In The News

Joseph Goldstein October 22, 2018
A 26-year-old Kenyan working for a Chinese motorcycle company in Ruiru recorded a viral video of his Chinese manager airing frustration after a business deal had gone awry, comparing Kenyans to monkies. After the video drew widespread condemnation, Liu was deported back to China. Such incidents are not a rare occurrence. “Today, many younger Kenyans say that racism is a phenomenon they largely...
Don Jergler October 18, 2018
The UN Intercontinental Panel on Climate Change has issued a report on the ongoing risks of droughts, floods, wildfires and storms due to climate change. Corporations already prepare, and the insurance industry must worry both about property damage and coverage as well as an abrupt end to investments in the carbon economy as public opinion tends to shift quickly on such matters. “Institutional...
Laura Mallonee August 15, 2018
Nairobi is home to more than 200 startups as well as established firms like Intel and Microsoft, reports Laura Mallonee for Wired. Photographs by Janek Stroisch show young adults at work alone on computers and with teams surrounded by gadgets, wires and equipment, all reminiscent of scenes from Silicon Valley in California. Mallonee notes the “the problems are a little different,” describing...
Ayla Jean Yackley and Demetri Sevastopulo August 10, 2018
Turkey’s currency is falling against the dollar even as the US president threatens more tariffs – 20 percent on aluminum and 50 percent on steel. Turkey’s president calls the actions “economic war.” Turkey, like the United States, is among the top 10 countries that produce steel. The lira’s fall “ricocheted into Turkey’s bond market, sending the yield on the local currency 10-year bond above 20...
August 8, 2018
As the intra-Maghreb rivalry continues unabated, Morocco cultivates ties with sub-Saharan neighbors. King Mohammed VI has visited 14 African nations since October 2016. A recent article for the Economist notes: “Like their king, Moroccan companies are also lavishing attention on west Africa. The African Development Bank estimates that 85% of Morocco’s outward foreign direct investment (FDI) goes...
James Mackintosh July 6, 2018
Uncertainty is disrupting global markets and increasing volatility, and investors are becoming more cautious about riskier investments including emerging markets, bonds and investments associated with countries running high levels of debt, with Chinese stocks down 20 percent, and unconventional investments like bitcoin. In turn, some bank stocks and commodities are under pressure. The many trends...
Edward White, Hudson Lockett and Michael Hunter June 19, 2018
Stock markets worldwide are in decline as trade threats between the United States and China escalate. The US economy is strong, and the Trump administration’s goal is to reduce the US trade deficit with China. Trump promised $200 billion more in tariffs if China does not drop its most recent retaliatory move. The administration tries to target China but the sell-off throughout Asia reflects a...