As Police Struggle With Enraged Protestors, Sri Lanka’s President Announces A State Of Emergency

Sri Lanka’s president proclaimed a state of emergency in the island nation on Friday, a day after angry protestors demanded his resignation near his home and as plans were being prepared for a nationwide rally over the country’s worst economic crisis in recent memory. President Gotabaya Rajapaksa used parts of the Public Security Ordinance to…

Rationing Of Gas Is Being Considered In Germany And Austria

Germany and Austria have activated emergency plans in the event of a gas supply disruption due to a payment dispute with Russia. From March 31, Russia demanded that “unfriendly” countries pay for its gas in roubles, but the EU, which primarily pays in euros, rejected the proposal. Moscow appeared to soften its stance later, indicating…

Saudi Arabia’s Energy Minister Claims That The OPEC+ Oil Cartel Will Keep Politics Out Of Output Decisions

OPEC+ will keep politics out of its decision-making, according to Saudi Arabia’s oil minister, in favour of the “common good” of stabilizing energy prices. Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, governments and international organisations around the world imposed punitive sanctions and severed economic ties with the country, but OPEC — the intergovernmental organisation of 13 oil…

Chip Industry Under Peril As Neon Production Projected To Plummet Due to Ukraine Crisis

Russia’s war in Ukraine may cause neon production, a vital gas in sophisticated semiconductor manufacturing, to plummet to alarmingly low levels at a time when the world is already facing a chip scarcity. Neon is necessary for lasers used in lithography, a chip manufacturing technique in which machines cut patterns onto tiny wafers of silicon…

Russia Is Considering Accepting Bitcoin In Exchange For Oil And Gas

According to a high-ranking politician, Russia is considering accepting Bitcoin as payment for its oil and gas exports. According to Pavel Zavalny, “friendly” countries may be permitted to pay in cryptocurrency or local currency. Earlier this week, Russian President Vladimir Putin stated that he would like “unfriendly” countries to purchase Russian gas in roubles. The…

Clients Implore Top Custodian Banks To Remain Back In Russia

Global banks such as Citigroup Inc, JPMorgan Chase & Co, and Societe Generale are under pressure from rivals and funds to commit to remaining as custodian banks in Russia, as rivals and funds fear losing services vital to future investment in the nation. Three other financial institutions’ traders, bankers, and executives told Reuters they were…

Trade Talks At The WTO Are In Turmoil Due To Tensions In Ukraine: Reports 

According to trade sources quoted in media reports, Western countries are declining to interact with Russia at the World Trade Organization (WTO) in Geneva in a coordinated strategy that has already stalled discussions in a variety of sectors. The invasion of Ukraine by Russia, followed by economic isolation as a result of Western sanctions, is…

China Will Support Foreign Ipos Of Chinese Firms And Calls For End To Tech Crackdown

On Wednesday, China signalled its support for Chinese companies, following days of fears that the United States will delist them, sending stock prices in New York and Hong Kong down. Chinese and American regulators are working on a strategy to cooperate on Chinese equities listed in the United States, according to state media, citing a…

Germany Will Accelerate Measures To Reduce Dependence On Russian Gas

Germany will follow through on plans to develop two LNG terminals and increase natural gas reserves to reduce its reliance on Russian gas following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, according to Chancellor Olaf Scholz. “We will do more to ensure secure energy supply for our country,” he told lawmakers in a special Bundestag session called to…