THE EDGE INSIGHTS
Latest Economic Insights
Independent economic analysis and market intelligence on regional and global trends.
Trump’s Proposed $250 Banknote Faces Legal and Historical Barriers
A proposal to issue a $250 US banknote featuring Donald Trump, tied to the 250th anniversary of US independence and linked to…
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Anthropic Nears $1 Trillion Valuation as AI Funding Race Accelerates
Anthropic has reportedly reached a $965 billion post-money valuation after a $65 billion funding round — up from ~$380 billion in February…
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Kuwait Ratings Hold Firm Despite Hormuz Shock
Kuwait’s sovereign ratings remain firmly anchored — S&P at AA-/A-1+ and Moody’s at A1 (both stable, 22 May 2026), Fitch at AA-/stable…
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Markets React to US-Iran Ceasefire Hopes as Oil Slips, Dollar Weakens and Gold Rebounds
Brent slipped 0.2% to ~$94.07 and WTI held near $88.68, the US Dollar Index eased 0.29% to 99.02, and gold rebounded ~1.02%…
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US PCE Inflation Hits Highest Level Since 2023 as Growth Slows
US headline PCE inflation rose to 3.8% year-on-year in April 2026 (core +3.3%), real consumer spending grew just 0.1%, the personal saving…
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IEA: Energy Investment Rises as Oil Spending Falls
Global energy investment is set to reach $3.4 trillion in 2026 (+~5% y/y), with oil spending falling below $500 billion for a…
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Hong Kong Overtakes Switzerland as World’s Top Wealth Booking Center
Hong Kong narrowly overtook Switzerland as the world’s largest cross-border wealth booking center in 2025, reaching about $2.95 trillion versus Switzerland’s $2.94…
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Abu Dhabi Wealth Funds Raise Billions Through Share Sales
Abu Dhabi’s sovereign wealth funds Mubadala and ADIA are raising billions through targeted share sales — including GlobalFoundries, Medline and the INNIO…
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Kuwait Consumer Spending Reaches KD 3.31 Billion in April 2026
Kuwait consumer spending reached KD 3.31 billion in April 2026, with non-cash channels making up 80.2% of the total as Point of…
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UK Energy Price Cap Rises 13% as Iran War Lifts Gas Costs
UK households are set to face another rise in energy bills from July, as global gas market volatility feeds directly into domestic…
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Russian Crude Exports Hit 2026 High as Hormuz Disruption Reshapes Oil Flows
Russian crude exports are moving close to their highest levels of 2026 as disruption around the Strait of Hormuz reshapes global oil…
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US Tariff Refunds Reach USD 20.6 Billion as Importers Face Processing Bottlenecks
US tariff refunds are entering a major operational phase, with around USD 20.6 billion moving toward disbursal to importers that successfully filed…
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- The Week Ahead: The Federal Reserve Decides on 29 July, US Growth and Inflation Data Land, and the Megacap Technology Earnings Peak
- Commodities Wrap 1 July: Precious Metals Rebound as Oil Drops Below US$70
- Market Wrap US-Europe 2 July: Dow Hits a Record and Europe Rallies as Soft US Jobs Data Reset Rate Expectations
- Market Wrap US-Europe 30 June: Wall Street Extends Gains and Europe Rises to Close the First Half
- Market Wrap US-Europe 1 July: Wall Street and Europe Slip to Start the Second Half as Warsh Keeps a Firm Line on Inflation