolster cooperation on agriculture, higher education and tourism, as well as to strengthen market access for bilateral and intra-ASEAN trade.
Economic Reports/Events –
· Chinese investment firm CITIC opens a four-day forum in Hong Kong, bringing in a lineup of top global executives to discuss major issues affecting portfolios. Sessions will cover a range of topics, from cryptocurrencies and China tech to macroeconomic trends.
· Japan Current Account (July)/ GDP Growth Annualized Q2/ Bank Lending (August)/ GDP Price Index Q2/ Eco Watchers Survey Current (August)/ Eco Watchers Survey Outlook (August)
· Australia Building Permits (July)/ Private House Approvals (July)
· China Imports/ Exports/ Balance of Trade (August)/ Standing Committee National People's Congress
· Indonesia Foreign Exchange Reserves (August)/ Motorbike Sales (August)
Europe
Political/Social Events –
· Norway holds parliamentary elections.
· French government faces confidence vote in National Assembly.
· There will be an informal meeting of EU Agriculture Ministers through September 9 in Copenhagen.
Economic & Financial Reports/Events –
· Germany Imports/ Exports/ Balance of Trade (July)
· Slovakia Balance of Trade (July)
· Hungary Budget Balance (August)
· Spain Consumer Confidence (July)
Middle East
Political/Social Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Economic Reports/Events –
· Saudi Arabia GDP Growth Rate Q2
· Jordan Unemployment Rate Q2
Africa
Political/Social Events –
· The Second Africa Climate Summit takes place in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Economic & Financial Reports/Events –
· Tanzania Inflation Rate (August)
· Egypt Foreign Exchange Reserves (August)
Tuesday, September 9, 2025
Global
· The 80th session of the U.N. General Assembly will open.
· The UN Security Council is scheduled to hold an open debate on the maintenance of international peace and security: The future of peace operations - Key issues, opportunities and challenges in the context of the review of the future of all UN peace operations.
Americas
Political/Social Events –
· Apple holds its annual media day where it is expected to launch the new iPhone 16.
Economic & Financial Reports/Events –
· USA NFIB Business Optimism Index (August)/ Redbook (September/06)/ Non-Farm Payrolls Annual Revision/ API Crude Oil Stock Change (September/05)
· Mexico Inflation Rate (August)/ Auto Exports (August)/ Auto Production (August)/ Foreign Exchange Reserves (August)
· Paraguay Balance of Trade (August)
· Chile Interest Rate Decision
· Brazil Car Production (August)/ New Car Registrations (August)
· EARNINGS: Oracle, Synopsys, GameStop
Asia
Political/Social Events –
· North Korea celebrates Republic Day, marking the day in 1948 when the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea was proclaimed and Kim Il Sung was declared its premier.
Economic & Financial Reports/Events –
· New Zealand Manufacturing Sales Q2
· Australia Westpac Consumer Confidence Index (September)/ NAB Business Confidence (August)
· Philippines Industrial Production (July)
· Sri Lanka Tourist Arrivals (August)
· Japan Machine Tool Orders (August)
· Taiwan Imports/ Exports/ Balance of Trade (August)
· Singapore Foreign Exchange Reserves (August)
· Indonesia Car Sales (August)
· China Standing Committee National People's Congress
Europe
Political/Social Events –
· Members of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group (UDCG) will meet in London.
· The Defense & Security Exports International (DSEI) Fair begins in London and runs through September 12.
Economic & Financial Reports/Events –
· Great Britain BRC Retail Sales Monitor (August)
· Ireland Construction PMI (August)
· Romania Balance of Trade (July)
· Euro Area ECB Montagner Speech
· Hungary Inflation Rate (August)
· France Industrial Production (July)
Middle East
Political/Social Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Economic & Financial Reports/Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Africa
Political/Social Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Economic & Financial Reports/Events –
· South Africa GDP Growth Rate Q2
Wednesday, September 10, 2025
Global
· The UN Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People will convene its 425th meeting in ECOSOC at UNHQ in New York. At this meeting, the Committee will receive briefings by the Permanent Observer Mission of the State of Palestine and Palestinian civil society representatives on the situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem
Americas
Political/Social Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Economic & Financial Reports/Events –
· USA MBA Mortgage Market Index (September/05)/ MBA Purchase Index (September/05)/ PPI (August)/ Wholesale Inventories (July)/ EIA Crude Oil & Gasoline Stocks Change (September/05)/ Monthly Budget Statement (August)
· Chile Monetary Policy Meeting Minutes
· Brazil Inflation Rate (August)
· Colombia Consumer Confidence (August)
· Argentina Inflation Rate (August)
· Ecuador Balance of Trade (July)
· EARNINGS: Chewy, Daktronics, Vince
Asia
Political/Social Events –
· Semicon Taiwan 2025 opens in Taipei. The chip industry's flagship event will welcome over 1,200 companies and is expected to draw more than 100,000 visitors.
· The 2025 Financial Review Asia Summit takes place in Sydney, Australia.
Economic & Financial Reports/Events –
· New Zealand Visitor Arrivals (July)
· South Korea Unemployment Rate (August)
· Philippines Unemployment Rate (July)/ Foreign Direct Investment (June)
· China Inflation Rate (August)/ PPI (August)/ Standing Committee National People's Congress
· Indonesia Consumer Confidence (August)/ Retail Sales (July)
· Malaysia Unemployment Rate (July)
· Kazakhstan PPI (August)
Europe
Political/Social Events –
· European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen delivers the 2025 State of the Union address in Brussels. Later in the day, she receives European Tech and Industry CEOs for a working dinner.
· Widespread protests are expected across France over the current budget proposal being considered by parliament.
Economic & Financial Reports/Events –
· The Governing Council of the European Central Bank begins two days of monetary policy meetings in Frankfurt.
· European Central Bank Board Member Clauda Buch gives a keynote speech at the BIS Innovation Summit 2025.
· Slovakia Industrial Production (July)
· Spain Industrial Production (July)
· Turkey Industrial Production (July)
· Italy Industrial Production (July)
· Slovenia Industrial Production (July)
· Greece Industrial Production (July)/ Inflation Rate (August)
· Ireland Industrial Production (July)
· Euro Area ECB Buch Speech
· Hungary Monetary Policy Meeting Minutes
· Belarus Inflation Rate (August)
· Ukraine Inflation Rate (August)
· Russia Inflation Rate (August)
Middle East
Political/Social Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Economic & Financial Reports/Events –
· Israel Consumer Confidence (August)
· Saudi Arabia Industrial Production (July)
· Jordan Inflation Rate (August)
Africa
Political/Social Events –
· The Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa (CEMAC) heads of state conference begins in Bangui, Central African Republic.
Economic & Financial Reports/Events –
· Ghana GDP Growth Rate Q2
· Egypt Inflation Rate (August)
Thursday, September 11, 2025
Global
· The UN Security Council is scheduled to vote on a draft resolution on the 1591 Committee (Sudan and whether to renew sanctions), in the afternoon, it is scheduled to hold a briefing on the Middle East, followed by consultations (Syria).
· The International Energy Agency publishes its monthly oil report.
· The OECD annual report on fiscal reforms is published in Paris.
· The OPEC Monthly report is released.
Americas
Political/Social Events –
· Brazil’s Supreme Court is expected to convict and jail former President Jair Bolsonaro for allegedly plotting a coup to stay in power in 2022.
· Nadine Menendez, wife of former U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez, is due to be sentenced in a Manhattan district court after being convicted of helping her husband in a scheme to bribe Egyptian officials.
Economic & Financial Reports/Events –
· Brazil Retail Sales (July)/ Business Confidence (September)
· Mexico Industrial Production (July)
· USA Inflation Rate (August)/ CPI (August)/ Initial Jobless Claims (September/06)/ EIA Natural Gas Stocks Change (September/05)/ 15- & 30-Year Mortgage Rate (September/11)/ Fed Balance Sheet (September/10)
· Peru Interest Rate Decision/ Balance of Trade (July)
· EARNINGS: Adobe, Kroger
Asia
Political/Social Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Economic & Financial Reports/Events –
· Japan Reuters Tankan Index (September)/ BSI Large Manufacturing Q3/ Foreign Bond Investment (September/06)/ PPI (August)/ Stock Investment by Foreigners (September/06)/ BoJ JGB Purchases
· Australia Consumer Inflation Expectations (September)
· Malaysia Industrial Production (July)
· China Vehicle Sales (August)/ Standing Committee National People's Congress
· Thailand Consumer Confidence (August)
Europe
Political/Social Events –
· Israeli President Isaac Herzog travels to London for meetings with UK ministers to discuss the situation in the West Bank and Gaza.
· There will be an informal meeting of EU Education Ministers in Copenhagen from September 12.
· Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez’s wife, Begona Gomez, along with one of her aides, will testify in court as part of an influence-peddling investigation.
· Russia, Belarus hold joint military drills called 'Zapad-2025' through September 16.
Economic & Financial Reports/Events –
· European Central Bank Monetary Policy meeting and press conference with President Christine Lagarde.
· European Central Bank Board Member Sharon Donnery participates in a panel discussion entitled "Lead, Innovate, Achieve: Championing Sustainability and Social Inclusion for 25 Years" organized by Business in the Community Ireland (BITCI) in Dublin, Ireland.
· Romania Inflation Rate (August)
· Slovakia Construction Output (July)
· Turkey Retail Sales (July)/ Auto Production & Sales (August)
· ECB Interest Rate Decision/ Marginal Lending Rate/ ECB Press Conference
· Ireland Inflation Rate (August)
· Russia Interest Rate Decision/ Balance of Trade (July)
· Turkey TCMB Interest Rate Decision/ Overnight Borrowing & Lending Rate (September)/ Foreign Exchange Reserves (September/05)
· Ukraine Interest Rate Decision
· Germany Current Account (July)
Middle East
Political/Social Events –
· The Russia-Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Ministerial Meeting takes place in Sochi, Russia.
Economic & Financial Reports/Events –
· Israel M1 Money Supply (August)
Africa
Political/Social Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Economic & Financial Reports/Events –
· South Africa Current Account Q2/ Gold Production (July)/ Mining Production (July)/ Manufacturing Production (July)
· Mozambique Inflation Rate (August)
Friday, September 12, 2025
Global
· Nothing significant to report.
Americas
Political/Social Events –
· New York Fashion Week (Spring-Summer) begins. Derek Zoolander will not be there this year.
Economic & Financial Reports/Events –
· Canada Building Permits (July)/ Capacity Utilization Q2
· USA Michigan Consumer Sentiment (September)/ Michigan Current Conditions (September)/ Michigan Inflation Expectations (September)/ WASDE Report/ Baker Hughes Total Rigs Count (September/12)
· Uruguay Industrial Production (July)/ GDP Growth Rate Q2
· Paraguay Consumer Confidence (August)
Asia
Political/Social Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Economic & Financial Reports/Events –
· New Zealand Business NZ PMI (August)/ Electronic Retail Card Spending (August)
· Australia RBA Jones Speech
· Singapore Unemployment Rate Q2
· Malaysia Retail Sales (July)
· Japan Capacity Utilization (July)/ Industrial Production (July)
· Thailand Foreign Exchange Reserves (August)
· India Inflation Rate (August)/ Bank Loan Growth (August/29)/ Deposit Growth (August/29)/ Foreign Exchange Reserves (September/05)
· Sri Lanka GDP Growth Rate Q2
· China New Yuan Loans (August)/ M2 Money Supply (August)/ Outstanding Loan Growth (August)/ Total Social Financing (August)
Europe
Political/Social Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Economic & Financial Reports/Events –
· Great Britain RICS House Price Balance (August)/ Goods Trade Balance (July)/ Balance of Trade (July)/ Construction Output (July)/ Industrial Production (July)/ Manufacturing Production (July)/ NIESR Monthly GDP Tracker (August)
· Germany Inflation Rate (August)
· Hungary Construction Output (July)/ Industrial Production (July)
· France Inflation Rate (August)
· Spain Inflation Rate (August)
· Turkey Current Account (July)
· Romania Current Account (July)
· Russia Inflation Rate (August)/ Interest Rate Decision/ CBR Press Conference/ GDP Growth Rate Q2
· Poland Balance of Trade (July)/ Current Account (July)
Middle East
Political/Social Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Economic & Financial Reports/Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Africa
Political/Social Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Economic & Financial Reports/Events –
· Angola Inflation Rate (August)/ Wholesale Prices (July)
· Nigeria GDP Growth Rate Q2
Saturday, September 13, 2025
Global
· Nothing significant to report.
Americas
Political/Social Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Economic & Financial Reports/Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Asia
Political/Social Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Economic & Financial Reports/Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Europe
Political/Social Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Economic & Financial Reports/Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Middle East
Political/Social Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Economic & Financial Reports/Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Africa
Political/Social Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Economic & Financial Reports/Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Sunday, September 14, 2025
Global
· Today is the 65th anniversary of the founding of OPEC.
· Today is Pope Leo VIV’s 70th birthday.
Americas
Political/Social Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Economic & Financial Reports/Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Asia
Political/Social Events –
· Macau holds parliamentary elections.
Economic & Financial Reports/Events –
· India Passenger Vehicles Sales (August)
Europe
Political/Social Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Economic & Financial Reports/Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Middle East
Political/Social Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Economic & Financial Reports/Events –
· Israel Imports/ Exports/ Balance of Trade (August)/ Current Account Q2/ Unemployment Rate (August)/ Inflation Rate (August)
Africa
Political/Social Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Economic & Financial Reports/Events –
· Angola M3 Money Supply (August)
U.S. Regulatory Week Ahead
The Senate Finalizes Its Crypto Market Structure Bill, The SEC and CFTC Announce A Roundtable on “Regulatory Harmonization,” and Fed Governor-Nominee Miran's Surprise Announcement
September 8 - 12, 2025
Washington got back to work last week, and from what we are seeing and hearing, it is going to be a very busy fall in the Nation’s Capital.
The move toward formalizing market structure legislation for crypto took another big step this past week. Senate Republicans finalized their draft crypto market structure bill, which appears to have a number of differences from the House version passed with a substantial bipartisan vote in July. While the Senate version explicitly divides duties between the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Commodities Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), the Senate draft gives new authorities to the CFTC.
Senate Banking Committee Chair Tim Scott (R-SC) is hoping to get the bill passed through committee this fall and, hopefully, reconciled with the House version by Christmas.
Also, this past week, the SEC and CFTC announced they are going to hold a roundtable on “regulatory harmonization.” Seeing the two regulators playing well together is always a good thing but the announcement also set off a new buzz of speculation in Washington that perhaps this is a prelude to a possible merger between the two agencies, all part of a larger regulatory revamp expected by the Trump Administration in the coming months.
We may get some hints on that regulatory revamp on Wednesday when Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent convenes a Financial Stability Oversight Council (FSOC) meeting. The announced agenda is pretty long, but regulatory reform is a key theme throughout it.
Finally, we would note that while the ongoing battle between President Trump and Federal Reserve Board Governor Lisa Cook over whether he can fire her or not is now firmly bogged down in federal court, Council of Economic Advisors Chair Stephen Miran had is confirmation hearing to serve out the term of Federal Reserve Board Governor Adriana Kugler (which ends in January). But Miran surprised senators and just about everyone else by announcing he intends to hold onto his job as CEA Chair while serving at the Federal Reserve – a move which has further stirred up the battle over the independence of the Federal Reserve.
We expect the Senate Banking Committee will likely vote out Miran’s nomination this coming week or the following week (at the latest), and he will get a full Senate confirmation vote by the end of September, which means he will be serving as Fed Governor for four months before the term expires.
This coming week, the Senate Banking Committee will hold a hearing on the state of deposit insurance and what needs to be reformed, while the House Financial Services Committee holds three hearings, the most noteworthy being an oversight hearing of FinCEN, and where efforts to curtail money laundering are going.
Below are all the major events we are watching this coming week. Please let us know if you have any questions.
U.S. Congressional Hearings
U.S. Senate
· Wednesday, September 10, 10:00 a.m. – The Senate Banking Committee will hold a hearing entitled “Evaluating Perspectives on Deposit Insurance Reform.”
· Wednesday, September 10, 10:00 a.m. – The Senate Finance Committee holds a hearing on the nominations of Jonathan Greenstein to be a deputy Treasury undersecretary; and Donald Korb to be chief counsel for the Internal Revenue Service and an assistant general counsel in the Treasury Department.
House of Representatives
· Tuesday, September 9, 10:00 a.m. the House Financial Services Committee’s Subcommittee on National Security, Illicit Finance, and International Financial Institutions will hold a hearing entitled “Evaluating the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network” with FinCEN Director Andrea Gacki testifying.
· Tuesday, September 9, 2:00 p.m. – The House Financial Services Committee will hold a hearing entitled “Promoting the Health of the Banking Sector: Reforming Resolution and Broadening Funding Access for Long-Term Resilience”. They will also consider eight pieces of legislation for mark-up.
· Wednesday, September 10, 10:00 a.m. – The House Financial Services Committee will hold a hearing entitled “Proxy Power and Proposal Abuse: Reforming Rule 14a-8 to Protect Shareholder Value.” They will also consider a number of bills associated with this topic.
Federal Department & Regulatory Agency Meetings & Events
Federal Reserve Board and Federal Reserve Banks
· There are no significant events scheduled at this time.
U.S. Treasury Department
· Wednesday, September 10, 4:15 p.m. – Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent will convene a meeting of the Financial Stability Oversight Council at the Treasury Department. According to a Treasury press release, the preliminary agenda will include “The preliminary agenda for the executive session includes an update on the Council’s focus and priorities; a briefing on a recent interagency financial market infrastructure cybersecurity tabletop exercise; the Council’s 2025 annual report; and the Council’s fiscal year 2026 budget.* The preliminary agenda for the open session includes an update on banking supervision and regulatory reforms; votes to rescind the charters of two Council committees focused on climate-related financial risk; and a vote on the Council’s fiscal year 2026 budget.” You can watch the meeting via this link (HERE).
Department of Commerce
· There are no significant events scheduled at this time.
Department of Housing and Urban Development
· There are no significant events scheduled at this time.
Securities and Exchange Commission
· Wednesday, September 10, 8:50 a.m. –SEC Commissioner Hester Pierce will discuss digital assets at the CoinDesk Policy and Regulation Conference hosted by Morgan Lewis in Washington, D.C.
· Thursday, September 11, 2:00 p.m. – The SEC will hold a Closed Meeting.
Commodities Futures Trading Commission
· Monday, September 8, 1:40 p.m. UK time – Acting Chairman Caroline D. Pham will speak at the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Blockchain Technologies International Roundtable on “Best Practices in Digital Assets Policy & Regulation.”
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation
· There are no significant events scheduled at this time.
Office of the Comptroller of the Currency
· Wednesday, September 10, 9:15 a.m. – Comptroller of the Currency Jonathan Gould will discuss digital assets at the CoinDesk Policy and Regulation Conference hosted by Morgan Lewis in Washington, D.C.
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
· There are no significant events scheduled at this time.
FINRA
· There are no significant events scheduled at this time.
National Credit Union Administration
· There are no significant events scheduled at this time.
Federal Trade Commission & Department of Justice Antitrust Division
· There are no significant events scheduled at this time.
Farm Credit Administration
· Thursday, September 11, 10:00 a.m. – The FCA Board will meet to receive a report on Quarterly Economic Conditions and Farm Credit System Conditions and Performance.
Farm Credit System Insurance Corporation
· There are no significant events scheduled at this time.
International Monetary Fund & World Bank
· There are no significant events scheduled at this time.
North American Securities Administrators Association
· There are no significant events scheduled at this time.
Small Business Administration
· There are no significant events scheduled at this time.
Trade Associations & Think Tank Events
Trade Associations
· Monday – Wednesday, September 8 – 10 – The Investment Company Institute holds its ETF Conference in Nashville, Tennessee.
· Tuesday, September 9, 9:00 a.m. – The Institute for International Finance holds an online event entitled Improving Supervisory Effectiveness - Assessing Concerning Trends in Bank Supervision.
· Tuesday, September 9 – The Institute for International Bankers holds its 2025 Financial Crimes Conference in New York.
Think Tanks and Other Events
· Tuesday, September 9, 1:30 p.m. – The Federalist Society for Law and Public Policy Studies holds a virtual discussion, beginning at 1:30 p.m., on "State-Level Remedies for the Housing Crisis."
· Thursday, September 11, 9:30 a.m. – The Cato Institute holds an online event entitled “Right-Sizing Financial Regulation.” House Financial Services Committee Chair, Representative French Hill (R-Ark), is scheduled to speak at 1:45 p.m.
Please let us know if you have any questions or would like to be added to our email distribution list.
Recommended Weekend Reads
Is Trade Uncertainty Boosting Automation? Putin’s Fear of Economic Humiliation, American Soybean Farmers Feeling the Pain of China’s Boycott, And How Geopolitical Risk Impacts Consumer Spending
September 5 - 7, 2025
Each week, we gather up the best research and reports we have read in the past week and pass them on to you. Below is this week’s curated collection. We hope you find them interesting and informative, and that you have a great weekend.
Geoeconomics & Trade
Will Trade Uncertainty Boost Automation? Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco
Recent surges in trade policy uncertainty highlight the fragility of global supply chains, prompting businesses to consider reshoring—moving production from abroad to domestic locations. Reshoring can be costly, creating incentives for businesses to automate. Evidence suggests that businesses facing heightened trade policy uncertainty in industries more exposed to international trade reshore more and automate more than those that are less exposed to trade. Automation appears to help mitigate the otherwise negative effects of trade policy uncertainty on production and labor productivity.
In Tariff Standoff with Trump, China Boycotts American Soybeans New York Times
China has rare earth metals. The United States and Brazil have soybeans. For all the chokeholds China maintains on global supply chains, it is overwhelmingly dependent on soybeans from other parts of the world. China imports three-fifths of all the soybeans traded on international markets. Now with China and the United States locked in a tense standoff over tariffs, soybeans have emerged as a central dispute between the trading partners. China has been boycotting purchases of U.S. soybeans since late May to show displeasure with President Trump’s imposition of tariffs on imports from China. The pain is being felt in Midwest states, especially Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota and Indiana. For the first time in many years, American farmers are preparing to harvest their crop this fall with no purchase orders from China.
Effects of Tariff Uncertainty on the Outlook of Small and Medium-sized Businesses Federal Reserve Bank of Boston
A large body of research demonstrates that uncertainty affects many dimensions of firms’ decisions, from investment and hiring to pricing and profitability. To gain a better understanding of how uncertainty induced by shifting trade policy shapes the behavior of small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) the authors surveyed decision-makers at SMBs. Key Takeaways include:
Results from the survey indicate that uncertainty about tariffs rose markedly from the first wave to the third for all SMBs, and especially for importers.
Survey respondents with greater uncertainty about tariffs in April 2025 – and especially those that import – tended to report greater uncertainty about business operations, particularly about investment and worker head count.
The respondents indicated that a hypothetical reduction in business uncertainty would improve their expectations, but another increase in business uncertainty would not lead to further deterioration in their outlook.
The muted reaction to a hypothetical increase in business uncertainty suggests that by April 2025, the effect of increased uncertainty on SMBs’ expectations may have already peaked and/or that financial conditions had not tightened enough to notably amplify any negative real effects of further increases in uncertainty.
The Fiscal Impact of Immigration: An Update AEI Economic Perspectives
Immigrants have an overall positive fiscal impact on the US—an effect driven by high-skilled
immigrants. Low-skilled immigrants, like their US-born counterparts, impose a net fiscal cost.
However, recent studies show that the indirect fiscal effects of low-skilled immigration are positive,
partly offsetting the negative direct fiscal impact. Moreover, immigrants will help bear the cost
of future policy changes required to address the growing national debt. Smaller immigration
inflows might reduce fiscal pressure on state and local governments, but would increase fiscal
pressure on the federal government and slow economic growth.
The Impact of Geopolitical Risk on Consumer Expectations and Spending Yuriy Gorodnichenko, Dimitris Georgarakos, Geoff Kenny, and Olivier Coibion / NBER
Abstract: Using novel scenario-based survey questions that randomize the expected duration of the Russian invasion of Ukraine and Middle East conflict, we examine the causal impact of geopolitical risk on consumers’ beliefs about aggregate economic conditions and their own financial outlook. Expecting a longer conflict leads European households to anticipate a worsening of the aggregate economy, with higher inflation, lower economic growth, and lower stock prices. They also perceive negative fiscal implications, anticipating higher government debt and higher taxes. Ultimately, households view the geopolitical conflict as making them worse off financially and it leads them to reduce their consumption.
Russia’s Struggling Economy
Can Russia Weather a Fuel Crisis Caused by Ukrainian Drone Attacks? Carnegie Politika
Once again, Russia is in the grips of a gasoline crisis. Prices at the pump are rising, and some gas stations have run dry. This isn’t the first time Russia has experienced such shortages, but this time around they could be more serious because of the ongoing war in Ukraine. There were gasoline crises in Russia both before the full-scale invasion (in 2011,2018, and 2021), and afterward (in 2023). Despite a 2024 Ukrainian drone campaign targeting Russian refineries, the fuel market remained relatively calm. Back then, each refinery was only hit by a single drone, reducing plant capacity but leaving it operational. The damage was dealt with in a matter of weeks, consecutive attacks, were rare and often deflected, and neighboring plants continued to operate without interruption. Ultimately, the 2024 drone attacks caused inconvenience and expense for the Russian oil industry, but did not present a major problem. This time could be quite different.
Putin’s Fear of a Humiliating Economic Crisis Foreign Policy
Russian President Vladimir Putin has every reason to seek a lifeline for the Russian economy. In recent weeks, a flurry of signs has shown Russia’s war-drained, sanctions-constrained economy to be at an inflection point. For the first time since the start of the war, nonmilitary economic activity has been contracting, bankers are making plans to weather a financial crisis, and energy firms are worrying about losing their largest customer for seaborne oil exports. Putin’s intensifying economic troubles have important implications for Western policymakers as they begin negotiating with Moscow about the future of Ukraine. Unlike the impression the Russian leader tries to make, time is far from being on his side. In fact, economic pressure remains the best leverage that Ukraine’s supporters have over the Kremlin. It remains to be seen whether Europe and the United States will choose to play the economic ace they still have up their sleeves.
The Global Race for Critical Minerals
Why Is Renewing AGOA Strategic for U.S.-Africa Minerals Diplomacy? Center for Strategic and International Studies
The African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), first signed into law by President Bill Clinton in 2000, is a unilateral U.S. trade preference program set to expire in September 2025. Its pending reauthorization has sparked debate over whether—and how—it should be extended and reformed. A failure to extend AGOA could have larger ramifications at a time when the United States is doubling down on its commercial diplomacy—and more specifically, its mineral diplomacy efforts—with Africa.
Europe’s Strategic Access to Battery Minerals in a Changing Geoeconomic Landscape The Hague Centre for Strategic Studies
Europe’s transition to a low-carbon economy hinges on the rapid deployment of battery technologies. Batteries are essential for stabilizing electricity grids powered by renewables and for enabling the shift from internal combustion engine (ICE) cars to electric vehicles (EV), especially after the European Union’s (EU) 2035 ban on new ICE cars. The successful deployment of batteries in Europe depends on secure supply chains, which are heavily concentrated. China plays a dominant role across the entire battery supply chain. It produces most of the world’s batteries and controls large shares of battery material mining and processing capacity, including graphite, lithium, manganese and phosphate. The Chinese government can use its control over battery supply chains to exert geopolitical pressure on other countries. To reduce its vulnerability, Europe could choose to look into types of batteries that rely less on raw materials whose supply chain is dominated by China.
The Global Week Ahead
Xi Hosts the SCO Summit and Celebrates the 80th Anniversary of the End of World War II with World Leaders, Trump’s Tariff Deals in Doubt, and Markets Focus on the Fed’s Beige Book and US Jobs Report
Summer is officially over and world capitals in the Northern Hemisphere are roaring back to work this week. But the major geopolitical events of the week will be in China.
President Xi Jinping is hosting the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit being held in Tianjin, China. This will be a particularly important SCO gathering as Russian President Vladimir Putin, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and other leading Asian leaders will be in attendance and holding sideline meetings with Xi. Of note, Prime Minister Modi’s sideline meeting with Xi shows continuing warming between the two nations – which has been historically frosty – as both struggle to deal with President Trump’s tough tariff regime.
After the SCO, Xi will hold an extravaganza 80th anniversary celebration in Beijing marking the end of World War II for China. Putin, Modi, and at least 28 other national leaders will be in attendance including North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un. The significance of his attendance is it suggests new warming in the relationship between Beijing and Pyongyang which has been strained in recent years.
What both events clearly show is a growing alignment between nations that are outright hostile to the United States and the West with those nations hardest hit by the Trump tariffs, giving the combined nations a reason to work together. Seeing the leaders of China, Russia, North Korea, India, Iran, Cuba, and other nations sitting together watching an enormous Chinese military parade will drive that point home. What comes out of these meetings will likely be quite impactful on global markets in the weeks and months ahead.
Here in the US, two issues will be of major focus to markets this week. First, the decision by a Federal Appeals Court on Friday ruled that President Trump’s use of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) is illegal. These were put in place on “Liberation Day” on April 2nd. The decision upholds an earlier ruling by the U.S. Court of International Trade and is now likely headed to the U.S. Supreme Court. But in the meantime, it puts into doubt the legality of Trump’s trade deals with the UK, EU, Japan, and South Korea. Moreover, it the US Supreme Court upholds this decision, it will mean the Trump Administration will have to repay the billions of tariffs collected since April, estimated at roughly $142 billion.
The second event is the ongoing battle over whether President Trump can fire Federal Reserve Board Governor Lisa Cook. A federal judge on Friday held an emergency hearing on the matter but did not issue a ruling. Our view is that this battle will go all the way to the Supreme Court and will likely not hold Cook back from voting at the upcoming Federal Open Markets Committee (FOMC) meeting on interest rates later this month.
Turning to look at the global economic and financial radar screen this week, and starting with the US, there will be a number of important reports out this week. The big events will be the Federal Reserve’s release of the Beige Book on Wednesday and the jobs report on Friday. Also, this week, the ISM indices will be out, giving more clarity on the manufacturing and services sectors, and the JOLTS print on Wednesday and the ADP report on Thursday.
In Asia, Japan releases Financial Statements Statistics of Corporations for Q2, which is expected to show as much as 3% growth year over year. In China, the August PMIs are out on Sunday, and manufacturing data is out on Monday, while services data is out on Wednesday.
In Europe, we will see the Eurozone CPI report on Tuesday as European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde gives a speech on Monday.
Below is the rest of our detailed report of the major geopolitical and geoeconomic events in the coming week:
Sunday, August 31, 2025
Global
· Nothing significant to report.
Americas
Political/Social Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Economic & Financial Reports/Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Asia
Political/Social Events –
· The Shanghai Cooperation Organization Summit begins in Tianjin, China hosted by Chinese President Xi Jinping. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and North Korean Leader Kim Jong-Il are expected to attend. Putin will afterwards travel to Beijing for meetings with Xi.
· Today is Kyrgyzstan Independence Day.
Economic & Financial Reports/Events –
· China NBS Manufacturing PMI (August)/ NBS Non-Manufacturing PMI (August)/ NBS General PMI (August)
Europe
Political/Social Events –
· European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen will meet with Polish Minister Donald Tusk in Warsaw and the visit the border between Poland and Belarus. She will then travel to Bulgaria to meet with Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov and visit a defense factor.
Economic & Financial Reports/Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Middle East
Political/Social Events –
· Oman will implement a "golden visa" for investors and wealthy residents..
Economic & Financial Reports/Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Africa
Political/Social Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Economic & Financial Reports/Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Monday, September 1, 2025
Global
· Egypt will host a G20 meeting on food security in Cairo.
· South Korea assumes the chair of the UN Security Council for the month of September.
Americas
Political/Social Events –
· Guyana holds presidential and parliamentary elections. Centre-left President Irfaan Ali of the People's Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) is likely to be re-elected. However, opposition parties will likely secure a majority in the National Assembly (legislature).
· Today is Labor Day in the United State and Canada. It is a national holiday in both countries. Financial markets are closed.
· Mexican judges elected in the country's first judicial election in June will take office.
· The Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission continues its annual meeting in Panama City.
Economic & Financial Reports/Events –
· Mexico Business Confidence (August)/ S&P Global Manufacturing PMI (August)/ Foreign Exchange Reserves (August)/ Fiscal Balance (July)
· Chile IMACEC Economic Activity (July)
· Brazil S&P Global Manufacturing PMI (August)/ BCB Focus Market Readout
· Colombia Davivienda Manufacturing PMI (August)
· Peru Inflation Rate (August)
· Argentina Tax Revenue (August)
Asia
Political/Social Events –
· Today is Uzbekistan Independence Day, a national holiday.
Economic & Financial Reports/Events –
· New Zealand Building Permits (July)
· Australia S&P Global Manufacturing PMI (August)/ Building Permits (July)/ Company Gross Profits Q2/ ANZ-Indeed Job Ads (August)/ Business Inventories Q2/ Private House Approvals (July)/ Commodity Prices (August)
· Japan Capital Spending Q2/ S&P Global Manufacturing PMI (August)
· South Korea Imports/ Exports/ Balance of Trade (August)/ S&P Global Manufacturing PMI (August)
· Indonesia S&P Global Manufacturing PMI (August)/ Imports/ Exports/ Balance of Trade (August)/ Inflation Rate (August)/ Tourist Arrivals (July)
· Malaysia S&P Global Manufacturing PMI (August)
· Philippines S&P Global Manufacturing PMI (August)
· Taiwan S&P Global Manufacturing PMI (August)
· Thailand S&P Global Manufacturing PMI (August)
· China Caixin Manufacturing PMI (August)
· India HSBC Manufacturing PMI (August)
· Hong Kong Retail Sales (July)
Europe
Political/Social Events –
· There will be an informal meeting of EU Ministers for European Affairs through September 2 in Copenhagen, Denmark.
· The EU Parliament returns to work from summer holiday.
· European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen will travel to Lithuania to meet with President Gitana Nauseda and then visit the Lithuania and Belarus border. She will then travel to Romania and meet with President Nicusor Dan and Prime Minister Illie Bolojan and visit the military port of Constana.
· The British Parliament returns to work from their summer holiday.
· Moldova begins negotiations with the EU about joining.
· Today is Slovakia Constitution Day.
Economic & Financial Reports/Events –
· European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde will give a dinner speech at the 2025 ECB Legal Conference "Building Europe's Autonomy: Law, Institutions, Cooperation" in Frankfurt, Germany.
· European Central Bank Board Member Isabel Schnabel will chair a panel on 'Autonomy through the internal market and the capital markets union' at 2025 ECB Legal Conference "Building Europe's Autonomy: Law, Institutions, Cooperation" in Frankfurt, Germany.
· European Central Bank Board Member Piero Cipollone will chair a panel on 'Resilience, autonomy and cooperation in payments and clearing systems' at the 2025 ECB Legal Conference titled 'Building Europe's Autonomy: Law, Institutions, Cooperation' in Frankfurt Germany.
· Ireland AIB Manufacturing PMI (August)/ Harmonized Inflation Rate (August)
· Romania Unemployment Rate (July)
· Russia S&P Global Manufacturing PMI (August)
· Great Britain Nationwide Housing Prices (August)/ BoE Consumer Credit (July)/ Mortgage Lending & Approvals (July)/ S&P Global Manufacturing PMI (August)
· Hungary PPI (July)/ HALPIM Manufacturing PMI (August)
· Poland S&P Global Manufacturing PMI (August)/ GDP Growth Rate Q2
· Spain Tourist Arrivals (July)/ HCOB Manufacturing PMI (August)
· Turkey GDP Growth Rate Q2/ Istanbul Chamber of Industry Manufacturing PMI (August)
· Switzerland procure.ch Manufacturing PMI (August)
· Italy HCOB Manufacturing PMI (August)/ Unemployment Rate (July)
· France HCOB Manufacturing PMI (August)
· Germany HCOB Manufacturing PMI (August)
· Euro Area HCOB Manufacturing PMI (August)/ Unemployment Rate (July)/ ECB Schnabel Speech/ ECB Cipollone Speech/ ECB President Lagarde Speech
· Greece S&P Global Manufacturing PMI (August)/ Unemployment Rate (June)/ Unemployment Rate (July)
· Serbia GDP Growth Rate Q2
Middle East
Political/Social Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Economic & Financial Reports/Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Africa
Political/Social Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Economic & Financial Reports/Events –
· Nigeria Stanbic IBTC Bank Nigeria PMI (August)/ Foreign Exchange Reserves (August)
· South Africa ABSA Manufacturing PMI (August)/ Total New Vehicle Sales (August)
Tuesday, September 2, 2025
Global
· Nothing significant to report.
Americas
Political/Social Events –
· US Secretary of State Marco Rubio will travel to Mexico and Ecuador for bilateral meetings through September 4.
· The US Congress returns to work from its August recess.
· Brazil's Supreme Court hear legal arguments regarding attempted coup charges against former president Jair Bolsonaro.
Economic & Financial Reports/Events –
· Brazil IPC-Fipe Inflation (August)/ GDP Growth Rate Q2
· USA Redbook (August)/30/ S&P Global Manufacturing PMI (August)/ ISM Manufacturing PMI (August)/ RCM/TIPP Economic Optimism Index (September)/ LMI Logistics Managers Index (August)/ Total Vehicle Sales (August)
· Canada S&P Global Manufacturing PMI (August)
· Paraguay Inflation Rate (August)
Asia
Political/Social Events –
· Today is Independence Day in Vietnam, a national holiday.
Economic & Financial Reports/Events –
· Bank of Japan Deputy Governor Ryozo Himino will meet with and give remarks to local leaders in Eastern Hokkaido, Japan.
· New Zealand Export Prices Q2/ Import Prices Q2/ Terms of Trade Q2/ Global Dairy Trade Price Index (September/02)
· South Korea Inflation Rate (August)
· Australia TD-MI Inflation Gauge (August)/ Current Account Q2/ Net Exports Contribution to GDP Q2/ Cotality Dwelling Prices (August)
· Japan BoJ Himino Speech
· Thailand Business Confidence (August)
· Singapore SIPMM Manufacturing PMI (August)
· Kazakhstan Inflation Rate (August)
· Pakistan Inflation Rate (August)/ Wholesale Prices (August)
Europe
Political/Social Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Economic & Financial Reports/Events –
· European Central Bank Board Member Frank Elderson will chair a panel on 'Independent administrative discretion and the rule of law' at 2025 ECB Legal Conference "Building Europe's Autonomy: Law, Institutions, Cooperation" in Frankfurt, Germany.
· European Central Bank Board Member Pedro Machado will participate on a panel entitled 'Independent administrative discretion and the rule of law' at 2025 ECB Legal Conference "Building Europe's Autonomy: Law, Institutions, Cooperation" in Frankfurt, Germany
· Romania PPI (July)
· Hungary GDP Growth Rate Q2
· Switzerland Retail Sales (July)
· France Budget Balance (July)
· Spain Unemployment Change (August)/ New Car Sales (August)
· Euro Area Inflation Rate (August)/ CPI Flash (August)/ ECB Elderson Speech/ ECB Machado Speech
· Italy PPI (July)/ New Car Registrations (August)
Middle East
Political/Social Events –
· The Lebanese Armed Forces will present a plan for Hezbollah's disarmament to Lebanon's Cabinet.
Economic & Financial Reports/Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Africa
Political/Social Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Economic & Financial Reports/Events –
· Mozambique GDP Growth Rate Q2
· Nigeria GDP Growth Rate Q2
Wednesday, September 3, 2025
Global
· The United Nations General Assembly will meet on Ukraine.
Americas
Political/Social Events –
· President Trump will host Polish President Karol Nawrocki at the White House.
· Jamaica holds House of Representatives elections.
Economic & Financial Reports/Events –
· St Louis Fed president Alberto Musalem gives speech at the Peterson Institute in Washington, D.C.
· Minneapolis Federal Reserve Bank President Neel Kashkari participates in a fireside chat hosted by the Minnesota Women's Economic Roundtable.
· USA MBA Mortgage Market Index (August/29)/ MBA Purchase Index (August/29)/JOLTs Job Openings (July)/ Factory Orders (July)/ Fed Beige Book/ API Crude Oil Stock Change (August/29)/EARNINGS: Salesforce, HPE, Gitlab, Dollar Tree
· Brazil Industrial Production (July)/ S&P Global Composite & Services PMI (August)
· Mexico Consumer Confidence (August)
· Canada Labor Productivity Q2
· Colombia Exports (July)
Asia
Political/Social Events –
· China will hold a military parade marking the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, with 26 foreign leaders in attendance.
Economic & Financial Reports/Events –
· South Korea Foreign Exchange Reserves (August)/ GDP Growth Rate Q2
· Australia Ai Group Industry Index (August)/ S&P Global Composite & Services PMI (August)/ GDP Growth Rate Q2
· Hong Kong S&P Global PMI (August)
· Japan S&P Global Composite & Services PMI (August)/ BoJ JGB Purchases
· Singapore S&P Global PMI (August)
· Vietnam S&P Global Manufacturing PMI (August)
· China Caixin Composite & Services PMI (August)
· India HSBC Composite & Services PMI (August)/ M3 Money Supply (August/22)
· Pakistan Balance of Trade (August)
Europe
Political/Social Events –
· The European Union's new floating price cap on Russian oil, set at 15% below the six-month average market price, will take effect.
· The Eastern Economic Forum will be held in Vladivostok Russia through September 6.
Economic & Financial Reports/Events –
· European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde will give welcoming remarks at the 9th ESRB Conference "Broadening horizons: ESRB’s next decade of impact" in Frankfurt, Germany.
· Bank of England Deputy Governor Sarah Breeden gives a keynote speech at the Bank of England and Warwick Business School Innovation In Money and Payments Conference.
· Ireland AIB Services PMI (August)
· Russia S&P Global Composite & Services PMI (August)
· Slovakia Real Wages Q2
· Turkey Inflation Rate (August)/ PPI (August)
· Spain HCOB Composite & Services PMI (August)
· Euro Area HCOB Composite & Services PMI (August)/ PPI (August)
· Great Britain BoE L Mann Speech / S&P Global Composite & Services PMI (August)/ BoE Breeden Speech
· Italy HCOB Composite & Services PMI (August)
· France HCOB Composite & Services PMI (August)
· Germany HCOB Composite & Services PMI (August)
· Poland Interest Rate Decision (September)
Middle East
Political/Social Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Economic & Financial Reports/Events –
· Saudia Arabia Riyad Bank PMI (August)
· United Arab Emirates S&P Global PMI (August)
· Israel Tourist Arrivals (August)
· Jordan PPI (July)/ Unemployment Rate Q2
Africa
Political/Social Events –
· Angola will host its "Angola Oil & Gas" conference in Luanda.
Economic & Financial Reports/Events –
· Egypt S&P Global PMI (August)/ M2 Money Supply (July)
· South Africa S&P Global PMI (August)/ GDP Growth Rate Q2
· Angola GDP Growth Rate Q2
Thursday, September 4, 2025
Global
· Nothing significant to report.
Americas
Political/Social Events –
· US Council of Economic Advisors Chair Stephen Miran will get a confirmation hearing before the Senate Banking Committee to fill out the term of Federal Reserve Board Governor Adriana Kugler.
· Bloomberg holds its Bloomberg Power Players New York Conference.
Economic & Financial Reports/Events –
· New York Federal Reserve Bank President John Williams gives keynote before an Economic Club of New York Signature Luncheon.
· Chicago Federal Reserve Bank President Austan Goolsbee participates in moderated Q&A before mHub Industry Disruptor Series event.
· USA Challenger Job Cuts (August)/ ADP Employment Change (August)/ Imports/ Exports/ Balance of Trade (July)/ Initial Jobless Claims (August)/30/ Unit Labour Costs Q2/ S&P Global Composite & Services PMI (August)/ ISM Services PMI (August)/ EIA Natural Gas & Crude Oil Stocks Change (August/29)/ 15- & 30-Year Mortgage Rate (September/04)/ Fed Balance Sheet (September/03) EARNINGS: Broadcom, Lululemon
· Mexico Gross Fixed Investment (June)
· Canada Imports/ Exports/ Balance of Trade (July)/ S&P Global Composite & Services PMI (August)
· Uruguay Inflation Rate (August)
· Brazil Balance of Trade (August)
· Colombia PPI (August)
Asia
Political/Social Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Economic & Financial Reports/Events –
· South Korea Current Account (July)
· Japan Foreign Bond Investment (August)/30/ Stock Investment by Foreigners (August)/30
· Australia Imports/ Exports/ Balance of Trade (July)/ Household Spending (July)
· Thailand Inflation Rate (August)
· Malaysia Interest Rate Decision
Europe
Political/Social Events –
· There will be an informal meeting of EU Energy Ministers in Copenhagen, Denmark through September 5.
Economic & Financial Reports/Events –
· The Handelsblatt banking summit will be held in Frankfurt, Germany.
· European Central Bank Board Member Piero Cipollone will give an introductory statement at a hearing on the digital euro before the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs (ECON) of the European Parliament in Brussels, Belgium
· Hungary Retail Sales (July)
· Switzerland Inflation Rate (August)/ Unemployment Rate (August)
· Euro Area HCOB Construction PMI (August)/ Retail Sales (July)/ ECB Cipollone Speech
· France HCOB Construction PMI (August)
· Germany HCOB Construction PMI (August)
· Italy HCOB Construction PMI (August)
· Great Britain New Car Sales (August)/ S&P Global Construction PMI (August)/ DMP 1Y CPI Expectations (August)/ DMP 3M Output Price Expectations (August)
· Slovenia Balance of Trade (July)
· Ireland Current Account Q2/ GDP Growth Rate Q2/ GNP Q2
· Turkey Foreign Exchange Reserves (August/29)/ Imports/ Exports/ Balance of Trade (August)
· Spain Consumer Confidence (July)
Middle East
Political/Social Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Economic & Financial Reports/Events –
· Kuwait M2 Money Supply (July)
Africa
Political/Social Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Economic & Financial Reports/Events –
· South Africa Business Confidence Q3
· Egypt Foreign Exchange Reserves (August)
Friday, September 5, 2025
Global
· Nothing significant to report.
Americas
Political/Social Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Economic & Financial Reports/Events –
· Brazil PPI (August)
· Canada Unemployment Rate (August)/ Employment Change (August)/ Full & Part Time Employment Chg (August)/ Participation Rate (August)/ Average Hourly Wages (August)/ Ivey PMI s.a (August)
· USA Unemployment Rate (August)/ Participation Rate (August)/ Average Hourly Earnings (August)/ Government Payrolls (August)/ Manufacturing Payrolls (August)/ U-6 Unemployment Rate (August)/ Baker Hughes Total Rigs Count
· Ecuador Inflation Rate (August)
· Costa Rica Inflation Rate (August)
· Colombia Inflation Rate (August)
· El Salvador Inflation Rate (August)
Asia
Political/Social Events –
· Japan will host the 12th Japan-Australia meeting of foreign and defense ministers in Tokyo.
· Singapore’s parliament goes into session. This is the first gathering of parliament since the May elections when the ruling People’s Action Party won a commanding majority.
Economic & Financial Reports/Events –
· Japan Household Spending (July)/ Average Cash Earnings (July)/ Overtime Pay (July)/ Coincident Index (July)/ Leading Economic Index (July)
· Philippines Inflation Rate (August)/ Foreign Exchange Reserves (August)
· Singapore Retail Sales (July)
· Taiwan Inflation Rate (August)/ Foreign Exchange Reserves (August)
· Hong Kong Foreign Exchange Reserves (August)
· India Foreign Exchange Reserves (August/29)
Europe
Political/Social Events –
· UK Reform holds it two-day national conference in Birmingham, England.
Economic & Financial Reports/Events –
· Germany Factory Orders (July)/ New Car Registrations (August)
· Romania GDP Growth Rate Q2/ Retail Sales (July)
· Great Britain Halifax House Price Index (August)/ Retail Sales (July)/ Retail Sales ex Fuel (July)/ BBA Mortgage Rate (August)
· Hungary Industrial Production (July)
· France Imports/ Exports/ Balance of Trade (July)/ Current Account (July)/ Foreign Exchange Reserves (August)/ New Car Registrations (August)
· Slovakia Balance of Trade (July)/ GDP Growth Rate Q2/ Retail Sales (July)
· Switzerland Consumer Confidence (August)/ Foreign Exchange Reserves (August)
· Italy Retail Sales (July)
· Euro Area Employment Change Q2/ GDP Growth Rate Q2
· Greece Balance of Trade (July)/ GDP Growth Rate Q2
· Ireland Unemployment Rate (August)
· Serbia PPI (August)
· Poland Foreign Exchange Reserves (August)
· Turkey Treasury Cash Balance (August)
· Russia Vehicle Sales (August)
· Ukraine Foreign Exchange Reserves (August)
Middle East
Political/Social Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Economic & Financial Reports/Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Africa
Political/Social Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Economic & Financial Reports/Events –
· South Africa Foreign Exchange Reserves (August)
· Ghana Inflation Rate (August)
Saturday, September 6, 2025
Global
· There will be an OPEC+ ministerial meeting in Vienna, Austria.
Americas
Political/Social Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Economic & Financial Reports/Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Asia
Political/Social Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Economic & Financial Reports/Events –
· Vietnam Balance of Trade (August)/ Foreign Direct Investment (August)/ Industrial Production (August)/ Inflation Rate (August)/ Retail Sales (August)/ Tourist Arrivals (August)
Europe
Political/Social Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Economic & Financial Reports/Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Middle East
Political/Social Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Economic & Financial Reports/Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Africa
Political/Social Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Economic & Financial Reports/Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Sunday, September 7, 2025
Global
· Nothing significant to report.
Americas
Political/Social Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Economic & Financial Reports/Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Asia
Political/Social Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Economic & Financial Reports/Events –
· Indonesia Foreign Exchange Reserves (August)
· China Foreign Exchange Reserves (August)/ Standing Committee National People's Congress
· Japan Foreign Exchange Reserves (August)
Europe
Political/Social Events –
· There will be an informal meeting of EU Agriculture Ministers through September 9 in Copenhagen, Denmark.
Economic & Financial Reports/Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Middle East
Political/Social Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Economic & Financial Reports/Events –
· Israel Business Confidence (August)/ Foreign Exchange Reserves (August)
Africa
Political/Social Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Economic & Financial Reports/Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
U.S. Financial Regulatory Week Ahead
Congress Returns to Work, Senate Banking Holds Miran Fed Confirmation As the Fight over Firing Fed Governor Cook Heats Up
September 1 - 5, 2025
The last days of summer are here as we head into the Labor Day weekend in advance of Washington roaring back to life on Tuesday as Congress returns to work after its August recess. And the future of the Federal Reserve will dominate the week ahead.
The legal and political battle over whether President Trump can fire Federal Reserve Board Governor Lisa Cook continues to heat up. Cook filed suit to block the move and a federal judge held a hearing on Friday. In advance of the hearing, Federal Housing Finance Agency Director Bill Pulte tweeted out a new allegation against Cook, claiming she may have made false representations on a third property, and he was making yet another criminal referral on Cook’s mortgages to the Justice Department. As to why Pulte is choosing to use Twitter as the way to deal with this important situation is anyone’s guess. No previous FHFA Director has ever done something like this publicly before. But his actions are drawing increasing criticism, and we suspect that when Congress gets back next week, there will be a lot said from leading members about him.
There is little doubt the Cook case is going to go all the way to the Supreme Court – which is going to take time, and she is not going to step away until it is settled – which means, markets should expect her to be voting on interest rates at the September Fed meeting on interest rates.
Meanwhile, the Senate Banking Committee will be holding a confirmation hearing on Thursday for Stephen Miran’s nomination to fill out the remaining months of Fed Governor Adriana Kugler’s term (which ends in January). Senate Democrats are demanding that the hearing be held up until the Cook situation is settled, but that is not going to happen. We suspect Miran will likely be confirmed by the full Senate by early October.
Otherwise, there is not a lot going on publicly in Congress or among the regulators. We hope you have a great Labor Day weekend. Please let us know if you have any questions.
U.S. Congressional Hearings
U.S. Senate
· Thursday, September 4, 10:00 a.m. – The Senate Banking Committee will confirmation hearings for Ben Hobbs, to be Assistant Secretary, Department of Housing and Urban Development; Ronnie Kurtz, to be Assistant Secretary, Department of Housing and Urban Development; Dr. Stephen Miran, to be a Member, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System; Mr. Christopher Pilkerton, to be Assistant Secretary, Department of Treasury; and Jonathan Burke, to be Assistant Secretary, Department of Treasury.
House of Representatives
· There are no significant events scheduled at this time.
Federal Department & Regulatory Agency Meetings & Events
Federal Reserve Board and Federal Reserve Banks
· Wednesday, September 3, 9:00 a.m. – St. Louis Federal Bank President Alberto Musalem will give a speech entitled “The US Economy and Monetary Policy: A Conversation with Alberto Musalem.”
U.S. Treasury Department
· There are no significant events scheduled at this time.
Department of Commerce
· There are no significant events scheduled at this time.
Department of Housing and Urban Development
· There are no significant events scheduled at this time.
Securities and Exchange Commission
· Thursday, September 4, 9:00 p.m. – SEC Commissioner Mark Uyeda will deliver the opening remarks at the SIFMA Valuation Roundtable in Washington, DC.
· Thursday, September 4, 2:00 p.m. – The SEC will hold a Closed Meeting.
Commodities Futures Trading Commission
· There are no significant events scheduled at this time.
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation
· There are no significant events scheduled at this time.
Office of the Comptroller of the Currency
· There are no significant events scheduled at this time.
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
· There are no significant events scheduled at this time.
FINRA
· There are no significant events scheduled at this time.
National Credit Union Administration
· There are no significant events scheduled at this time.
Federal Trade Commission & Department of Justice Antitrust Division
· There are no significant events scheduled at this time.
Farm Credit Administration
· There are no significant events scheduled at this time.
Farm Credit System Insurance Corporation
· There are no significant events scheduled at this time.
International Monetary Fund & World Bank
· There are no significant events scheduled at this time.
North American Securities Administrators Association
· There are no significant events scheduled at this time.
Small Business Administration
· There are no significant events scheduled at this time.
Trade Associations & Think Tank Events
Trade Associations
· Thursday, September 5, 2:00 p.m. – SIFMA will hold a Private Markets Valuation Roundtable in Washington, D.C.
Think Tanks and Other Events
· Wednesday, September 3, 9:00 a.m. – St. Louis Federal Bank President Alberto Musalem will give a speech entitled “The US Economy and Monetary Policy: A Conversation with Alberto Musalem.”
· Wednesday, September 3, 3:00 p.m. – The Brookings Institution will hold an event entitled “The future of financial services regulation: A conversation with CFTC Commissioner Kristin N. Johnson.”
Please let us know if you have any questions or would like to be added to our email distribution list.
Recommended Weekend Reads
Latin America Can De-Risk Semiconductor Supply Chains, Why Russian-Indian Relations Have Remained Steady, and Why Tariffs Led to More Demand for Stablecoins Went Up and Less for the Dollar
August 29 - 31, 2025
Here are our recommended reads from reports and articles we read in the last week. We hope you find these useful and that you have a relaxing weekend. And let us know if you or someone you know wants to be added to our distribution list.
Americas
Latin America’s Role in De-Risking Semiconductor Supply Chains Center for Strategic & International Studies
While the semiconductor supply chain currently spans several continents, China has made efforts to develop a self-sufficient semiconductor manufacturing ecosystem through industrial policies such as “Made in China 2025,” which presents a direct strategic and economic challenge to the United States. De-risking the semiconductor supply chain, particularly that of “legacy chips,” is of paramount importance, particularly at a time in which the Trump administration considers imposing additional sectoral tariffs on semiconductors. Latin America sits at the juncture of possibility and opportunity at a critical time for the expansion of semiconductor manufacturing, providing some of the key elements and capabilities that allow for semiconductor assembly, testing, and packaging as well as final integration into electronics. For companies relying on semiconductor manufacturing, diversifying production sources is key to reducing the risks associated with supply chain disruptions and great power competition.
Latin America’s Opportunity in the AI Race Americas Quarterly
In recent weeks, two starkly different visions of the future of the digital world emerged from the globe’s AI superpowers. These competing philosophies have put Latin America in an uncomfortable position between them. The region now faces a digital dependency trap that could determine its technological fate for decades. Last month, the Trump administration released “Winning the Race: America’s AI Action Plan,” a comprehensive national AI strategy that frames artificial intelligence as a zero-sum competition where the U.S. must achieve “unquestioned and unchallenged global technological dominance. China then unveiled its “Action Plan on Global Governance of Artificial Intelligence.” For Latin American policymakers, these manifestos present what appears to be a binary choice. Choosing wrong could mean decades of technological dependency, limited sovereignty, and diminished prospects for indigenous innovation. The tension between the two paths, however, could offer the region an opportunity for growth.
On the Ground With a Top Mexican Cartel New York Times
For the last year, Paulina Villegas, an investigative journalist for The New York Times, had the daunting task of meeting repeatedly with members of the Sinaloa Cartel. The assignment had obvious risks: The Sinaloa Cartel is a U.S.-designated terrorist group. But the meetings, Ms. Villegas said, were vital to her quest to provide readers a clearer understanding of how powerful criminal groups operate, documenting the practices and root causes that both the Mexican and American governments are trying to address.
The Indo-Pacific
Why Russian-India Relations Have Been Steady in the Storm War on the Rocks
Russia has more friends than Western analysts like to admit, even three years into the Russo-Ukrainian War. While many have paid close attention to Russia’s beneficial partnership with Iran, the introduction of North Korea’s legions into the Ukrainian battlespace, or persistent materiel support from China, Russia’s other rising-power relationship is often underdiscussed — that of India. The Russian-Indian relationship is both of longer duration and deeper history than those Russia has with its other key partners. It is also sometimes ignored as it does not extend to shared adversarial relations with the greater West. This is a mistake, as India is one of Russia’s self-identified civilizational friends. Furthermore, despite various ups and downs, the partnership has proven quite resistant to third-party pressures, including recently from the anti-Russian Western coalition.
What’s New About Involution? Carnegie China
In recent months “neijuan” (内卷), or “involution,” has become one of the most important buzzwords in Chinese policymaking circles. It has come to describe a disruptive process of relentless competition and price cutting among Chinese businesses, and has been increasingly criticized by policymakers, from President Xi Jinping down, for leading to a zero-sum race to the bottom, marked by vicious price wars, large-scale losses, homogenous products, and improper business practices. An August 2 article in Caixin explains: China’s top economic planner vowed on Friday to intensify its crackdown on “involution,” pledging to curb disorderly corporate competition, rein in wasteful investment and standardize local governments’ business attraction practices to protect fair market order. The article is referring to the July 30 Politburo meeting that set out Beijing’s priorities for the second half of 2025. Of the three main priorities, two—the need to boost domestic consumption and the promise to support the real estate market—have been proposed regularly in the past three to four years. Much of the focus, however, was on the newest priority, which is to battle deflationary pressures by reducing “disorderly” price competition and overcapacity in manufacturing—measures, in other words, aimed at reining in involution.
Xi Unleashes China’s Biggest Purge of Military Leaders Since Mao Bloomberg
China’s leader has ousted almost a fifth of the generals whom he personally appointed while running the country, something his predecessors never did, according to a Bloomberg News analysis of TV footage, parliamentary gazettes, and other public records. Moreover, Xi’s purge has left the CMC with only four total members, down from seven when his third term started. That’s the fewest in the post-Mao era, the Bloomberg analysis shows. As more and more of China’s top military leaders fall, it leaves those trying to understand the nation grappling with a near-impossible question, given the opaque nature of the Communist Party: Is this all a sign of Xi’s political strength, or of his weakness? The implications reach around the world and across the global economy.
Geoeconomics
Tariffs, Stablecoins, and the Demand for Dollars Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland
Several studies have shown that aggregate demand for US dollars fell following the announcement of tariffs by the US government on April 2, 2025. Using data on stablecoins as a proxy for dollar trading, we find that the decline in dollar demand is smaller for investors in countries that saw larger increases in tariffs. Our interpretation is that, as foreign investors anticipate that tariffs will make it more expensive to acquire US dollars in the future, they buy dollars today. This channel is stronger for more liquid stablecoins and for countries with tighter capital controls, consistent with the idea that, when actual dollars are hard to acquire, stablecoins may be regarded as a substitute. Our findings cast light on the effects of the tariffs on global foreign exchange markets, as well as on the degree to which stablecoins are considered a close substitute for dollars.
America’s Coming Crash: Will Washington’s Debt Addiction Spark the Next Global Crisis? Kenneth Rogoff/Foreign Affairs
For much of the past quarter-century, the rest of the world has looked in wonder at the United States’ ability to borrow its way out of trouble. Again and again, under both Democratic and Republican administrations, the government has used debt more vigorously than almost any other country to fight wars, global recessions, pandemics, and financial crises. Even as U.S. public debt rapidly climbed from one plateau to the next—net debt is now nearing 100 percent of national income—creditors at home and abroad showed no signs of debt fatigue. For years after the 2008–9 global financial crisis, interest rates on Treasury debt were ultralow, and a great many economists came to believe that they would remain so into the distant future. Thus, running government deficits—fresh borrowing—seemed a veritable free lunch. Given the dollar’s reputation as the world’s premier safe and liquid asset, global bond market investors would always be happy to digest another huge pile of dollar debt, especially in a crisis situation in which uncertainty was high and safe assets were in short supply. The past few years have cast serious doubt on those assumptions.
How Chips Factor Into a De Facto US Sovereign Wealth Fund OMFIF
In July 2025, former Intel Chief Executive Officer Pat Gelsinger called for a US sovereign wealth fund to ‘keep America’s technological edge’. Just a month in, a US SWF has materialized under Donald Trump’s administration – owning 10% of Intel Corporation, the only American company manufacturing advanced chips on US soil. Traditionally, sovereign wealth funds are state-owned investment funds that manage national surpluses. Norges Bank Investment Management, for example, manages Norway’s export surplus derived from its natural resources. However, the US SWF is from a trade deficit country. It is not one single fund authorised by the legislature. Instead, it’s a strategy driven by executive power. Unlike a conventional SWF, the US SWF has no formal, top-down asset allocation plan. That’s why in the months following Trump’s executive order for establishing the fund, the US SWF appeared first as an ad hoc collection of US stakes in business sectors, ranging from attempted control over TikTok to a golden share in the proposed Nippon Steel-US Steel merger, to equities in bitcoins formerly collected from various criminal and civil actions of the US government.
The Global Week Ahead
Xi Hosts Putin and Modi at the SCO Meeting, Iran Returns to the (European) Negotiating Table, Trump’s Additional 25% Tariffs on India Begin, and Markets Await Key Inflation Reports
August 24 - 30, 2025
The busiest summer we can remember in a long time comes to an end this week here in the US with the Labor Day holiday. And, proving true to its non-stop tempo, it will be another busy week around the world. In Tianjin, China, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) will meet. Chinese President Xi Jinping hosts the leaders of Belarus, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and – perhaps most importantly – Russia and India.
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will attend and meet with Xi just as President Trump seeks to push forward with Ukrainian peace talks and prepares to slap new 25% tariffs on India Wednesday (on top of the existing 25% tariffs) for buying Russian oil which helps fund the war (but, notably, not on China which also is a massive purchaser of Russian oil). It also comes a week after Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with Indian officials in New Delhi to discuss ways to further de-escalate border tensions and discuss commonalities in dealing with the US.
Meanwhile, in Vienna this week, Iranian officials are expected to meet with UK, French, and German diplomats on their nuclear program. Iran risked the three European countries triggering “snapback” sanctions on them if they did not participate. The talks come in the wake of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) expressing frustration with Tehran refusing to account for the status of their refined uranium stockpiles after Israel and the US struck Iranian nuclear facilities. IAEA officials are also expected in Washington this week to meet with US officials over the same matter.
As noted above, President Trump is expected to impose new 25% tariffs on India this week for refusing to step back from purchasing oil from Russia. India is the second-largest purchaser of Russian oil after China. But unlike China, India’s purchase of Russian oil has spiked by almost 50% since Russia invaded Ukraine at steep discounts and then largely resells it as refined petroleum products globally, 42 percent to countries sanctioning Russian crude.
Also this week, President Trump will host South Korean President Lee Jae Myung at the White House. It is Lee’s first meeting with Trump since being elected in early June. The meeting with Trump will be important as both leaders want to nail down important details of a new trade deal and how best to cooperate on how to deal with China. South Korea has agreed to more than $350 billion of investment in the US, which includes $150 billion in shipbuilding and $100 billion in LNG purchases.
Lee is coming off his first meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba on Saturday, where they agreed to cooperate on clean energy, AI, the aging population, and ways to boost some of the lowest birth rates in the world, and working with the US on dealing with North Korea’s growing nuclear and missile programs.
Looking at the global economic and financial radar screens this week, inflation is the big focus for markets. In the US, the July PCE report on Friday will give a clearer indication of which way inflation is headed in advance of the September Federal Reserve Board interest rate decision. Also out this week will be new home sales on Monday, pending home sales on Tuesday, and the Conference Board’s consumer confidence indicator on Tuesday.
We would note two other important US economic/financial events this week: First, the “de minimis” exemptions end on Friday. That exemption allowed international carriers to ship goods valued at $800 or less to the US without paying duties. The second event is Nvidia’s quarterly earnings, where markets and policy analysts will be watching for guidance from the company on their sales to China after President Trump struck a deal with the company allowing the sale of their H20 and B40 chips in exchange for a percentage of their sales to China. But the Chinese government told local tech companies not to buy Nvidia’s chips due to “security concerns.”
In Europe, inflation is also top of mind as Germany releases the Ifo Survey on Monday, consumer confidence on Wednesday, and France's consumer confidence is out on Wednesday. Also out this week is the European Central Bank’s minutes on Thursday.
In Asia, Japan’s August CPI and consumer confidence reports are out on Thursday and Friday, respectively. And China’s industrial profits are out on Wednesday.
Below is the rest of our detailed report of the major geopolitical and geoeconomic events in the coming week:
Sunday, August 24, 2025
Global
· Nothing significant to report.
Americas
Political/Social Events –
· Elon Musk's SpaceX is set to launch its massive Starship rocket for a tenth time from Texas on Sunday to achieve several long-sought development milestones.
· President Nicolas Maduro today is deploying militia and volunteers across Venezuela against US “threats” and is calling for civilians to join the militia and armed forces.
Economic & Financial Reports/Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Asia
Political/Social Events –
· South Korean President Lee Jae-myung will hold a summit in Tokyo with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba.
Economic & Financial Reports/Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Europe
Political/Social Events –
· Today is Ukraine Independence Day, a public holiday.
Economic & Financial Reports/Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Middle East
Political/Social Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Economic & Financial Reports/Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Africa
Political/Social Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Economic & Financial Reports/Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Monday, August 25, 2025
Global
· The UN Security Council is scheduled to hold a vote related to the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon(UNIFIL). The Security Council is also scheduled to hold closed consultations on the 1718 Committee (North Korea).
Americas
Political/Social Events –
· South Korean President Lee Jae Myung will travel to Washington, D.C. for his first meeting with President Donald Trump. They are expected to discuss details of an emerging trade agreement to lower Washington's "reciprocal" tariffs to 15 percent.
· A delegation from the International Atomic Energy Agency will travel to Washington for high-level meetings on Iran’s nuclear program. Iran has refused to explain what has happened to the 409 kilograms of enriched uranium the country developed following the US bombing of several Iranian nuclear sites. Iran is also refusing to cooperate with the IAEA in accessing other key nuclear sites in the country.
· Nigerian President Bola Tinubu will meet with Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in Brasilia.
· Today is Uruguay Independence Day.
Economic & Financial Reports/Events –
· New York Federal Reserve Bank President John Williams and Dallas Federal Reserve Bank President Lorie Logan speak and participate in a panel before the Bank of Mexico Centennial Conference in Mexico City, Mexico.
· Brazil FGV Consumer Confidence (August)/ BCB Focus Market Readout
· USA Chicago Fed National Activity Index (July)/ New Home Sales (July)/ Dallas Fed Manufacturing Index (August)/ Building Permits (July)
· Mexico Current Account Q2
· Paraguay PPI (July)
· El Salvador Balance of Trade (July)
Asia
Political/Social Events –
· Indonesia hosts “Super Garuda Shield, a joint military exercise with a ceremony in Jakarta co-hosted by the Indonesian and U.S. armed forces. The annual drill will run for two weeks. Fifteen countries, including Japan, South Korea, and Australia, are expected to take part, with a live-fire exercise scheduled to be held in Baturaja, Sumatra.
· Today is the Day of Songun, which is observed in North Korea. This holiday commemorates the start of the military-first rule in the nation, under the leadership of Kim Jong-il.
Economic & Financial Reports/Events –
· Evergrande will be delisted from the Hong Kong Stock Exchange today.
· New Zealand Retail Sales Q2
· Malaysia Coincident Index (June)/ Leading Index (June)
· Japan Coincident Index (June)/ Leading Economic Index (June)
· Singapore Inflation Rate (July)
Europe
Political/Social Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Economic & Financial Reports/Events –
· Today is the Summer Bank Holiday in England and Wales.
· Switzerland Non-Farm Payrolls Q2
· Spain PPI (July)/ Consumer Confidence (July)
· Turkey Business Confidence (August)/ Capacity Utilization (August)
· Germany Ifo Business Climate & Current Conditions & Expectations (August)
· Poland Retail Sales (July)/ M3 Money Supply (July)
· Slovenia Business Confidence (August)/ Tourist Arrivals (July)
Middle East
Political/Social Events –
· The Organization of Islamic Cooperation will host an extraordinary meeting in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on expanded Israeli military operations and a mounting humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
Economic & Financial Reports/Events –
· Saudi Arabia Imports/ Exports/ Balance of Trade (June)
· Israel M1 Money Supply (July)
Africa
Political/Social Events –
· Zambia hosts health ministers for the 75th session of the World Health Organization’s Regional Committee for Africa.
Economic & Financial Reports/Events –
· Mozambique GDP Growth Rate Q2
Tuesday, August 26, 2025
Global
· Nothing significant to report.
Americas
Political/Social Events –
· Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and senior members of his Cabinet will travel to Germany to meet with Chancellor Friedrich Merz.
Economic & Financial Reports/Events –
· Bank of Canada Governor Tiff Macklem will give a speech at the Central Bank of Mexico Conference in Mexico City, Mexico.
· Richmond Federal Reserve Bank President Thomas Barkin speaks before the Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce.
· Brazil Current Account (July)/ Foreign Direct Investment (July)/ IPCA mid-month CPI (August)
· Canada Manufacturing Sales (July), Earnings: Scotiabank and BMO
· USA Durable Goods Orders (July)/ Fed Barkin Speech/ Redbook (August/23)/ S&P/Case-Shiller Home Price (June)/ House Price Index (June)/ CB Consumer Confidence (August)/ Richmond Fed Manufacturing Index (August)/ Dallas Fed Services Index (August)/ Money Supply (July)/ API Crude Oil Stock Change (August/22), Earnings: Prudential
Asia
Political/Social Events –
· The South Korean and U.S. militaries will hold the joint Ulchi Freedom Shield drills in South Korea through Aug. 28.
Economic & Financial Reports/Events –
· South Korea Consumer Confidence (August)
· Australia RBA Meeting Minutes
· Singapore Industrial Production (July)
· Taiwan Industrial Production (July)/ Retail Sales (July)
· Hong Kong Imports/ Exports/ Balance of Trade (July)
· Thailand New Car Sales (July)
Europe
Political/Social Events –
· Iran is expected to hold nuclear talks with French, British, and German diplomats in Vienna, Austria. The three European countries have said they could re-activate UN sanctions on Iran under a snapback rule set in place unless Tehran returns to the negotiating table today. Iran is refusing to disclose to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) what has happened to the 409 kilograms of enriched uranium the country developed following the US bombing of several Iranian nuclear sites. Iran is also refusing to cooperate with the IAEA in accessing other key nuclear sites in the country.
Economic & Financial Reports/Events –
· France Consumer Confidence (August)
· Poland Unemployment Rate (July)
· Hungary Deposit Interest Rate (August)/ Interest Rate Decision
· Bank of England Member of the Monetary Policy Committee Catherine Mann will panelist at a conference commemorating the 100th Anniversary of the Central Bank of Mexico in Mexico City, Mexico.
Middle East
Political/Social Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Economic & Financial Reports/Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Africa
Political/Social Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Economic& Financial Reports/Events –
· South Africa Leading Business Cycle Indicator (May)
· Zimbabwe Inflation Rate (August)
· Nigeria GDP Growth Rate Q2
Wednesday, August 27, 2025
Global
· The UN Security Council is scheduled to hold a briefing, followed by consultations on the situation in Gaza.
Americas
Political/Social Events –
· President Trump’s additional 25% tariffs on imports from India go into effect today. Trump has said they are a penalty for buying Russian oil and raise the total tariffs on the South Asian nation to 50%, among the highest globally.
· Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar travels to Washington for meetings with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
· Brazilian Vice President and Trade Minister Geraldo Alckmin will lead a delegation to Mexico to meet with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum.
· The political campaign period for Argentina's Oct. 26 midterm legislative elections will begin.
Economic & Financial Reports/Events –
· Nvidia reports second-quarter earnings. Markets will be focused on guidance from the company with regard to China after receiving permission from the Trump Administration to sell H20 chips to China in return for 15 percent of profits earned there.
· USA MBA Mortgage Market Index (August/22)/ EIA Gasoline & Crude Oil Stocks Change (August/22)/ Fed Barkin Speech
· Brazil Bank Lending (July)
· Mexico Balance of Trade (July)
· Canada Wholesale Sales (July), Earnings: RBC and EQB.
· Colombia Business Confidence (July)
Asia
Political/Social Events –
· APEC Energy Ministers will meet in Busan, South Korea through August 28.
Economic & Financial Reports/Events –
· South Korea Business Confidence (August)
· Australia Westpac Leading Index (July)/ Construction Work Done Q2/ Monthly CPI Indicator (July)/ RBA Payments System Board Meeting
· China Industrial Profits (YTD) (July)
· Taiwan Consumer Confidence (August)
· Thailand Imports/ Exports/ Balance of Trade (July)
· Japan BoJ JGB Purchases
Europe
Political/Social Events –
· Today is Independence Day in Moldova. In honor of the day, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk will visit the country to celebrate.
· Spain’s Tomatina food fight festival takes place in Buñol, Spain, the world’s biggest food fight. More than 20,000 people come to the town (whose population is 9,000) to throw tomatoes at each other. In 2015 (the last time they checked), an estimated 320,000 pounds of tomatoes were thrown.
Economic& Financial Reports/Events –
· Ireland Consumer Confidence (August)
· Germany GfK Consumer Confidence SEP
· Hungary Gross Wage (June)
· Slovakia Business Confidence (August)/ Consumer Confidence (August)
· Switzerland Economic Sentiment Index (August)
· France Unemployment Benefit Claims (July)/ Jobseekers Total (July)
· Great Britain CBI Distributive Trades (August)
· Russia Unemployment Rate (July)/ Business Confidence (August)/ Corporate Profits (June)/ Industrial Production (July)/ Real Wage Growth (June)/ Retail Sales (July)/ GDP (June)/ GDP (July)
Middle East
Political/Social Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Economic& Financial Reports/Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Africa
Political/Social Events –
· Tanzania's electoral commission will announce which presidential candidates are confirmed to run in the country's Oct. 29 general election.
Economic & Financial Reports/Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Thursday, August 28, 2025
Global
· Nothing significant to report.
Americas
Political/Social Events –
· Panama's President Jose Raul Mulino will lead a business delegation to Brazil and meet with Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in Brasilia.
Economic & Financial Reports/Events –
· Federal Reserve Board Governor Christopher Waller will give a speech on the economic outlook at the Economic Club of Miami Dinner in Miami, Florida.
· Brazil IGP-M Inflation (August)/ Net Payrolls (July)
· Mexico Unemployment Rate (July)
· Canada Current Account Q2/ Average Weekly Earnings (June), Earnings: CIBC and Toronto-Dominion
· USA GDP Growth Rate Q2/ Corporate Profits Q2/ GDP Price Index Q2/ Initial Jobless Claims (August/23)/ PCE Prices Q2/ Pending Home Sales (July)/ EIA Natural Gas Stocks Change (August/22)/ Kansas Fed Manufacturing & Composite Index (August)/ 15- & 30-Year Mortgage Rate (August/28)/ Fed Balance Sheet (August/27), Earnings: Dell, Marvell, Autodesk, Pernod Ricard
· Uruguay Unemployment Rate (July)
Asia
Political/Social Events –
· Australia and Indonesia will hold a "two-plus-two" meeting of their foreign and defense ministers in Canberra. The biannual forum last took place in 2023, when current Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto attended as defense minister. This year's meeting will be the ninth since the format was launched in 2006 to strengthen ties between the two neighbors.
· Bitcoin Asia 2025, one of Asia’s largest conferences, begins in Hong Kong. Speakers are due to include Eric Trump.
Economic & Financial Reports/Events –
· Bank of Japan Member of the Policy Board Junko Nakagawa gives a speech to local business leaders in Yamaguchi, Japan.
· Japan Foreign Bond Investment (August/23)/ Stock Investment by Foreigners (August)
· New Zealand ANZ Business Confidence (August)
· Central Bank of South Korea Interest Rate Decision
· Australia Building Capital Expenditure Q2/ Plant Machinery Capital Expenditure/ Private Capital Expenditure Q2
· Malaysia PPI (July)
· Philippines Interest Rate Decision/ Budget Balance (July)
· India Industrial Production (July)/ Manufacturing Production (July)
· Earnings: RHB Banking Group, Axiata Group, CITIC Securities, China Southern
Europe
Political/Social Events –
· There will be an informal meeting of EU Defense Ministers in Copenhagen, Denmark though August 30.
Economic & Financial Reports/Events –
· The European Central Bank releases its July Monetary Policy Meeting minutes
· Euro Area New Car Registrations (July)/ Loans to Companies (July)/ Loans to Households (July)/ M3 Money Supply (July)/ Economic Sentiment (August)/ Consumer Confidence (August)/ Consumer Inflation Expectations (August)/ Industrial Sentiment (August)/ Selling Price Expectations (August)/ Services Sentiment (August)
· Hungary Unemployment Rate (July)
· Switzerland GDP Growth Rate Q2
· Turkey Imports/ Exports/ Balance of Trade (July)/ Economic Confidence Index (August)/ Foreign Exchange Reserves (August/22)
· Italy Business Confidence (August)/ Consumer Confidence (August)/ Industrial Sales (June)
· Slovenia Retail Sales (July)
· Greece Total Credit (July)
· Spain Business Confidence (August)
Middle East
Political/Social Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Economic & Financial Reports/Events –
· Saudi Arabia M3 Money Supply (July)/ Private Bank Lending (July)
Africa
Political/Social Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Economic & Financial Reports/Events –
· South Africa PPI (July)
· Egypt Interest Rate Decision/ Overnight Lending Rate
Friday, August 29, 2025
Global
· The UN Security Council is scheduled to hold a briefing on Haiti.
Americas
Political/Social Events –
· The United States will end the de minimis tariff exemption for small-value imported parcels under $800.
· Elon Musk faces a court deadline to answer a US Securities and Exchange Commission lawsuit over allegations he improperly benefited from a late disclosure of his purchases of shares of Twitter in 2022.
Economic & Financial Reports/Events –
· Brazil Gross Debt to GDP (July)/ Nominal Budget Balance (July)/ Unemployment Rate (July)
· Canada GDP Growth Rate Annualized Q2/ GDP Implicit Price Q2/ Budget Balance (June), Earnings: Laurentian Bank
· USA Core PCE Price Index (July)/ Personal Income (July)/ Personal Spending (July)/ Goods Trade Balance Adv (July)/ Wholesale Inventories (July)/ Chicago PMI (August)/ Michigan Consumer Sentiment Final/ Baker Hughes Total Rigs Count (August/29)
· Chile Copper Production (July)/ Industrial Production (July)/ Manufacturing Production (July)/ Retail Sales (July)/ Unemployment Rate (July)
· Colombia Unemployment Rate (July)/ Cement Production (July)
· Uruguay Balance of Trade (July)
· Mexico Fiscal Balance (July)
Asia
Political/Social Events –
· Thailand's Constitutional Court will rule on whether to remove Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra from her position over a leaked phone call with former Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, in which she referred to a Thai army commander as the "opposite side." In the wake of the leak, she was criticized for showing a lack of responsibility and integrity, as well as putting the country's sovereignty at risk.
· Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi travels to Japan for an annual summit with his counterpart, Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba. The two are seeking to bolster trade and security cooperation.
· Samoa holds parliamentary elections.
Economic & Financial Reports/Events –
· Chinese electric car manufacturer BYD releases quarterly earnings. Markets are watching closely to get a deeper sense of how intense the growing electric car sector is dealing with price competition hitting new levels. Also reporting today will be Alibaba, the Bank of China, China Construction Bank, the Agricultural Bank if China, ICBC, COSCO Shipping, China Eastern, and Air China.
· New Zealand ANZ Roy Morgan Consumer Confidence Index
· South Korea Industrial Production (July)/ Retail Sales (July)
· Japan Unemployment Rate (July)/ Jobs/applications ratio (July)/ Tokyo CPI (August)/ Retail Sales (July)/ Industrial Production (July)/ Consumer Confidence (August)/ Housing Starts (July)/ Construction Orders (July)
· Philippines Imports/ Exports/ Balance of Trade (July)/ PPI (July)
· Australia Housing Credit (July)/ Private Sector Credit (July)
· Singapore Bank Lending (July)/ Import Prices (July)/ Export Prices (July)/ PPI (July)
· Thailand Industrial Production (July)/ Current Account (July)/ Private Consumption (July)/ Private Investment (July)/ Retail Sales (June)
· Kazakhstan Interest Rate Decision
· Malaysia M3 Money Supply (July)
· Sri Lanka Inflation Rate (August)/ PPI (July)/ Balance of Trade (July)
· India Government Budget Value (July)/ Bank Loan Growth (August/15)/ Deposit Growth (August/15)/ Foreign Exchange Reserves (August/22)/ GDP Growth Rate Q2
Europe
Political/Social Events –
· President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz will attend the 25th Franco-German Council of Ministers in Berlin, Germany. It is expected that the two countries will discuss joint defense projects and trade negotiations.
· There will be an informal meeting of EU Foreign Affairs Ministers in Gymnich, Germany, from August 30.
· Ukraine Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha will visit Slovenia for bilateral talks.
· Today is the anniversary of the Slovak National Uprising, which took place in 1944 against the Nazis.
Economic & Financial Reports/Events –
· European Central Bank Board Member Luis de Guindos will deliver remarks at the Crusos Europeos de Verano in Pamplona, Spain.
· Great Britain Car Production (July)
· Germany Retail Sales (July)/ Import Prices (July)/ Unemployed Persons (August)/ Unemployment Change (August)/ Unemployment Rate (August)/ Baden Wuerttemberg CPI (August)/ Bavaria CPI (August)/ Brandenburg CPI (August)/ Hesse CPI (August)/ North Rhine Westphalia CPI (August)/ Saxony CPI (August)/ Inflation Rate (August)
· Romania Unemployment Rate (July)
· Great Britain Nationwide Housing Prices (August)
· Hungary Balance of Trade (July)
· France Inflation Rate (August)/ GDP Growth Rate Q2/ Household Consumption (July)/ Non-Farm Payrolls Q2/ PPI (July)
· Spain Inflation Rate (August)/ Retail Sales (July)/ Current Account (June)
· Switzerland KOF Leading Indicators (August)
· Turkey Unemployment Rate (July)/ Participation Rate (July)
· Euro Area ECB Consumer Inflation Expectations/ ECB Guindos Speech
· Italy GDP Growth Rate Q2/ Inflation Rate (August)
· Poland Inflation Rate (August)
· Slovenia Inflation Rate (August)
· Greece PPI (July)/ Retail Sales (June)
· Ireland Retail Sales (July)
· Serbia Balance of Trade (July)/ Industrial Production (July)/ Retail Sales (July)/ Unemployment Rate Q2
· Ukraine Current Account (July)
· Russia M2 Money Supply (July)
Middle East
Political/Social Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Economic & Financial Reports/Events –
· Israel Composite Economic Index (July)
Africa
Political/Social Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Economic & Financial Reports/Events –
· South Africa M3 Money Supply (July)/ Private Sector Credit (July)/ Balance of Trade (July)/ Budget Balance (July)
· Nigeria Foreign Exchange Reserves (August)
· Kenya Inflation Rate (August)
Saturday, August 30, 2025
Global
· Nothing significant to report.
Americas
Political/Social Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Economic & Financial Reports/Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Asia
Political/Social Events –
· Today is Popular Consultation Day in East Timor, commemorating the referendum that took place in 1999, giving the island nation greater autonomy from Indonesia.
Economic & Financial Reports/Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Europe
Political/Social Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Economic& Financial Reports/Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Middle East
Political/Social Events –
· Today is Turkey Victory Day, also known as Turkish Armed Forces Day. It celebrates Turkey’s victory over the Greeks in 1922 at the Battle of Dumlupinar.
Economic & Financial Reports/Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Africa
Political/Social Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Economic & Financial Reports/Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Sunday, August 31, 2025
Global
· Nothing significant to report.
Americas
Political/Social Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Economic & Financial Reports/Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Asia
Political/Social Events –
· The Shanghai Cooperation Organization Summit begins in Tianjin, China, hosted by Chinese President Xi Jinping. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin are expected to attend.
· Today is Kyrgyzstan Independence Day.
Economic & Financial Reports/Events –
· China NBS Manufacturing PMI (August)/ NBS Non-Manufacturing PMI (August)/ NBS General PMI (August)
Europe
Political/Social Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Economic & Financial Reports/Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Middle East
Political/Social Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Economic & Financial Reports/Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Africa
Political/Social Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Economic & Financial Reports/Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
U.S. Financial Regulatory Week Ahead
The Treasury Deputy Secretary Quits, A Fed Governor May Be About to Be Fired, The SEC Gets a Marine, Fed Governor Waller Will Give a Speech, and Otherwise, It’s a Dead Quiet Week Ahead
August 25 - 29, 2025
The Washington Augusts of years past no longer exist – remember those days of high temperatures and sauna-like humidity, a tomb-quiet downtown, long weekends at the beach, and no major news headlines?
As this past week showed, those days are gone as this past week showed. In the last five days, we saw the Deputy Secretary of the Treasury, Michael Faulkender, unexpectedly resign after five months on the job, a well-respected Federal Reserve Governor, Lisa Cook, facing a pretty good chance of being fired by President Trump for cause (supposed mortgage fraud after Federal Housing Finance Agency Director Bill Pulte somehow came across the documents and sent them to the Justice Department), and the Securities and Exchange Commission got a new Director of Enforcement, Meg Ryan, who is a former senior U.S. Marine Corps Judge Advocate (which my late father, who was a US Marine Corps Colonel, would surely shout “Oorah!” at the news of her appointment.)
We suspect there will be a legal battle over whether President Trump can actually fire Fed Governor Cook, but it is also likely to be a messy fight as she will have to explain how she listed two separate properties as her primary residence on two separate mortgage applications submitted 15 days apart.
We are not quite sure why Deputy Secretary Faulkender is stepping down, but it leaves Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent with the top three roles either empty or with staff serving in acting roles (the Senate has not yet confirmed anyone to serve as Undersecretary for International Affairs or Undersecretary for Domestic Finance).
Looking at the week ahead, Federal Reserve Governor Christopher Waller will be giving a speech in Miami on the economic outlook, CFTC Acting Chair Caroline Pham is giving a couple of speeches in Tokyo, and the SEC will be holding a Closed Meeting. That’s it. So – theoretically – it should be a very quiet week ahead. But considering how the first three weeks of August have gone, we would not bet on it.
But here’s to hoping for a quiet week ahead, heading into the Labor Day weekend, the end of summer, and the return of Congress on September 2nd. Please let us know if you have any questions.
U.S. Congressional Hearings
U.S. Senate
· The Senate is out of session for the August recess and will return on September 2.
House of Representatives
· The House is out of session for the August recess and will return on September 2.
Federal Department & Regulatory Agency Meetings & Events
Federal Reserve Board and Federal Reserve Banks
· Thursday, August 28, 6:00 p.m. – Federal Reserve Board Governor Christopher J. Waller will give a speech on the economic outlook at the Economic Club of Miami Dinner, Miami, Fla.
U.S. Treasury Department
· There are no significant events scheduled at this time.
Department of Commerce
· There are no significant events scheduled at this time.
Department of Housing and Urban Development
· There are no significant events scheduled at this time.
Securities and Exchange Commission
Thursday, August 28, 2:00 p.m. – The SEC will hold a Closed Meeting.
Commodities Futures Trading Commission
· Tuesday, August 26, 12:55 p.m. (Tokyo) – CFTC Acting Chairman Caroline D. Pham will speak on “Writing the Rules for Cross-Border Web3: Regulatory Framework for Global Digital Assets” and then later participate in a fireside chat, “The Regulatory Reset: America's New Framework for Digital Assets” at Asia’s Leading Web3 Conference.
· Wednesday, August 27, 2:00 p.m. (Tokyo) – CFTC Acting Chairman Caroline D. Pham will speak on “How to Shape the Regulations & Policies for the Next Era of Web3” at the Blockchain Leaders’ Summit Tokyo 2025.
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation
· There are no significant events scheduled at this time.
Office of the Comptroller of the Currency
· There are no significant events scheduled at this time.
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
· There are no significant events scheduled at this time.
FINRA
· There are no significant events scheduled at this time.
National Credit Union Administration
· There are no significant events scheduled at this time.
Federal Trade Commission & Department of Justice Antitrust Division
· There are no significant events scheduled at this time.
Farm Credit Administration
· There are no significant events scheduled at this time.
Farm Credit System Insurance Corporation
· There are no significant events scheduled at this time.
International Monetary Fund & World Bank
· There are no significant events scheduled at this time.
North American Securities Administrators Association
· There are no significant events scheduled at this time.
Small Business Administration
· There are no significant events scheduled at this time.
Trade Associations & Think Tank Events
Trade Associations
· There are no significant events scheduled at this time.
Think Tanks and Other Events
· There are no significant events scheduled at this time.
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