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US Markets, Dollar Continue Slide, Speculation of Next Pope Begins and Gaza Restrictions Increase Andrew Sheves Good morning, Three headlines to start your day 🔻 US Market Fall Resumes Amid Trump-Fed Tensions After the long weekend, US markets slumped Monday with the S&P 500 and other major indexes dropping around 2.5% as President Trump criticized Fed Chair Powell over interest rates. The dollar weakened to a 15-month low while gold surged above $3,400 an ounce amid growing investor concerns about Fed independence and global trade tensions. More - Bloomberg ...

Ratings rundown Andrew Sheves Happy Monday. It’s just the ratings today but the full report is back tomorrow 🇦🇫 Afghanistan is Unstable 🇦🇱 Albania is Weak 🇩🇿 Algeria is Weak 🇦🇩 Andorra is Stable 🇦🇴 Angola is Weak 🇦🇬 Antigua and Barbuda is Stable 🇦🇷 Argentina is Weak 🇦🇲 Armenia is Weak 🇦🇺 Australia is Stable 🇦🇹 Austria is Stable 🇦🇿 Azerbaijan is Weak 🇧🇭 Bahrain is Weak 🇧🇩 Bangladesh is Weak ...

Happy Easter 🐣 Andrew Sheves Good morning. I’m taking a couple of days off for easter weekend, so it will just be the ratings and summaries today and on Monday. Headlines and weekend diversions will return next week. Africa Stability Ratings and News Summary More Unstable 🇩🇿 Algeria, 🇦🇴 Angola, 🇧🇯 Benin, 🇧🇫 Burkina Faso, 🇧🇮 Burundi, 🇨🇲 Cameroon, 🇨🇫 Central African Republic, 🇹🇩 Chad, 🇰🇲 Comoros, 🇨🇩 Democratic Republic Of The Congo, 🇩🇯 Djibouti, 🇬🇶 Equatorial Guinea, 🇪🇷 Eritrea, 🇸🇿 Eswatini, 🇪🇹 Ethiopia, 🇬🇦 Gabon, 🇬🇭 Ghana, 🇬🇳 Guinea, 🇬🇼 Guinea-Bissau, 🇨🇮 Ivory Coast, 🇰🇪 Kenya, 🇱🇷 Liberia, 🇲🇬 Madagascar, 🇲🇼 Malawi, 🇲🇱 Mali, 🇲🇷 Mauritania, 🇲🇦 Morocco, 🇲🇿 Mozambique, 🇳🇪 Niger, 🇳🇬 Nigeria, 🇨🇬 Republic of the Congo, 🇷🇼 Rwanda, 🇸🇱 Sierra Leone, 🇸🇴 Somalia, 🇿🇦 South Africa, 🇸🇸 South Sudan, 🇸🇩 Sudan, 🇹🇿 Tanzania, 🇬🇲 The Gambia, 🇹🇬 Togo, 🇺🇬 Uganda, 🇪🇭 Western Sahara, 🇿🇲 Zambia, 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe ...

US Stock Plunge After Fed Warning, US-Iran Talks to Continue Saturday Andrew Sheves Good morning. 🔻** US Stocks Plunge After Fed Warning** US markets plunged Wednesday as Powell warned of inflation risks from trade tensions and the Trump administration restricted chip exports to China. Nvidia fell 6.9% facing $5.5 billion in charges while AMD dropped 7.4%, expecting an $800 million writedown, after both companies’ advanced chips were barred from China. The selloff deepened during Powell’s Chicago speech, with the S&P 500 closing down 2.2% and the semiconductor index dropping 4.1%. More - Bloomberg ...

New Chinese Trade Negotiator and Israel Increases Pressure on Gaza Andrew Sheves Good morning. 🇨🇳 China Names New Trade Negotiator Amid Tariff War with US China has appointed Li Chenggang, former assistant commerce minister and WTO ambassador, to replace veteran negotiator Wang Shouwen as its key trade envoy amid escalating tensions with the United States. The surprise move comes as Beijing faces the impact of Trump’s increased tariffs, which recently jumped from 10% to 145%, with China retaliating by raising duties on US goods to 125%. Despite reporting better-than-expected first-quarter GDP growth of 5.4%, Chinese officials warned of economic challenges ahead as the tariffs begin to affect exports. A Chinese official criticized the US approach as “tariff barriers and trade bullying” that “violates economic laws” and “has a serious impact on the world economic order.” More - BBC ...

Diplomats’ Expulsion Increases Algeria-French Tensions Andrew Sheves Good morning, One quick headline this morning 🇩🇿** Diplomats’ Expulsion Increases Algeria-French Tensions** Algeria has ordered 12 French embassy officials to leave the country within 48 hours, escalating diplomatic tensions between the two nations. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot linked the expulsions to Friday’s indictment of three Algerians in Paris, including a consular official accused of involvement in the 2024 abduction of Amir Boukhors, a prominent government critic with over one million online followers. The diplomatic row threatens to derail recent reconciliation efforts between the countries, with Barrot warning that France would “respond immediately” if Algeria proceeds with the expulsions. This incident follows several others straining French-Algerian relations, including Algeria’s previous ambassador recall after France supported Morocco’s claim to Western Sahara. More - BBC ...

New President in Gabon, 30+ Killed in Russian Missile Strike in Ukraine and Israel Hits Gaza’s Last Hospital. Andrew Sheves Happy Monday. 🇬🇦 Gabon Coup Leader Wins Presidency General Brice Oligui Nguema has won Gabon’s presidential election with an overwhelming 90.4% of votes, solidifying his grip on power nearly two years after overthrowing his cousin Ali Bongo. Campaigning on promises to reduce youth unemployment through economic diversification beyond oil dependency, Nguema has pledged to grow GDP by 7% annually while adding domestic value to the country’s natural resources. Despite his promises to attract foreign investment, Nguema has taken steps to increase state control over the economy, including using preemptive rights to block the sale of Assala Energy and taking controlling stakes in timber operations. Investors remain concerned about Gabon’s widening budget deficit, which the IMF expects to reach 6.5% of GDP this year with public debt climbing to 80% of GDP. More - Bloomberg ...

Gaza Buffer Zones Expand, US Markets Resume Losses Andrew Sheves Good morning. Two quick headlines before you head into the weekend. 🇵🇸** Israel Expands Gaza Buffer Zones** Israel will expand its “security zones” in Gaza to include Rafah and surrounding areas, according to Defense Minister Israel Katz during a visit to troops deployed between Rafah and Khan Younis. Katz stated the military is deliberately leaving Gaza “smaller” and “more isolated” to pressure Hamas into releasing the remaining hostages, adding that “all of Rafah will be evacuated and turned into a security area.” The UN reports that approximately two-thirds of Gaza is now designated as “no-go” zones or under evacuation orders since Israel resumed its offensive in March, with 390,000 Palestinians displaced once again and humanitarian aid deliveries blocked since March 2. More - BBC ...

Chinese Troops in Ukraine, Tariffs Pause (For Some…) Andrew Sheves Good morning. 🇨🇳** Chinese Soldiers Captured in Ukraine** Ukraine has captured two Chinese nationals fighting for Russia in the Donetsk region, with President Zelensky claiming intelligence suggests “much higher” numbers of Chinese soldiers in Russia’s forces. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha summoned China’s envoy in Kyiv, stating that Chinese troops on Ukrainian soil “puts into question China’s declared stance for peace.” Beijing responded it was “verifying the relevant situation” while calling Ukraine’s accusation of additional Chinese involvement “groundless,” maintaining that it consistently urges its citizens to avoid armed conflicts. More - BBC ...

UN chief Condemns Gaza Blockade and Dozens Killed in Dominican Republic Nightclub Accident Andrew Sheves Good morning. 🇵🇸** UN Chief Condemns Gaza Blockade** UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has denounced Israel’s month-long aid blockade of Gaza, calling the territory “a killing field” where “civilians are in an endless death loop.” Guterres rejected Israel’s proposal to control aid deliveries, stating the UN “will not participate in any arrangement that does not fully respect humanitarian principles.” During a visit to El Arish, French President Emmanuel Macron joined Egypt’s President el-Sisi and Jordan’s King Abdullah II in calling for an immediate return to a ceasefire as humanitarian conditions deteriorate for Gaza’s 2.3 million residents. More - Aljazeera ...