Fulcrum Perspectives
An interactive blog sharing the Fulcrum team's policy updates and analysis.
U.S. Financial Regulatory Week Ahead
Will Congress Pass OBBBA By Independence Day? Otherwise, Washington Is Going To Be Very Quiet This Week
June 30 - July 4, 2025
It is Independence Day on Friday, and that means not much is happening this week in Washington, other than the massive, marathon wrestling match taking place in Congress to move forward with passage of The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA). President Trump has demanded that Congressional Republican leaders get a final package to his desk by July 4th for his signature. Will they do it? It is going to be close, but as of this writing, the Senate is about to vote on their bill and send it to the House. Our view is the House will ultimately take what the Senate sends them (or face the wrath of Trump). But it will be very close.
Otherwise, it will be a very quiet week in Washington, as none of the major regulators have any important meetings or policy speeches scheduled.
Looking at what happened last week, it was a busy one for the Federal Reserve. Fed Chair Jay Powell appeared before the House Financial Services Committee and then the Senate Banking Committee. Then the Fed published the results of the annual stress tests – all the major banks passed as expected. This came on the heels of the Fed, along with the FDIC, issuing a new proposal to modify the Enhanced Supplementary Leverage Ratio Standards. Additionally, the Fed announced it will hold a conference on large bank capital requirements on July 22.
Returning to Congress for a moment, we learned that the Senate will take up the GENIUS Act, creating a market structure for the cryptocurrency market, sometime in September when they return from the August recess. And speaking of crypto: the Federal Housing Finance Agency has directed the two mortgage giants, Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae, to develop proposals to consider a borrower’s crypto holdings as part of the underwriting process, which could be quite a shift for the housing market going forward.
We hope you have a wonderful 4th of July. And to our Canadian readers, we wish you a great Canada Day on Monday, as we celebrate our respective independence and liberty. Below are the very few events we could find happening this week in Washington among the regulators:
U.S. Congressional Hearings
U.S. Senate
· There are no hearings scheduled this week in advance of the Independence Day holiday.
House of Representatives
· There are no hearings scheduled this week in advance of the Independence Day holiday.
Federal Department & Regulatory Agency Meetings & Events
Federal Reserve Board and Federal Reserve Banks
· Monday, June 30, 8:00 a.m. – Atlanta Federal Reserve Bank President Raphael Bostic speaks on the economic outlook and monetary policy before an MNI Livestreamed Connect Video Conference.
· Tuesday, July 1, 9:30 a.m. GMT - Federal Reserve Board Chair Jay Powell participates on a policy panel at the European Central Bank Forum on Central Banking 2025 in Sintra, Portugal.
· Monday, June 30, 11:00 a.m. – Chicago Federal Reserve Bank President Austan Goolsbee participates in a moderated question-and-answer session before the Aspen Ideas Festival 2025.
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, July 3, 2:00 p.m. – The SEC will hold a Closed Meeting.
Commodities Futures Trading Commission
· Wednesday, July 2, 2:45 p.m. UK time – CFTC Acting Chair Caroline D. Pham will participate in a fireside chat titled "A view from over the pond: the CFTC’s role in regulating digital assets" at City & Financial GlobalX’s City Week 2025 in London.
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
· Monday, June 30, 2:00 a.m. – The FTC holds a Listening Session on Lowering Americans’ Drug Prices Through Competition at the FTC Headquarters.
Farm Credit Administration
· There are no significant events scheduled at this time.
Farm Credit 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, July 30 – The Institute for International Bankers holds its 2025 Tax Conference in New York.
Think Tanks and Other Events
· There are no significant events scheduled at this time.
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The Global Week Ahead
The BRICS Leaders’ Summit Is Held in Brazil, The Quad Foreign Ministers Meet in Washington, China’s Foreign Minister Travels to the EU, and the ECB Holds the European Central Bank Forum
June 29 - July 6, 2025
This coming Sunday, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (Lula) hosts the 17th BRICS Leaders’ Summit in Rio de Janeiro. The meeting will comprise most of the leadership of original member states – Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa – plus the leaders from five new members: Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. Nine other countries have been designated “partner countries,” and their leaders are likely to attend. Lula has set the theme of the Summit as “Strengthening Global South Cooperation for More Inclusive Sustainable Governance,” and he is expected to significantly address multiple challenges to Western political and economic dominance, including the dominance of the US dollar.
However, the likely outcomes of the Summit were cut down this past week when both Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin announced they were not attending. Xi said he had a “scheduling conflict,” and Putin is worried he could get arrested for war crimes he’s ordered in Ukraine. Not having these two at the Summit has already taken considerable energy out of the event.
Meanwhile, in Washington, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio hosts the foreign ministers of Australia, India, and Japan for a meeting of the QUAD (Quadrilateral Security Dialogue). The meeting could prove to be quite revealing about the future of relations between the US and the other QUAD members. It comes on the heels of the US canceling a meeting this coming week with the Japanese defense and foreign counterparts after senior US defense officials, led by Defense Undersecretary Elbridge Colby, demanded Japan massively boost its defense spending, much more than had been previously requested.
Colby also announced a review of the enormous joint project with Australia to build nuclear-powered submarines, a move which has angered Australian leadership.
Also in Washington this week, Congress continues to battle over President Trump’s signature legislation, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. As of this writing, the US Senate is expected to vote late Sunday or early Monday morning on the bill. The House is looking to vote on what the Senate sends them, either late Tuesday or Wednesday, meeting President Trump’s July 4th deadline.
We would also note that Canada celebrates Canada Day on Monday, and the US celebrates Independence Day on Friday. A wonderful week to celebrate independence and liberty!
Looking at the global financial markets this week, the big event markets are looking at is the European Central Bank’s (ECB) Forum on Central Banking 2025 being held in Portugal. We think of it as the European version of the annual Jackson Hole event the Fed hosts in August. The ECB Forum will have a lot of interesting speeches and panels. Fed Chair Jay Powell will be one of the participants and speakers.
Also this week, the ECB will be releasing the minutes from their last interest rate meeting this week, too. Staying in Europe, the major economic releases there this week include the Eurozone’s, Germany’s and Italy’s CPI prints are out this week. Germany also releases factor orders this week.
In Asia, China releases its latest PMI report as well as the Caixin indicators. Japan industrial production for May is out this week, along with the Bank of Japan’s Q2 Tankan Survey.
Bringing it back to the US, the June jobs report is out Thursday after the JOLTS report is released Tuesday and the ADP report on Wednesday. Also out this week is the June ISM indices on Tuesday and international trade balance and factory orders for May on Thursday.
Below are all the other major geopolitical and geoeconomic events we are tracking this coming week:
Sunday, June 29, 2025
Global
· Nothing significant to report.
Americas
Political/Social Events –
· Chile’s ruling left-wing voters head to the polls to select their candidate for president for the upcoming November elections.
Economic Reports/Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Asia
Political/Social Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Economic Reports/Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Europe
Political/Social Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Economic Reports/Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Middle East
Political/Social Events –
Nothing significant to report.
Economic Reports/Events –
· Saudi Arabia Unemployment Rate Q1/M3 Money Supply (May)/Private Lending (May)
Africa
Political/Social Events –
· Today is Seychelles Independence Day, a public holiday.
Economic Reports/Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Monday, June 30, 2025
Global
· The UN 4th International Conference on Financing for Development begins in Sevilla, Spain and runs through July 3.
· The BRICS 34d Sherpas Meeting takes in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil through July 4 in advance of the upcoming BRICS Leaders Meeting which begins on Sunday, July 6.
· The UN Security Council is scheduled to hold a vote related to the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) and also, to the Democratic Republic of the Congo sanctions. Also in the morning, the Security Council is scheduled to hold a briefing, followed by consultations, on the Middle East (regarding the Golan Heights).
· The World Trade Organization Trade and Environment Week conference begins in Geneva, Switzerland.
Americas
Political/Social Events –
· Thailand will have a trade team in Washington to negotiate a trade deal with the US.
Economic Reports/Events –
· Atlanta Federal Reserve Bank President Raphael Bostic speaks on the economic outlook and monetary policy before an MNI Livestreamed Connect Video Conference.
· Chicago Federal Reserve Bank President Austan Goolsbee participates in a moderated question-and-answer session before the Aspen Ideas Festival 2025.
· Brazil Gross Debt to GDP (May)/ Nominal Budget Balance (May)/ BCB Focus Market Readout
· Chile Copper Production (May)/ Industrial Production (May)/ Manufacturing Production (May)/ Retail Sales (May)/ Unemployment Rate (May)
· USA Chicago PMI (June)/ Dallas Fed Manufacturing Index (June)/ Quarterly Grain Stocks - Corn/ Soy/ Wheat (June)/
· Uruguay Balance of Trade (May)
· Argentina Economic Activity (April)
· Costa Rica Current Account Q1
· Mexico Fiscal Balance (May)
Asia
Political/Social Events –
· Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi begin a visit to Europe where he will hold bilateral meetings in Brussels with EU officials and take part in the 13th round of China-EU High-Level Strategic Dialogue, then Germany, and finally in France.
Economic Reports/Events –
· South Korea Industrial Production (May)/ Retail Sales (May)
· Japan Industrial Production (May)/ Housing Starts (May)/ Construction Orders (May)
· Australia TD-MI Inflation Gauge (June)/ Housing Credit (May)/ Private Sector Credit (May)/ Totality Dwelling Prices (June)
· New Zealand ANZ Business Confidence (June)
· China NBS General/ Non-Manufacturing/ Manufacturing PMI (June)
· Thailand Industrial Production (May)/ Current Account (May)/ Private Consumption & Investment (May)/ Retail Sales (April)
· Malaysia M3 Money Supply (May)
· Sri Lanka Inflation Rate (June)/ Unemployment Rate Q4
· India Industrial Production (May)/ Manufacturing Production (May)/Government Budget Value (May)/ Current Account Q1/ External Debt Q1
Europe
Political/Social Events –
· Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov visits Kyrgyzstan for bilateral meetings.
· The 15th City Week 2025 conference begins in London and runs through July 2. The event is organized in partnership with the UK Government, the City of London Corporation, TheCity UK, UK Finance and leading City institutions.
· The Wimbledon tennis tournament begins in London.
Economic Reports/Events –
· The European Central Bank hosts the European Central Bank Forum on Central Banking 2025 in Sintra, Portugal. There are multiple panels and speeches scheduled for the conference which runs through Wednesday.
· European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde gives the introductory speech at the opening reception of ECB Forum on Central Banking 2025 "Adapting to change: macroeconomic shifts and policy responses" in Sintra, Portugal.
· European Central Bank Board Member Luis de Guindos gives remarks at a conference organized by Instituto Atlántico de Gobierno (IADG) in Madrid, Spain.
· Germany Retail Sales (May)/ Import Prices (May)/ Baden Wuerttemberg CPI (June)/ Bavaria CPI (June)/ Brandenburg CPI (June)/ Hesse CPI (June)/ North Rhine Westphalia CPI (June)/ Saxony CPI (June)/ Inflation Rate (June)
· Great Britain Current Account Q1/ Business Investment Q1/ GDP Growth Rate Q1/ BoE Consumer Credit (May)/ Mortgage Approvals & Lending (May)/ M4 Money Supply (May)/ Net Lending to Individuals (May)
· Hungary PPI (May)
· Switzerland KOF Leading Indicators (June)
· Turkey Imports/ Exports/ Balance of Trade (May)/ Unemployment Rate (May)/ Participation Rate (May)
· Euro Area Loans to Companies & Households (May)/ M3 Money Supply (May)/ ECB Consumer Inflation Expectations (June)/ ECB Forum on Central Banking/ ECB Forum on Central Banking
· Poland Inflation Rate (June)
· Spain Current Account (April)
· Slovenia Inflation Rate (June)
· Greece PPI (May)/ Retail Sales (April)/ Total Credit (May)
· Italy Inflation Rate (June)
· Ireland Retail Sales (May)
· Serbia Balance of Trade (May)/ Industrial Production (May)/ Retail Sales (May)
· Russia M2 Money Supply (May)
Middle East
Political/Social Events –
· The Lebanese Parliament commences a new legislative session.
Economic Reports/Events –
· Israel Composite Economic Index (May)/ Manufacturing PMI (April)
Africa
Political/Social Events –
· In Abuja, Nigeria the 24th annual NOG Sub Saharan Energy Sector Conference takes place through July 3.
Economic Reports/Events –
· South Africa M3 Money Supply (May)/ Private Sector Credit (May)/ Balance of Trade (May)/ Budget Balance (May)
· Nigeria GDP Growth Rate Q1
· Egypt M2 Money Supply (May)
· Kenya Inflation Rate (June)
Tuesday, July 1, 2025
Global
· Pakistan takes the chair of the UN Security Council for the month of July.
Americas
Political/Social Events –
· US Secretary of State Marco Rubio hosts the Quad Foreign Ministers in Washington. The foreign ministers of Australia, India, and Japan will discuss mutual security issues.
· Today is Canada Day, a national holiday. Markets are closed.
· In New York City, Democratic Mayoral candidate is expected to be declared the final winner of the Democratic mayoral primary.
· Today is “Ketikoti” – Emancipation Day – in Suriname celebrating when slaver was abolished.
· Today is Territory Day in the British Virgin Islands, a national holiday.
Economic Reports/Events –
· Federal Reserve Board Chair Jay Powell participates on a policy panel at the European Central Bank Forum on Central Banking 2025 in Sintra, Portugal.
· Mexico Foreign Exchange Reserves (June)/ Business Confidence (June)/ S&P Global Manufacturing PMI (June)
· Chile IMACEC Economic Activity (May)
· USA Redbook (June/28)/S&P Global Manufacturing PMI (June)/ ISM Manufacturing PMI (June)/ JOLTs Job Openings (May)/ ISM Manufacturing Employment (June)/ ISM Manufacturing New Orders (June)/ ISM Manufacturing Prices (June)/ Construction Spending (May)/ JOLTs Job Quits (May)/ RCM/TIPP Economic Optimism Index/ Dallas Fed Services Index (June)/ API Crude Oil Stock Change (June/27)/ LMI Logistics Managers Index (June)/ LMI Logistics Managers Index (June)
· Brazil S&P Global Manufacturing PMI (June)
· Colombia Davivienda Manufacturing PMI (June)
· Uruguay Unemployment Rate (May)/ Interest Rate Decision
· Argentina Tax Revenue (June)
· Peru Inflation Rate (June)
Asia
Political/Social Events –
· Vietnam will cut the number of provinces and cities to 34 from 63, in the country's biggest reform in nearly four decades. The government is aiming to increase efficiency, cut costs and reduce the number of civil servants across government bodies as it seeks to streamline the state apparatus and boost growth.
· Today in China is Founding Day of the Chinese Communist Party.
· Today is Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Establishment Day, the anniversary marking when the UK handed the island back to China.
Economic Reports/Events –
· New Zealand NZIER Business Confidence Q2/ NZIER Capacity Utilization Q2/ Building Permits (May)/ Global Dairy Trade Price Index (July)
· Australia S&P Global Manufacturing PMI/ Commodity Prices (June)
· Japan Tankan Large Manufacturers Index Q2/ Tankan Large All Industry Capex Q2/ Tankan Large Manufacturing/ Non-Manufacturing/ Small Outlook and Index Q2/ Jibun Bank Manufacturing PMI/ Consumer Confidence (June)
· South Korea Exports/ Imports/ Balance of Trade (June)/ S&P Global Manufacturing PMI (June)
· Indonesia S&P Global Manufacturing PMI (June)/ Imports/ Exports/ Balance of Trade (May)/ Inflation Rate (June)/ Tourist Arrivals (May)
· Malaysia S&P Global Manufacturing PMI (June)
· Philippines S&P Global Manufacturing PMI (June)/ Business Confidence Q2
· Taiwan S&P Global Manufacturing PMI (June)
· Thailand S&P Global Manufacturing PMI (June)
· Vietnam S&P Global Manufacturing PMI (June)
· Singapore URA Property Index Q2/ Bank Lending (May)
· China Caixin Manufacturing PMI (June)
· India HSBC Manufacturing PMI (June)
· Kazakhstan Inflation Rate (June)
· Pakistan Inflation Rate (June)/ Wholesale Prices (June)
· Sri Lanka Current Account Q1
Europe
Political/Social Events –
· The British Parliament is expected to hold a highly contentious vote on welfare reform.
· Denmark takes up the EU presidency for the next six months.
· In Russia, a country-wide increase of energy, gas, water and heating supply prices for households.
· European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen participates in a Strategic Dialogue with the World Economic Forum and global business leaders in Brussels.
· German Chancellor Friedrich Merz receives Luxembourg's Prime Minister Luc Frieden with military honors followed by a press conference
Economic Reports/Events –
· Bank of England Governor Andrew Bailey begins a the new 3-year chair of the Financial Stability Board.
· Bank of England Executive Director for Payments Victoria Cleland gives a keynote address at City Week 2025.
· Ireland AIB Manufacturing PMI (June)
· Russia S&P Global Manufacturing PMI (June)
· Great Britain Nationwide Housing Prices (June)/ S&P Global Manufacturing PMI (June)/ Green Gilt 2053
· Hungary Balance of Trade (May)/ HALPIM Manufacturing PMI (June)
· Switzerland Retail Sales (May)/ procure.ch Manufacturing PMI (June)
· Poland S&P Global Manufacturing PMI (June)
· Turkey Istanbul Chamber of Industry Manufacturing (June)
· Spain HCOB Manufacturing PMI (June)/ New Car Sales (June)
· Italy HCOB Manufacturing PMI (June)
· France HCOB Manufacturing PMI (June)
· Germany Unemployed Persons (June)/ Unemployment Change (June)/ Unemployment Rate (June)/ HCOB Manufacturing PMI (June)
· Euro Area HCOB Manufacturing PMI (June)/ Inflation Rate (June)/ CPI Flash (June)/ ECB Forum on Central Banking
· Greece S&P Global Manufacturing PMI (June)
· Ukraine Current Account (May)
Middle East
Political/Social Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Economic Reports/Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Africa
Political/Social Events –
· Today is Independence Day in Burundi, a national holiday.
· Today is Ghana Republic Day, a national holiday.
· Today is Sir Seretse Khama Day in Botswana, a national holiday.
Economic Reports/Events –
· Nigeria Stanbic IBTC Bank Nigeria PMI (June)
· South Africa ABSA Manufacturing PMI (June)/ Total New Vehicle Sales (June)
Wednesday, July 2, 2025
Global
· The OECD Green Growth and Development Forum begins in Paris. The two-day event will assess how forests and agriculture can help meet climate targets.
Americas
Political/Social Events –
· The 66th Ordinary Meeting of the Common Market Council and Summit of Presidents of Mercosur and Associated States begins in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
· Indian Prime Minister Narendara Modi begins visits to Trinidad and Tobago, Argentina, and Brazil through July 8.
Economic Reports/Events –
· Brazil IPC-Fipe Inflation (June)/ Industrial Production (May)
· USA MBA Mortgage Market Index (June/27)/ MBA Purchase Index (June/27)/ Challenger Job Cuts (June)/ ADP Employment Change (June)/ EIA Crude Oil & Gasoline Stocks Change (June/27)/ Total Vehicle Sales (June)
· Canada S&P Global Manufacturing PMI (June)
· Paraguay Inflation Rate (June)
Asia
Political/Social Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Economic Reports/Events –
· Australia Ai Group Industry/ Construction/ Manufacturing Index (June)/ Building Permits (May)/ Retail Sales (May)/ Private House Approvals (May)
· South Korea Inflation Rate (June)
· Philippines PPI (May)
· Thailand Business Confidence (June)
· Hong Kong Retail Sales (May)
· Singapore SIPMM Manufacturing PMI (June)
· Pakistan Balance of Trade (June)
Europe
Political/Social Events –
· The European Space Forum begins in Brussels and runs through July 3.
Economic Reports/Events –
· European Central Bank Board Member Patrick Montagner gives the keynote speech at the Frankfurt Banking Summit 2025 in Frankfurt, Germany
· Bank of England Executive Director for Financial Market Infrastructure Sasha Mills vives. Keynote speech at City Week 2025 on “The Bank of England’s Approach to Innovation in Digital Assets and Payments.”
· Romania PPI (May)/ Unemployment Rate (May)
· France Budget Balance (May)
· Spain Unemployment Change (June)/ Tourist Arrivals (May)
· Italy Unemployment Rate (May)
· Euro Area Unemployment Rate (May)
· Greece Unemployment Rate (May)
· Great Britain Treasury Gilt 2028
· Ireland Unemployment Rate (June)
· Poland Interest Rate Decision (July)
· Russia Unemployment Rate (May)/ Corporate Profits (April)/ Real Wage Growth (April)/ Retail Sales (May)
Middle East
Political/Social Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Economic Reports/Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Africa
Political/Social Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Economic Reports/Events –
· South Africa Inflation Expectations Q2
· Egypt Foreign Exchange Reserves (June)
Thursday, July 3, 2025
Global
· Nothing significant to report.
Americas
Political/Social Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Economic Reports/Events –
· Mexico Gross Fixed Investment (April)
· Canada Imports/ Exports/ Balance of Trade (May)
· USA Unemployment Rate (June)/ Average Hourly Earnings (June)/ Imports/ Exports/ Balance of Trade (May)/ Initial Jobless Claims (June/28)/ Participation Rate (June)/ S&P Global Composite & Services PMI (June)/ ISM Services PMI (June)/ ISM Services Business Activity/ Employment/ New Orders/ Prices (June)
· Brazil S&P Global Composite & Services PMI (June)
Asia
Political/Social Events –
· In Japan, The upper house election campaign in Japan will officially begin, with voters set to cast their ballots on July 20. Of the chamber's 248 seats, 125 will be up for grabs. As Prime Minister Shigeru Ishida’s Liberal Democratic Party and its junior coalition partner Komeito could not secure a majority in the lower house election last year, this election could have a major impact on the operations of the government..
Economic Reports/Events –
· Bank of Japan Member of the Policy Board Jajimie Takata will give a speech to local business leaders in Mie, Japan.
· Australia S&P Global Composite & Services PMI (June)/ Imports/ Exports/ Balance of Trade (May)
· Japan Foreign Bond Investment (June/28)/ Stock Investment by Foreigners (June/28)/ Jibun Bank Composite & Services PMI (June)
· Singapore S&P Global PMI (June)
· China Caixin Composite & Services PMI (June)
· India HSBC Composite & Services PMI (June)
· Russia S&P Global Composite & Services PMI (June)
Europe
Political/Social Events –
· Today is Independence Day in Belarus (which really isn’t independent..).
Economic Reports/Events –
· The European Central Bank publishes accounts of its last monetary policy meeting.
· Ireland AIB Services PMI (June)
· Switzerland Inflation Rate (June)
· Turkey Inflation Rate (June)/ PPI (June)/ Foreign Exchange Reserves (June/27)
· Spain HCOB Composite & Services PMI (June)
· Italy HCOB Composite & Services PMI (June)/ New Car Registrations (June)
· France HCOB Composite & Services PMI (June)/ New Car Registrations (June)
· Germany HCOB Composite & Services PMI (June)/ New Car Registrations (June)
· Euro Area HCOB Composite & Services PMI (June)
· Great Britain S&P Global Composite & Services PMI (June)
Middle East
Political/Social Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Economic Reports/Events –
· Saudi Arabia Riyad Bank PMI (June)
· United Arab Emirates S&P Global PMI (June)
· Jordan PPI (May)
Africa
Political/Social Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Economic Reports/Events –
· South Africa S&P Global PMI (June)
· Kenya GDP Growth Rate Q1
Friday, July 4, 2025
Global
· The BRICS 3rd Meeting of Deputy Finance Ministers and Central Bank Deputies takes place in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
· The BRICS Business Forum takes place in Brasilia, Brazil through July 5.
· The UN is closed as part of the 4th of July celebration in the US.
Americas
Political/Social Events –
· Today is Independence Day in the United States, a national holiday, and financial markets are closed.
· In Cuba, the Communist Party holds a plenary session to address the island's ongoing economic crisis.
Economic Reports/Events –
· Brazil PPI (May)/ Balance of Trade (June)
· Mexico Consumer Confidence (June)
· Canada S&P Global Composite & Services PMI (June)
· Ecuador Inflation Rate (June)
· Colombia Exports (May)/ PPI (June)
Asia
Political/Social Events –
· Today is Republic Day in the Philippines, a national holiday.
Economic Reports/Events –
· South Korea Foreign Exchange Reserves (June)/ Current Account (May)
· Japan Household Spending (May)
· Hong Kong S&P Global PMI (June)/ Foreign Exchange Reserves (June)
· Philippines Inflation Rate (June)
· Indonesia Foreign Exchange Reserves (June)
· Singapore Retail Sales (May)
· Taiwan Foreign Exchange Reserves (June)
· India Bank Loan Growth (June/20)/ Deposit Growth (June/20)/ Foreign Exchange Reserves (June/27)
Europe
Political/Social Events –
The EU–Moldova Summit will be held in Chișinău, Moldova. European Council president António Costa and Ursula von der Leyen, his counterpart at the European Commission, will meet Maia Sandu, the Moldovan president. It is expected they will discuss the country’s future in the EU and its sovereignty amid Russia’s invasion of neighboring Ukraine.
· European Central Bank Board President Christine Lagarde will meet with German Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz in Berlin, Germany.
Economic Reports/Events –
· European Central Bank Board Member Frank Elderson gives a speech at the International Monetary Fund OEDNE/World Bank Group EDS19 Constituency Meeting in Luxembourg.
· Bank of England Member of the Monetary Policy Committee Alan Taylor gives s public lecture at the London School of Economics on the natural rate of interest rates.
· Switzerland Unemployment Rate (June)/ Foreign Exchange Reserves (June)
· Germany Factory Orders (May)/ HCOB Construction PMI (June)
· Hungary Industrial Production (May)
· France Industrial Production (May)/ HCOB Construction PMI (June)
· Spain Industrial Production (May)/ Consumer Confidence (May)
· Euro Area HCOB Construction PMI (June)/ / PPI (May)
· Italy HCOB Construction PMI (June)/ Retail Sales (May)
· Great Britain New Car Sales (June)/ S&P Global Construction PMI (June)
· Slovenia Balance of Trade (May)
· Serbia PPI (June)
· Poland Foreign Exchange Reserves (June)
· Turkey Imports/ Exports/ Balance of Trade Prel (June)
· Russia Vehicle Sales (June)
Middle East
Political/Social Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Economic Reports/Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Africa
Political/Social Events –
· Today is Rwanda Liberation Day, a national holiday.
Economic Reports/Events –
· South Africa Foreign Exchange Reserves (June)
Saturday, July 5, 2025
Global
· The 1st BRICS Finance Minister and Central Bank Governors Meeting will take place in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Americas
Political/Social Events –
· Today is Independence Day in Venezuela (which is not independent or free…).
Economic Reports/Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Asia
Political/Social Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Economic Reports/Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Europe
Political/Social Events –
· The Africa-Spain Cooperation Summit begins in Madrid.
· Today is Constitution Day in Armenia, a national holiday.
· The 112th Tour de France cycling race begins.
Economic Reports/Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Middle East
Political/Social Events –
· Today is Algeria's Independence Day, a national holiday.
Economic Reports/Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Africa
Political/Social Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Economic Reports/Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Sunday, July 6, 2025
Global
The 15th BRICS Leaders’ Summit begins in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and runs through July 7. Eleven members are expected to be represented. However, neither Chinese President Xi Jinping nor Russian President Vladimir Putin are going to attend.
The OPEC+ monthly meeting will be held (virtually)
Americas
Political/Social Events –
· The 49th CARICOM (Caribbean Community) Heads of Government Meeting begins in Montego Bay, Jamaica and runs through July 8.
Economic Reports/Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Asia
Political/Social Events –
· The Dalai Lama is expected to reveal his succession plan via a video announcement.
Economic Reports/Events –
· Vietnam Balance of Trade (June)/ Foreign Direct Investment (June)/ GDP Growth Rate Q2/ Industrial Production (June)/ Inflation Rate (June)/ Retail Sales (June)/ Tourist Arrivals (June)
Europe
Political/Social Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Economic Reports/Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Middle East
Political/Social Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Economic Reports/Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Africa
Political/Social Events –
· Today is National Day in Comoros, a national holiday.
· Today is Independence Day in Malawi, a national holiday.
Economic Reports/Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Recommended Weekend Reading
Europe’s Seismic Defense and Economic Shifts, Looking at China’s Lock on Latin America’s Ports, the Struggle to Meet the Skyrocketing Energy Demands of US Data Centers, and the Geopolitics of AI
June 27 - 29, 2025
This past week, we found these reports and studies particularly interesting and useful and wanted to share them with you. Hopefully, you will find them useful as well. Please let us know if you have any questions or if you or a colleague wish to be added to our email list.
The Rapidly Changing Defense and Economic Future of Europe
Is Germany Without Its Debt Brake on the Right Track? International Economy Magazine
Long before Germany’s decision to initiate an aggressive military buildup in response to the Trump administration’s new isolationist policies, a powerful chorus in Germany was heavily campaigning to loosen or reform the country’s debt brake, the so-called Schuldenbremse enshrined in the German constitution. Many policymakers envisioned an aggressive infrastructure buildup paid for with public spending financed by much higher public debt. Such a constitutional change had long been thought undoable. What will be the end result of a huge European debt expansion led by a Germany that now admits its military spending and spending on high-tech–related public infrastructure have been inadequate? What kind of pressure will the European Central Bank face? To answer these and many other questions, International Economy Magazine asked a group of experts (including yours’s truly) to offer their views.
Trump’s European revolution European Council on Foreign Relations
New ECFR polling suggests that Donald Trump is transforming political and geopolitical identities not only in the US, but also in Europe. Trump’s second presidency is recasting the European far-right as the continental vanguard of a transnational revolutionary project, and mainstream parties as the new European sovereigntists. It is also transforming geopolitical attitudes and accelerating the shift from a European peace project to a war project. Many Europeans support increased military spending, conscription, independent nuclear deterrents, and defending Ukraine even if the US abandons it. However, they also doubt that Europe can achieve strategic autonomy fast enough and are therefore inclined to hedge. Conscription is less popular among the young; support for Ukraine may reflect reluctance to confront Russia directly; many hope America will return after Trump.
China
No Safe Harbor: Evaluating the Risk of China’s Port Projects in Latin America and the Caribbean Center for Strategic and International Studies
In this groundbreaking interactive report, CSIS reports on how China is rapidly expanding its influence over maritime ports across Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) – 37 in all. By building, financing, and buying up key ports, Chinese firms have become deeply embedded in the physical infrastructure connecting the region’s dynamic maritime economy. While these investments bring commercial opportunity, they also open the door for Beijing to gain strategic leverage, collect sensitive data, and expand its geopolitical influence closer to U.S. shores.
How China Wins – Beijing’s Advantages in a Revisionist Order Julian Gewirtz/Foreign Affairs
In recent years, many analysts have hotly debated the scope and scale of the challenge that Beijing poses to the international order. This debate now finds itself in a peculiar moment, as Trump has made the United States appear as the more explicitly revisionist power, openly upending the international order it once championed. By withdrawing from UN bodies; placing tariffs on the entire world, including on U.S. allies; threatening to seize Canada and Greenland; and undermining collective principles of law and pluralism, the second Trump administration has given China unprecedented space to present itself as both a defender and a reformer of the existing order. That is allowing China to gain greater influence in existing institutions, exploit fear and uncertainty to pull long-standing U.S. partners closer to Beijing, and build its own alternative institutions and relationships even as it continues to flout international rules and norms. Trump and Xi are turning U.S.-Chinese competition into a story of two self-interested, domineering superpowers looking to squeeze countries around the world—and each other—for whatever they can get. This dramatic shift plays into China’s hands and undermines core U.S. strengths in the long-term competition over the future international order.
Challenges to the Global Energy Markets
U.S. Power Struggle: How Data Centre Demand is Challenging the Electricity Market Model Wood Mackenzie
US utilities have been caught flat-footed as a surge in the development of power-hungry data centers and manufacturing facilities has packed load interconnection queues. This has left the power sector with a demand growth dilemma. And the challenge has only intensified. There are substantial hurdles to meeting such gargantuan demand growth: procurement bottlenecks for critical supply-side equipment, the retirement of substantial amounts of coal-fired generation, tariff and energy policy changes that make renewables development more challenging, long lead times on new projects and the need for transmission upgrades. In some cases, just a few major customers will soon account for as much utility infrastructure investment as all other customers put together, reshaping utilities’ risk profile. In a competitive power market, if data centers are added faster than new power plants can be brought online, it could threaten grid reliability and lead to power outages.
Assessing Emissions from LNG Supply and Abatement Options International Energy Agency
Around 550 billion cubic meters (bcm) of natural gas were exported as liquefied natural gas (LNG) in 2024, just under 15% of global natural gas consumption. A further 500 bcm of natural gas were transported through pipelines. Global LNG supply has grown faster than overall natural gas demand in recent years. This trend is set to continue with the arrival of nearly 300 bcm of new annual LNG supply capacity between 2025 and 2030. The bottom line: LNG brings fewer Earth-warming emissions than coal, but that oft-debated comparison sets the bar way too low, the IEA argues.
Geoeconomics
How Do Central Banks Control Inflation? A Guide for the Perplexed Journal of Economic Literature
Abstract: Central banks have a primary goal of price stability. They pursue it using tools that include the interest they pay on reserves, the size and the composition of their balance sheet, and the dividends they distribute to the fiscal authority. We describe the economic theories that justify the central bank’s ability to control inflation and discuss their relative effectiveness in light of the historical record. We present alternative approaches as consistent with each other, as opposed to conflicting ideological camps. While interest-rate setting may often be superior, having both a monetarist pillar and fiscal support is essential, and at times pegging the exchange rate or monetizing the debt is inevitable.
The Sacrifice Trap of War John Temming/Christopher Coyne – George Mason University/SSRN
Abstract: This paper explores the political economy of the sacrifice trap of war--the conflict-related version of the sunk cost fallacy, where policymakers invest additional resources in failing wars because of prior sacrifices already made. Once the initial decision to engage in war is made, democratic leaders face strong incentives to signal success to citizens. These incentives stem from the need to maintain public support, preserve their reputation as effective leaders, and establish a positive legacy. However, policymakers do not bear war's full costs, instead shifting significant burdens onto others. This cost-shifting allows them to ignore sunk costs with minimal personal consequence, creating a negative political externality--the overproduction of war compared to situations where policymakers internalize the full costs of their actions. These dynamics, combined with policymakers' desire to maintain their identity as a strong and effective leader, explain how societies become mired in war's sacrifice trap. After exploring the sacrifice trap's theoretical foundations, we examine two historical cases--U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War (1955-1975) and in the Iraq War (2003-2011).
Artificial Intelligence, National Security & Geopolitics
On the Geopolitics of AGI Geopolitics of AGI/Rand Corporation
A decade ago, few believed that artificial general intelligence (AGI)—human-level or superhuman-level cognition across a wide variety of tasks—would emerge in our lifetime. Today, policymakers and executives worldwide are confronting the possibility that AI systems could soon match or exceed human performance in nearly all economically and militarily significant domains. Whether leading AI companies cross the unknown, potentially unknowable threshold to AGI today or tomorrow, we will live for the foreseeable future in a world where increasingly advanced AI underpins transformational changes to economies, militaries, and societies. Moreover, this prospect of technological change coincides with a period of profound shifts in geopolitics and global security, as the postwar consensus erodes and the international system is once again characterized by explicit great-power competition.
Five Questions: Jim Mitre on Artificial General Intelligence and National Security Rand Corporation
A computer with human—or even superhuman—levels of intelligence remains, for now, a what-if. But AI labs around the world are racing to get there. U.S. leaders need to anticipate the day when that what-if becomes “What now?” A recent RAND paper lays out five hard national security problems that will become very real the moment an artificial general intelligence comes online. Researchers did not try to guess whether that might happen in a few years, in a few decades, or never. They made only one prediction: If we ever get to that point, the consequences will be so profound that the U.S. government needs to take steps now to be ready for them. RAND vice president and national security expert Jim Mitre wrote the paper with senior engineer Joel Predd.
The U.S. Financial Regulatory Week Ahead
June 23 - 27, 2025
Fed Chair Powell Testifies Before Congress, The Fed and FDIC Vote ON a Revised Leverage Ratio Proposal, and the SEC Holds A Roundtable on Executive Compensation
The Federal Reserve is going to be a beehive of activity next week. Fed Chair Jay Powell testifies before the House Financial Services Committee and then the Senate Banking Committee on monetary policy. Powell is likely to get a good share of questions about the future of bank regulation in those hearings, particularly about the Fed’s (and the FDIC’s) upcoming review and vote on Wednesday on the leverage ratio for banks. The proposal will reduce the capital buffer by up to 1.5 percent for the biggest banks.
Additionally, Fed Governors Michael Barr and Adriana Kugler will be appearing at the Kansas City Fed and then the Cleveland Fed for their annual “Fed Listens” events. Again, bank regulation is likely to be a major topic.
All this Fed action will be capped on Friday at 4:30 p.m. when the results of bank stress tests are released.
The overall future of financial regulation will also be the topic of a Brookings Institution event his week where House Financial Services Committee Chair French Hill (R-Ark) will discuss his plans for the committee policy-wise.
All this comes after a number of major legislative and regulatory moves this past week. As expected, the Senate passed the GENIUS Act, the first crypto regulatory framework bill to pass the Senate. We expect the House to pass it sometime later this summer. President Trump praised the legislation and urged the House to move quickly to hold a vote.
SEC Chair Paul Atkins, as expected, announced he was withdrawing 14 proposed rules that had been proposed by then-SEC Chair Gary Gensler. The proposed rules ranged from crypto regulation to climate disclosure to regulation and disclosure around the use of artificial intelligence.
The SEC will keep up the busy pace this week when it hosts a Roundtable on Executive Compensation – a prelude to likely new proposals scaling back executive compensation disclosure.
Finally, we would note that Elon Musk is not totally finished with Washington. The Financial Times reported this past week that users of X (Twitter) will “soon” be able to make investments or trades using the social media platform. Additionally, the company is exploring creating “X credit and X debit cards.” The FT says this is all part of Musk’s efforts to build an “everything app.” Welcome to the world of Washington financial regulation, Mr. Musk!
Below is everything we could find happening this week in Washington among the regulators:
U.S. Congressional Hearings
U.S. Senate
· Tuesday, June 24, 3:00 p.m. – The Senate Banking Committee’s Subcommittee on Digital Assets holds a hearing entitled Exploring Bipartisan Legislative Frameworks for Digital Asset Market Structure.
· Wednesday, June 25, 10:00 a.m. – The Senate Banking Committee holds a hearing entitled The Semiannual Monetary Policy Report to Congress. Federal Reserve Board Chair Jay Powell will testify.
House of Representatives
· Tuesday, June 24, 10:00 a.m. – The House Financial Services Committee holds a hearing entitled The Federal Reserve’s Semi-Annual Monetary Policy Report. Federal Reserve Board Chair Jay Powell will testify.
· Wednesday, June 25, 10:00 a.m. – The House Financial Services Committee holds a hearing entitled Reassessing Sarbanes-Oxley: The Cost of Compliance in Today’s Capital Markets.
· Thursday, June 26, 10:00 a.m. – The House Financial Services Committee’s Subcommittee on Oversight & Investigations holds a hearing entitled From Watchdog to Attack Dog: Examining the CFPB’s Chopra-era Assault on Disfavored Industries.
Federal Department & Regulatory Agency Meetings & Events
Federal Reserve Board and Federal Reserve Banks
· Sunday, June 22, 11:15 a.m. PST – San Francisco Federal Reserve Bank President Mary Daly participates in a monetary policy insights panel before the Western Economic Association International 100th Annual Conference.
· Monday, June 23, 3:00 a.m. EST/3:00 p.m. Prague Time – Federal Reserve Board Governor Christopher J. Waller gives opening remarks at the 2025 International Journal of Central Banking Conference, Prague 1, Czech Republic.
· Monday, June 23, 10:00 a.m. Prague Time – Federal Reserve Vice Chair for Supervision Michelle W. Bowman gives a speech on monetary policy and banking at the 2025 International Journal of Central Banking Conference, Prague 1, Czech Republic.
· Monday, June 23, 2:30 p.m. – The Federal Reserve Bank of New York holds a virtual discussion with business and community leaders on "the effects that labor market conditions, inflation, and interest rates have on them.” The event is being hosted by SUNY Schenectady Community College. New York Fed President John Williams will speak along with Federal Reserve Board Governor Adriana Kugler.
· Monday, June 24, 12:10 p.m. Central Time – Chicago Federal Reserve Bank President Austan Goolsbee participates in a moderated question-and-answer session before the Milwaukee Business Journal Mid-Year Outlook 2025.
· Tuesday, June 24, 8:15 a.m. Central Time – Cleveland Federal Reserve Bank President Beth Hammack speaks on monetary policy before the Barclays-CEPR Monetary Policy Forum 2025.
· Tuesday, June 24, 10:00 a.m. – Federal Reserve Board Chair Jay Powell testifies before the House Financial Services Committee.
· Tuesday, June 24, 2:00 p.m. – Boston Federal Reserve Bank President Susan Collins speaks before the “State of the Nation's Housing 2025" event hosted by the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston.
· Tuesday, June 24, 4:00 p.m. – The Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City holds a virtual discussion on "the current state of the agricultural economy and future prospects, part of its "Fed Listens" series. Speakers will include Federal Reserve Board Governor Michael Barr and Jeff Schmid, President and CEO of the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City.
· Wednesday, June 25, 10:00 a.m. – Federal Reserve Board Chair Jay Powell testifies before the Senate Banking Committee.
· Wednesday, June 25, 2:00 p.m. – The Federal Reserve holds a meeting "to discuss proposed revisions to the Board's supplementary leverage ratio standards."
· Thursday, June 26 & 27 – The Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland holds its 2025 Policy Summit, beginning at 9 a.m., with the theme "Building Strong and Sustainable Communities.” Cleveland Fed President Beth Hammack will give opening remarks. Federal Reserve Board Governor Michael Barr will speak on June 26th. Governor Lisa Cook will speak on June 27 at 9:15 a.m.
· Thursday, June 26, 8:00 a.m. – Richmond Federal Reserve Bank President Thomas Barkin speaks on the economy before the New York Association for Business Economics.
· Friday, June 27, 10:00 a.m. Basel Time – New York Federal Reserve Bank President John Williams moderates a session featuring keynote remarks from Professor Carmen Reinhart at the 24th Bank of International Settlements Annual Conference.
· Friday, June 27, 4:30 p.m. – The Federal Reserve releases the results of bank stress tests.
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
Securities and Exchange Commission
· Thursday, June 26, 10:00 a.m. – The SEC will hold a Closed Meeting.
· Thursday, June 26, 1:00 p.m. – The SEC hosts a Roundtable on Executive Compensation Disclosure Requirements.
Commodities Futures Trading Commission
· Monday, June 23, 7:30 p.m. UK Time – Acting Chairman Caroline D. Pham will receive an award and deliver remarks at the UK House of Lords “100 Impact Leaders” Dinner and Award.
· Thursday, June 26, 1:10 p.m. UK Time – Acting Chairman Caroline D. Pham to participate in a fireside chat at the Citi Institute Future of Finance Forum in London.
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation
· Thursday, June 27, 10:00 a.m. – The FDIC board will meet. They are scheduled to vote on the leverage ratio proposal.
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 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
· Monday, June 23, 1:30 p.m. – The Brookings Institution holds a discussion on "The House Financial Services Committee Agenda." House Financial Services Committee Chair French Hill (R-Ark) will speak.
· Tuesday, June 24, 2:00 p.m. – The Cato Institute holds a policy forum entitled “Removing Barriers to Capital Formation.”
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The Global Week Ahead
June 22 - 29, 2025
The US Attacked Iran – Now What?, The NATO Summit Convenes, Followed by the European Council, The Shanghai Cooperation Organization’s Defense Ministers Meet, and Fed Chair Powell Testifies Before Congress
As we write this, the world is waking up to learn that President Donald Trump ordered the attack on three Iranian nuclear sites – Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan – and, reportedly, a number of other strategic Iranian sites. According to Trump Administration officials, the attacks “obliterated” the targets, but US Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Daniel Caine said it was “way too early” to comment on whether Iran retained nuclear capabilities. Damage assessments are being conducted by the US and Isreal, and we are likely to learn a lot more of the effectiveness of the attacks in the coming days.
Additionally, as Israeli Defense Force (IDF) sources have said, “it is too early to tell” if Iran moved any fissile materials from Fordow before the strike. What we are watching for now are three things:
What will Iran do to retaliate against the US? Will they attack US forces stationed in the region (there are close to 50,000 US troops stationed at a number of bases in the Middle East).
Will Iran move to shut down the Strait of Hormuz (as Iran’s Parliament voted to do this morning), paralyzing energy shipping and further raising tensions in the region with Gulf State nations. Only the Iranian Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, can make that decision, which ultimately would severely damage Iran’s already brittle economy.
Will Iran dare to activate suspected sleeper cells in the US and elsewhere to attack? Do they even have such cells in the US?
As all this takes place, the 2025 NATO Summit begins on Tuesday in the Netherlands, bringing together the leaders of all the NATO members, including President Trump. Other non-NATO heads of state have been invited to attend, including the Prime Ministers of Australia, Japan, New Zealand, and Ukraine, as well as the Presidents of South Korea, the European Council, and the European Commission.
There are two things’ markets should watch at the Summit: Will Japanese Prime Minister Ishiba and new South Korean President Lee get a chance to talk with Trump on the sidelines to secure trade agreements (something they had hoped to do at the G7 but did not happen as Trump left the summit early to return to Washington to deal with Iran). And second, will NATO members collectively agree to an increase in defense spending targets from 2% of GDP to 3.5% for defense spending, with an additional 1.5% for infrastructure spending, bringing the level to 5% of GDP? And by what timeline – 2030 or 2035?
European leaders will then roll into a European Council meeting on Thursday, where the Middle East will again dominate the agenda, as will defense spending, and trying to figure out a trade agreement with the US.
Elsewhere in the world this week, the defense ministers of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) will be meeting in China. The SCO is composed of Belarus, China, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan, and again, the situation in Iran will dominate the agenda. But it is expected that the SCO may touch on ongoing border tensions between India and China, ongoing tensions between Pakistan and India, and Ukraine.
In Washington this week, the two big events will be the US Senate’s continued efforts to hammer out a compromise among Senate Republicans on President Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-ND) has said he wants to bring it to a vote this week but we believe it likely to slip into next week as Congress is going to be distracted by President Trump’s Iran action along with real disagreements on the substance of the bill, mostly around state and local taxes (SALT) exemptions and Section 899 which would give the US Treasury the power to place tough taxes on foreign corporations from countries that place heavy taxes on US corporations.
The second event markets are going to be watching closely is Federal Reserve Board Chair Jay Powell’s testimony Tuesday before the House Financial Services Committee and Wednesday before the Senate Banking Committee on the state of the economy. With all that is going on geopolitically and with President Trump’s tariffs, these should be lively hearings (to say the least).
Looking at the global economic radar screen this week, beyond Powell’s testimony, markets will be listening closely to European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde’s comments Monday before the EU Parliament and Bank of England Governor Andrew Bailey’s testimony before the House of Lords.
In the US, the May PCE report is released this week, as well as Q1 GDP numbers. And the Conference Board’s consumer confidence index is out on Tuesday.
In Asia, Japan’s June CPI is released on Friday, as well as the Bank of Japan’s minutes from their last meeting on Wednesday. China’s May Industrial profits are out on Friday, too.
In Europe, the Eurozone’s June economic sentiment reports are out on Friday, Germany’s Ifo Survey on Tuesday, and France and Spain’s June CPI on Friday.
Below are all the other major geopolitical and geoeconomic events we are tracking this coming week:
Sunday, June 22, 2025
Global
· Nothing significant to report.
Americas
Political/Social Events –
· U.S. Speaker of the House Michael Johnson (R-LA) is scheduled to visit Israel. He will address the Israeli Knesset (NOTE: Johnson’s trip may be canceled because of the outbreak of fighting between Israel and Iran.)
· Today is the tentative date Telsa will launch their new Robotaxis in Austin, Texas.
Economic Reports/Events –
· San Francisco Federal Reserve Bank President Mary Daly participates in a monetary policy insights panel before the Western Economic Association International 100th Annual Conference.
Asia
Political/Social Events –
· The Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly elections take place. There are 127 seats representing the 14 million residents of Tokyo open for election.
· Today is the 60th anniversary of Japan and South Korea establishing diplomatic ties.
Economic Reports/Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Europe
Political/Social Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Economic Reports/Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Middle East
Political/Social Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Economic Reports/Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Africa
Political/Social Events –
· The US-Africa Business Summit begins in Luanda, Angola. More than 1,500 attendees including a number of African government leaders, are expected to attend the three-day event.
Economic Reports/Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Monday, June 23, 2025
Global
· The UN Security Council is scheduled to hold an open briefing on the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) followed by consultations..
· The 7th Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting begins in Milan, Italy. The Meeting is also the 27th meeting of the Committee for Environmental Protection — running until July 3.
Americas
Political/Social Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Economic Reports/Events –
· Federal Reserve Board Governor Christopher J. Waller gives opening remarks at the 2025 International Journal of Central Banking Conference, Prague 1, Czech Republic.
· Federal Reserve Vice Chair Vice Chair for Supervision Michelle W. Bowman gives a speech on monetary policy and banking at the 2025 International Journal of Central Banking Conference, Prague 1, Czech Republic.
· The Federal Reserve Bank of New York holds a virtual discussion with business and community leaders on "the effects that labor market conditions, inflation, and interest rates have on them.” The event is being hosted by SUNY Schenectady Community College. New York Fed President John Williams will speak along with Federal Reserve Board Governor Adriana Kugler.
· Monday, June 24, 12:10 p.m. Central Time – Chicago Federal Reserve Bank President Austan Goolsbee participates in a moderated question-and-answer session before the Milwaukee Business Journal Mid-Year Outlook 2025.
· USA S&P Global Manufacturing/ Services/ Composite PMI Flash/ Existing Home Sales (May)
· Mexico Economic Activity (April)/ Retail Sales (April)
· Argentina GDP Growth Rate Q1
· Paraguay PPI (May)
· El Salvador Balance of Trade (May)
· Brazil BCB Focus Market Readout
· Costa Rica Balance of Trade (May)
Asia
Political/Social Events –
· India is expected to re-open its airspace to commercial Pakistani planes following the recent fighting between the two countries.
Economic Reports/Events –
· Australia S&P Global Manufacturing/ Services/ Composite PMI Flash (June)
· Japan Jibun Bank Manufacturing/ Services/ Composite PMI Flash (June)
· Singapore Unemployment Rate Final Q1/ Inflation Rate (May)
· Indonesia M2 Money Supply (May)
· India HSBC Manufacturing/ Services/ Composite PMI Flash (June)
· Taiwan Unemployment Rate (May)
Europe
Political/Social Events –
· The EU Foreign Affairs Council meets in Brussels. The agenda includes an update and discussion of the situation in Ukraine, China and European security issues, the situation in the Middle East and Libya, and the situation in Georgia.
· The EU-Canada Summit takes in Brussels. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney will meet with EU President Ursala von der Leyen and European Council President Antonio Costa. The topics will cover the current geopolitical situation, economy and trade, and a number of sectorial issues they can improve on cooperation.
· The EU Agriculture and Fisheries Council meets through June 24. the Council will seek to reach a general approach on a regulation on a forest monitoring framework for resilient European forests. The proposal aims to establish a high-quality forest monitoring system to track progress on achieving EU targets and policy objectives concerning forests.
· There will be an informal meeting of EU Tourism Ministers through June 24 in Warsaw, Poland.
· The Net Zero Delivery Summit, hosted by the City of London Corporation, part of London Climate Action Week, takes place in London. Speakers include Lord Mayor of the City of London Alastair King.
· Today is Victory Day in Estonia, a national holiday celebrating when the country sought independence following the end of World War I.
Economic Reports/Events –
· European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde gives an introductory statement at the ECON Hearing before the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs (ECON) of the European Parliament in Brussels, Belgium.
· France HCOB Manufacturing/ Services/ Composite PMI Flash (June)
· Germany HCOB Manufacturing/ Services/ Composite PMI Flash (June)
· Euro Area HCOB Manufacturing/ Services/ Composite PMI Flash (June)/ ECB President Lagarde Speech
· Poland Corporate Sector Wages (May)/ Employment Growth (May)/ Industrial Production (May)/ PPI (May)
· Spain Balance of Trade (April)
· Turkey Tourist Arrivals (May)
· Great Britain S&P Global Manufacturing/ Services/ Composite PMI Flash (June)
· Ireland Wholesale Prices (May)
Middle East
Political/Social Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Economic Reports/Events –
· Lebanon Inflation Rate (May)
· Israel Current Account Q1/ M1 Money Supply (May)/ Manufacturing PMI (April & May)/ Unemployment Rate (May)
Africa
Political/Social Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Economic Reports/Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Tuesday, June 24, 2025
Global
· The UN Security Council is scheduled to hold a briefing on the United Nations Support Mission in Libya this will be followed by consultations. In the afternoon there will be a briefing on non-proliferation.
· The Internet Governance Forum Summit takes place in Oslo, Norway.
Americas
Political/Social Events –
· Today is the deadline for Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick to present a process for adding additional tariffs on auto parts.
· The New York City Democratic Mayoral Primary will be held.
Economic Reports/Events –
· Cleveland Federal Reserve Bank President Beth Hammack speaks on monetary policy before the Barclays-CEPR Monetary Policy Forum 2025.
· Federal Reserve Board Chair Jay Powell testifies before the House Financial Services Committee.
· The Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City holds a virtual discussion on "the current state of the agricultural economy and future prospects, part of its "Fed Listens" series. Speakers will include Federal Reserve Board Governor Michael Barr and Jeff Schmid, President and CEO of the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City.
· Boston Federal Reserve Bank President Susan Collins speaks before the “State of the Nation's Housing 2025" event hosted by the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston.
· Brazil BCB Copom Meeting Minutes/ FGV Consumer Confidence (June)
· Mexico Mid-month Inflation Rate (June)
· Canada Inflation Rate (May)/ CPI Median (May)/ Manufacturing Sales (May)
· USA Current Account Q1/ Redbook (June/21)/ S&P/Case-Shiller Home Price (April)/ House Price Index (April)/ CB Consumer Confidence (June)/ Richmond Fed Manufacturing Index/ Money Supply (May)/ API Crude Oil Stock Change (June/20)
· Chile PPI (May)
· Paraguay Interest Rate Decision
Asia
Political/Social Events –
· In China, the 14th National People’s Congress’ Standing Committee (NPCSC) - China’s senior legislative body - convenes for its 16th session, running until Friday. The committee will review draft revisions to the Public Security Administrative Penalty Law, the Law against Unfair Competition, the Maritime Law, the Fisheries Law, and the Civil Aviation Law, as well as draft laws on responding to public health emergencies, and promoting publicity and education on the rule of law.
· The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) AIIB begins a three-day annual meeting in Beijing to elect a successor to founding President Jin Liqun. He is due to step down next January after serving two five-year terms from the bank's inception. The favorite to replace him is China's nominee, Zou Jiayi, who is one of the more than 200 elite members of the Chinese Communist Party Central Committee.
· The annual summer meeting of the World Economic Forum returns to Tianjin, near Beijing. Among the speakers at the three-day forum are Richard Liu, founder and chairman of Chinese online retailer JD.com; Dai Houliang, chairman of China National Petroleum; and Faisal Alibrahim, the minister of economy and planning of Saudi Arabia. Singaporean Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, who is on a first visit to China as prime minister from June 22 to 26, will also speak at the forum.
Economic Reports/Events –
· South Korea Consumer Confidence (June)
· New Zealand Credit Card Spending (May)
· Malaysia Inflation Rate (May)/ Coincident Index (April)/ Leading Index (April)
· Taiwan Industrial Production (May)/ Retail Sales (May)
Europe
Political/Social Events –
· The 2025 NATO Summit begins in the Hague, Netherlands. The primary focus of the Summit was expected to be the War in Ukraine. However with the US bombing of Iran this past weekend, the Iranian issue will likely dominate talks. Additionally, a number of non-NATO member leaders will be attendance including Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and new South Korean President Lee Jae Myung. Both Ishiba and Lee are hoping to use the opportunity to move forward with a trade deal with US President Trump.
· The EU General Affairs Council meets in Luxembourg. The primary topic will be preparations for the upcoming June European Council meetings on June 26-27.
· The German 2025 budget will be published by the cabinet. The government has been operating on a pro-rata provision budget due to the early elections.
· The French far-left La France Insoumise Party is expected to file a no-confidence motion against the government.
Economic Reports/Events –
· Bank of England Governor Andrew Bailey gives remarks on Britain’s return to the gold standard in 1925.
· Bank of England Member of the Monetary Policy Committee Megan Greene gives remarks at the NIESR Conference in London.
· Bank of England Deputy Governor Dave Ramsden gives remarks that the Barclays CEPR Monetary Policy Forum in London.
· European Central Bank Board Member Luis de Guindos gives remarks and takes Q&A at the XLII APIE seminar organized by Association of Spanish Financial journalists and Universidad Menéndez Pelayo in Santander, Spain.
· European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde gives remarks on the occasion of the conferral of the De Sanctis Award "Europa" to her in Brussels, Belgium.
· European Central Bank Board Member Philip R. Lane gives the keynote speech at the Barclays-CEPR Monetary Policy Forum 2025 in London, United Kingdom.
· European Central Bank Board Member Sharon Donnery gives a dinner speech followed by Q&A at SSM-Senior Forum organized by A&O Shearman in Königstein, Germany.
· Ireland Consumer Confidence (June)
· Turkey Business Confidence (June)/ Capacity Utilization (June)
· Germany Ifo Business Climate (June)/ Ifo Current Conditions (June)/ Ifo Expectations (June)
· Poland Retail Sales (May)/ M3 Money Supply (May)
· Slovenia Business Confidence (June)/ Tourist Arrivals (May)
· Great Britain BoE Greene Speech/ CBI Industrial Trends Orders (June)/ BoE Ramsden Speech/ BoE Gov Bailey Speech/ BoE Breeden Speech
· Euro Area ECB Guindos Speech/ ECB President Lagarde Speech/ ECB Lane Speech
· Hungary Deposit Interest Rate (June)/ Interest Rate Decision
Middle East
Political/Social Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Economic Reports/Events –
· Israel Composite Economic Index (May)
Africa
Political/Social Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Economic Reports/Events –
· South Africa Leading Business Cycle Indicator (March)
· Nigeria GDP Growth Rate Q1
Wednesday, June 25, 2025
Global
· The UN Security Council is scheduled to hold an open debate on Children and Armed Conflict.
Americas
Political/Social Events –
· The Organization of American States hosts its annual assembly in Antigua and Barbuda.
Economic Reports/Events –
· Federal Reserve Board Chair Jay Powell testifies before the Senate Banking Committee.
· The Federal Reserve holds a meeting "to discuss proposed revisions to the Board's supplementary leverage ratio standards."
· USA MBA Mortgage Market Index (June/20)/ MBA Purchase Index (June/20)/New Home Sales (May)/ EIA Crude Oil & Gasoline Stocks Change (June/20)/ Building Permits Final (May)
· Brazil Current Account (May)/ Foreign Direct Investment (May)
· Colombia Business Confidence (May)
· Argentina Current Account Q1
Asia
Political/Social Events –
· The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Defense Ministers Meeting will take place in Qingdao, China. The attendees will be from member countries China, Russia, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Belarus.
· The ASEAN IA Summit takes place in Kuala Lumpur.
· Today is the 75th anniversary of North Korea’s invasion of South Korea.
· Nikkei and the Financial Times are co-hosting Energy Transition Summit Asia 2025 in Jakarta.
Economic Reports/Events –
· Bank of Japan Member of the Policy Board Naoki Tamura gives a speech to local leaders in Fukushima, Japan.
· New Zealand Imports/ Exports/ Balance of Trade (May)
· Japan Bank of Japan Summary of Opinions/ BoJ JGB Purchases/ Coincident Index Final (April)/ Leading Economic Index Final (April)
· Australia Monthly CPI Indicator (May)
· Thailand Interest Rate Decision
· India M3 Money Supply (June/13)
· Philippines Budget Balance (May)
Europe
Political/Social Events –
· Trade union workers at the Port of Antwerp are expected to either strike or run a work-slow down as they seek increased pay and better work conditions. The Antwerp Port is already significantly backlogged.
· Today is Croatia Independence Day, celebrating when the country declared its independence from the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia in 1991.
· Slovenia celebrates Statehood Day, marking when the country when a plebiscite was held and 95% of voters voted for independence.
Economic Reports/Events –
· Bank of England Executive Director Victoria Cleland gives a keynote speech at the UK Finance Digital Innovation Summit in London.
· Euro Area New Car Registrations (May)/ ECB Donnery Speech
· France Consumer Confidence (June)/ Unemployment Benefit Claims (May)/ Jobseekers Total (May)
· Spain GDP Growth Rate Q1/ PPI (May)
· Poland Unemployment Rate (May)
· Switzerland Economic Sentiment Index (June)/ SNB Quarterly Bulletin
· Russia Industrial Production (May)/ PPI (May)
· Ukraine GDP Growth Rate Q1
Middle East
Political/Social Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Economic Reports/Events –
· Saudi Arabia Imports/ Exports/ Balance of Trade (April)
Africa
Political/Social Events –
· Today is Mozambique Independence Day, a national holiday.
Economic Reports/Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Thursday, June 26, 2025
Global
· The Security Council is scheduled to hold a briefing the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA), followed by consultations.
· Today is the 80th Anniversary of the first 50 countries signing the Charter of the United Nations, effectively found the United Nations.
Americas
Political/Social Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Economic Reports/Events –
· The Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland holds its 2025 Policy Summit, beginning at 9 a.m., with the theme "Building Strong and Sustainable Communities.” Cleveland Fed President Beth Hammack will give opening remarks. Federal Reserve Board Governor Michael Barr will speak on June 26th. Governor Lisa Cook will speak on June 27 at 9:15 a.m.
· Richmond Federal Reserve Bank President Thomas Barkin speaks on the economy before the New York Association for Business Economics.
· Brazil BCB Monetary Policy Report/ IPCA mid-month CPI (June)
· Mexico Balance of Trade (May)/ Interest Rate Decision
· USA Durable Goods Orders (May)/ GDP Growth Rate Q1/Chicago Fed National Activity Index (May)/ Goods Trade Balance Adv (May)/ Initial Jobless Claims (June/21)/ PCE Prices Q1/ Pending Home Sales (May)/ EIA Natural Gas Stocks Change (June)/ Kansas Fed Manufacturing & Composite Index (June)/ 15- & 30-Year Mortgage Rate (June/26)/ Fed Balance Sheet (June/25)
· Canada Average Weekly Earnings (April)/ Wholesale Sales (May)
Asia
Political/Social Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Economic Reports/Events –
· South Korea Business Confidence (June)
· Japan Foreign Bond Investment (June/21)/ Stock Investment by Foreigners (June)
· Malaysia PPI (May)
· Singapore Industrial Production (May)
· Hong Kong Imports/ Exports/ Balance of Trade (May)
· Thailand New Car Sales (May)
Europe
Political/Social Events –
· The European Council meets in Brussels through June 27. EU leaders will gather to discuss a host of issues ranging from Ukraine to the situation in Iran, EU competitiveness, and the situation in Gaza.
· Bloomberg holds its Sustainable Business Summit in London.
Economic Reports/Events –
· The European Central Bank holds a General Council Meeting (virtual).
· Bank of England Governor Andrew Bailey gives a speech at the British Chamber of Commerce Global Annual Conference in London.
· European Central Bank Board President Christine Lagarde gives the opening speech at the 150th anniversary of Münchner Opernfestspiele in Munich, Germany.
· European Central Bank Board Member Luis de Guindos gives a virtual the Deutsche Bank Forum 2025 being held in Frankfurt, Germany.
· European Central Bank Board Member Isabel Schnabel speaks and participates on a panel discussion at the 'Wirtschaftsrat der CDU' Finanzmarktklausur in Frankfurt, Germany.
· Germany GfK Consumer Confidence JUL
· Hungary Current Account Q1
· Great Britain BoE Breeden Speech/ CBI Distributive Trades (June)/ BoE Gov Bailey Speech
· Turkey MPC Meeting Summary/ Foreign Exchange Reserves (June/20)
· Russia Corporate Profits (April)
Middle East
Political/Social Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Economic Reports/Events –
· Iran Local Elections
· Israel Manufacturing Production (April)
Africa
Political/Social Events –
· Today is Madagascar Independence Day, a national holiday.
Economic Reports/Events –
· South Africa Consumer Confidence Q2/ PPI (May)
Friday, June 27, 2025
Global
· The UN Security Council is scheduled to hold a briefing on Sudan followed by consultations, and in the afternoon is scheduled to have a briefing United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO), followed by consultations.
· The 24th Bank for International Settlements Annual Conference will be held in Basel, Switzerland.
Americas
Political/Social Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Economic Reports/Events –
· New York Federal Reserve Bank President John Williams moderates a session featuring keynote remarks from Professor Carmen Reinhart at the 24th Bank of International Settlements Annual Conference.
· The Federal Reserve releases the results of its annual bank stress tests.
· Brazil IGP-M Inflation (June)/ Bank Lending (May)/ Unemployment Rate (May)/ Net Payrolls (May)
· USA Personal Income (May)/ PCE Price Index (May)/ Core PCE Price Index (May)/ Michigan Consumer Sentiment Final/ Baker Hughes Total Rigs Count (June)
· Mexico Unemployment Rate (May)
· Canada GDP (April)
· Colombia Unemployment Rate (May)/ Interest Rate Decision/ Cement Production (May)
· El Salvador Current Account Q1/ GDP Growth Rate Q1
· Paraguay Current Account Q1/ GDP Growth Rate Q1
· Uruguay Current Account Q1
· Panama Current Account Q1
Asia
Political/Social Events –
· Former Taiwanese President Ma Ying-jeou leads a delegation of students on a tour of China.
· Today is National Unity Day in Tajikistan, a national holiday.
Economic Reports/Events –
· New Zealand ANZ Roy Morgan Consumer Confidence (June)
· Japan Unemployment Rate (May)/ Jobs/applications ratio (May)/ Tokyo CPI (June)/ Retail Sales (May)
· Philippines Imports/ Exports/ Balance of Trade (May)/ Consumer Confidence Q2
· China Industrial Profits (YTD) (May)/ Current Account Final Q1
· Taiwan Consumer Confidence (June)
· Thailand Industrial Production (May)
· Singapore Export Prices (May)/ Import Prices (May)/ PPI (May)
· India Foreign Exchange Reserves (June/20)
· Sri Lanka Balance of Trade (May)
Europe
Political/Social Events –
· The 18th Accession Conference with Montenegro will be held in Brussels.
· European Council on Foreign Relations begins its two-day annual council meeting in Warsaw, where policymakers and thought leaders will gather to discuss pressing global challenges
Economic Reports/Events –
· Great Britain Car Production (May)/ Current Account Q1/ Business Investment Q1/ GDP Growth Rate Q1
· Hungary Unemployment Rate (May)
· France Inflation Rate (June)/ PPI (May)
· Slovakia Business Confidence (June)/ Consumer Confidence (June)
· Spain Inflation Rate (June)/ Retail Sales (May)/ Business Confidence (June)
· Turkey Economic Confidence Index (June)
· Italy Business Confidence (June)/ Consumer Confidence (June)/ Industrial Sales (April)/ PPI (May)
· Slovenia Retail Sales (May)
· Euro Area Economic Sentiment (June)/ Consumer Confidence Final (June)/ Consumer Inflation Expectations (June)/ Industrial Sentiment (June)/ Selling Price Expectations (June)/ Services Sentiment (June)
Middle East
Political/Social Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Economic Reports/Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Africa
Political/Social Events –
· The Foreign Ministers of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda are scheduled to sign a peace agreement in the presence of US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. The deal will result in Rwandan forces to withdraw from eastern Congo and the creation of a regional economic integration framework.
· Today is Djibouti Independence Day, a public holiday.
Economic Reports/Events –
· Nigeria Foreign Exchange Reserves (June)
· Zimbabwe Inflation Rate (June)
Saturday, June 28, 2025
Global
· Nothing significant to report.
Americas
Political/Social Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Economic Reports/Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Asia
Political/Social Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Economic Reports/Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Europe
Political/Social Events –
· Today is Constitution Day in Ukraine.
· Today is Armed Forces Day in the UK.
Economic Reports/Events –
· European Central Bank Board Member Isabel Schnabel chairs a panel discussion at Petersberger Sommerdialog 2025 in Königswinter (Bonn), Germany.
Middle East
Political/Social Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Economic Reports/Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Africa
Political/Social Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Economic Reports/Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Sunday, June 29, 2025
Global
· Nothing significant to report.
Americas
Political/Social Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Economic Reports/Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Asia
Political/Social Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Economic Reports/Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Europe
Political/Social Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Economic Reports/Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Middle East
Political/Social Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Economic Reports/Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Africa
Political/Social Events –
· Today is Seychelles Independence Day, a public holiday.
Economic Reports/Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Recommended Weekend Reads
June 20 - 22, 2025
Assessing Israel’s Attack and the Limits of Iran’s Missile Strategy, A Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Fed’s Role in the Fixed Income Market, and Analyzing the Pentagon Pizza Index
Below are the studies and reports we found of particular interest this past week. We hope you find them of interest, too. Please let us know if you have any questions or if you or a colleague wants to be added to our distribution list.
The Israel-Iran Crisis
How Iran Lost – Tehran’s Hard-Liners Squandered Decades of Strategic Capital and Undermined Deterrence Afshon Ostovar/Foreign Affairs
Iran’s hard-liners overplayed their hand. After Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, 2023, the regime’s leaders opted for a campaign of maximum aggression. Rather than letting Hamas and Israel fight it out, they unleashed their proxies at Israeli targets. Israel, in turn, was compelled to expand its offensive beyond Gaza. It succeeded in severely degrading Hezbollah, the most powerful of Tehran’s proxy groups, and eviscerating Iranian positions in Syria, indirectly contributing to the collapse of the Assad regime. Iran responded to this aggression by unleashing the two largest ballistic missile attacks ever launched against Israel. But Israel, backed by the U.S. military and other partners, repelled those attacks and incurred little damage. It then struck back. With that, the foundation of Iran’s deterrence strategy crumbled. Its ruling regime became more vulnerable and exposed than at any point since the Iran-Iraq War of the 1980s. And Israel, which has dreamed of striking Iran for decades, had an opportunity it decided it could not pass up.
Israel’s attack and the limits of Iran’s missile strategy International Institute for Strategic Studies
Israel’s attack on Iran has exposed critical weaknesses in Tehran’s broader military strategy. While Iran still has untapped shorter-range capabilities it could deploy in its immediate neighborhood, its depleted medium-range missile arsenal and weakened regional allies leave it with limited options for retaliation against Israel.
Options for Targeting Iran’s Fordow Nuclear Facility Center for Strategic and International Studies
In order to achieve its stated objective of dismantling Iran’s nuclear program, Israel will need to take out a key Iranian facility, the Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plant. Fordow is buried deep under a mountain near Qom and is believed to be one of the key sites of Iran’s nuclear enrichment activities, about 54,000 square feet in size, with 3,000 centrifuges. Due to its hardening and depth, Israel lacks the ordnance to take out Fordow on its own in the short term; however, multiple strikes from the U.S. GBU-57, carried out by U.S. B-2 bombers, could destroy the facility. There are at least five options for destroying Fordow. All of them will have varying degrees of impact on Iran’s nuclear program, along with unique risks of escalation and international response. Below is an analysis of all five options; however, to avoid escalation while still achieving nonproliferation objectives, Israeli sabotage appears to be an underappreciated option.
Geoeconomics
Black Swans and Financial Stability: A Framework for Building Resilience Daniel Barth/Stacey Schreft – Federal Reserve Board of Governors Finance and Economics Discussion Series (FEDS)
Abstract: This article refines the concept of black swans, typically described as highly unlikely and catastrophic events, by clearly distinguishing between knowable and unknowable events. By emphasizing that black swans are “unknown unknowns,” the article highlights that the realization of new black swans cannot be prevented and motivates a need for policies that build the financial system's resilience to unforeseeable crises. The article introduces a "resilience principle" that calls for policies that are adaptable, universal, and systemic. Examples are provided of policies with these features, none of which relies on the official sector being better positioned than the private sector to anticipate the unknown.
Bank Financing of Global Supply Chain Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta Working Paper Series
Abstract: Finding new international suppliers is costly, so most importers source inputs from a single country. We examine the role of banks in mitigating trade search costs during the 2018–19 US-China trade tensions. We match data on shipments to US ports with the US credit register to analyze trade and bank credit relationships at the bank-firm level. We show that importers of tariff-hit products from China were more likely to exit relationships with Chinese suppliers and find new suppliers in other Asian countries. To finance their geographic diversification, tariff-hit firms increased credit demand, drawing on bank credit lines and taking out loans at higher rates. Banks offering specialized trade finance services to Asian markets eased both financial and information frictions. Tariff-hit firms with specialized banks borrowed at lower rates and were 15 percentage points more likely and three months faster to establish new supplier relationships than firms with other banks. We estimate the cost of searching for suppliers at $1.9 million (or 5 percent of annual sales revenue) for the average US importer.
A Hitchhikers Guide to Federal Reserve Participation in Fixed Income Markets Journal of Economic Perspectives
The Federal Reserve has historically relied on banks and primary dealers, [but] the landscape for fixed income ownership shifted after the 2007–2009 financial crisis, and again after the March 2020 crisis. As of the end of 2024, [non-bank financial institutions] are more than three times larger than the US banking system. Participation of investment funds—including mutual funds, money market funds, hedge funds, money managers, and investment advisors—in auctions of Treasury securities increased from 1.7% in January 2008 to 67.8% in October 2023, whereas the share attributable to dealers and brokers’ share decreased from 79% to 19.4% during the same period.
Investment in an increasingly global landscape Bank for International Settlements (BIS)
Private business fixed investment has fallen or remained flat in advanced economies for decades, with a recent levelling-off also observed in several emerging market economies. The recent increase in uncertainty due to trade tensions will dampen investment while also reducing the effectiveness of monetary policy. In the long run, the outlook for private business investment depends on the potential need to reconfigure supply chains disrupted by higher trade tariffs as well as governments’ efforts to boost public investment and implement structural reforms.
Africa
Africa’s Complicated Democratic Landscape Center for Strategic and International Studies
In 2024, the global trend of voters rejecting incumbents was reflected in Africa, where opposition parties made significant gains in countries with relatively strong democratic institutions. These results stemmed from economic frustration, widespread dissatisfaction with poor governance, and changing demographics. The most critical elections of 2025 will be in countries where incumbents have used constitutional changes and institutional control to stay in power. As elections unfold, how voters engage with the process will be key to shaping the political future of their countries and the continent as a whole. There are several African elections worth watching in late 2025 to help make this determination: Cameroon, Tanzania, Côte d’Ivoire, and Guinea. Uganda's election in January 2026 is also one to watch.
21st-Century Africa: Governance and Growth The World Bank
When compared with the average living standards of the rest of the world, GDP per capita in Sub-Saharan Africa has declined over the past three decades. During the period 1990–2022, three distinct periods can be identified in the evolution of Sub-Saharan Africa’s real GDP per capita: a declining trend during 1990–2000 (from 30% to 25% of the world average), stagnant GDP per capita relative to the world during 2000-14 (fluctuating around 25%), and a declining trend from 2014 to 2022 (from 25% to 22% of the world average). The region’s lack of convergence in living standards with the rest of the world largely results from its inability to sustain growth over time. If Sub-Saharan Africa had grown (in per capita terms) at the same pace as the global economy since 1990, its level of income per capita in 2022 would have been more than 40% higher than its actual level. If it had grown at the same pace as emerging East Asia, the region’s income per capita would have been nearly three times its 2022 level. Currently home to 14% of the world’s working-age population, by 2100, Africa is projected to have 39%, representing more than a third of the workforce of the entire world.
Africa has a new space agency — here’s what it will do Nature Magazine
Africa’s first continent-wide space agency, the African Space Agency (AfSA), which was inaugurated in April, is looking to secure funding as its first projects get underway. AfSA is an initiative of the 55-member African Union (AU) and is headquartered in Cairo. It was established to coordinate the work of Africa’s existing efforts in space — more than 20 African countries have space programs. Priorities will include improving satellite communication, which provides crucial connectivity for rural populations. It also aims to generate and access data from space to track the effects of climate change, provide disaster relief, and aid agriculture, water, and food security.
China
Is China Really Growing at 5 percent? Federal Reserve Board of Governors FEDS Notes
Chinese authorities recently announced a growth target of "around 5 percent" for 2025, the same as their 2024 target. Five percent is about half the pace of growth that China sustained from the 1980s to the early 2010s, but it is nonetheless quite high for an economy flirting with deflation and mired in a years-long property bust. The ambitious growth target, given the circumstances, has led many observers of the Chinese economy to once again treat the official GDP data with skepticism. All told, assessing the accuracy of China's GDP growth remains a challenge, and no statistical model can provide a definitive alternative measure. But our analysis suggests that official figures have not recently been overstating GDP growth for three reasons. First, the excess smoothness of official GDP has significantly diminished since the pandemic. Second, our alternative indicator, which relies on a broad set of data series informative about the Chinese business cycle, including consumption and the property sector, closely tracks official GDP. Finally, the supply side of China's economy has performed remarkably well in the context of robust demand for Chinese goods and industrial policies promoting self-reliance.
China’s Car Industry Runs on Empty as Supply Chain Bills Go Unpaid Financial Times
In an effort to shore up automotive supply chains, the Chinese government mandated a 60-day supplier payment rule. Most carmakers suffer from negative working capital; only a handful of Chinese EV makers have sufficient net cash to comply with the new rule.
Assessing Geopolitical Risk
Pentagon Pizza Index: The theory that surging pizza orders signal a global crisis Fast Company
A different kind of pie chart is being used to predict global crises. A surge in takeout deliveries to the Pentagon—now dubbed the “Pentagon Pizza Index”—has emerged as an unexpectedly accurate predictor of major geopolitical events. Tracking activity at local pizza joints in Arlington County, the X account Pentagon Pizza Report noted an uptick in Google Maps activity from four pizza places near the Pentagon on June 12. We, The Pizza, District Pizza Palace, Domino’s, and Extreme Pizza all reportedly saw higher-than-usual order volumes around 7 p.m. ET. “As of 6:59 p.m. ET nearly all pizza establishments nearby the Pentagon have experienced a HUGE surge in activity,” the X account posted. The timing? Just hours before news broke of Israel’s major attack on Iran.
Geopolitical Shift: Corporate America’s Growing Focus on Global Risk U.S. Chamber of Commerce
Geopolitical risks are no longer a distant concern for businesses—they are a top-tier strategic and financial challenge. From supply chain disruptions to shifting regulations and market volatility, global instability now shapes investment decisions, corporate strategy, and economic security. As a result, companies across all sectors are reporting more geopolitical concerns in their investor communications since 2009. This trend has accelerated sharply since 2019. And technology companies show the highest levels of concern, though the increase spans all industries.
Is Germany Without the Debt Brake on the Right Track?
The International Economy Magazine
June 2025
I was delighted to be asked to contribute to International Economy Magazine on the topic "Is Germany Without the Debt Brake on the Right Track?" You can read my contribution HERE, along with the excellent assessments of other economic luminaries far smarter than I am.
My sense is that, between Russia’s aggression against Ukraine and ominous threats against the rest of Eastern Europe and President Trump’s lukewarm (at best) commitment to the defense of Europe, we are beginning to see a significant economic and military shift in Europe. In essence, Trump will - perhaps unintentionally, perhaps intentionally — “Make Europe Great Again” as a global economic bloc while building up its military to world-class standards.
And it will be Germany leading the way. Berlin made its intentions perfectly clear earlier this year when it lifted its sacrosanct Debt Brake, while putting down an initial down payment of €100 billion for defense and infrastructure modernization, most of which will be tech-based, resulting in enormous, long -term commercial spin-off benefits (much like we have witnessed in the U.S.). Germany says it will take them 10 years to build up their military - I am betting it will be closer to five years. With it will come the birth of German tech giants that will increasingly compete with US tech giants. Only time will tell, but one thing is certain: The economic and political status quo is over, and a new dawn is breaking over Europe that will likely be quite positive for investors and for democracy overall.
I hope you find this of interest, along with the other excellent essays offered on this historic topic.
Senate Tax Draft Sets Up A Big Fight
The Senate Finance Committee’s Draft Tax Portion of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) differs from the House Version in Big Ways and Suggests a Prolonged Fight is Ahead
This afternoon, the U.S. Senate Finance Committee released the tax portion of the Senate version of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act – OBBA – otherwise known as the Reconciliation bill.
We are still reviewing the draft (it is more than 500 pages long), but our initial read of the draft shows it diverges significantly from the House version on several important and contentious points, including:
Delaying until 2027 implementation of Section 899, softening the House’s version of the provision by raising the rate by 5 percent a year until it hits a 15% cap (the House version goes immediately to 20%).
Lowering the state and local tax (SALT) deduction cap to $10,000, down from the House version which set the deduction at $40,000.
Cutting Medicaid more aggressively than the House does (something President Trump had warned against doing).
Softening and slowing the House phase-out of Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) solar energy tax credits.
We are including a link to the Finance Committee’s “Landing Page,” which has links to all sorts of other data including an interactive map which breaks down how their draft impacts each staff:
The US Senate Finance Committee’s 2025 Tax Reform Landing Page: https://www.finance.senate.gov/tax-reform-2025
Bill Summary: https://www.finance.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/finance_committee_summary1.pdf
Section-by-Section Analysis (copy attached and link here):https://www.finance.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/finance_committee_section-by-section_title_vii3.pdf
The Draft Legislative Text:https://www.finance.senate.gov/download/finance-committee-legislative-text-title-vii
We expect the Senate to begin some debate on the legislation this week but with Thursday being a federal holiday (Juneteenth), real debate will begin next week. The Senate is going to race to try and pass their version as soon as possible to meet President Trump’s request to have a final bill – agreed to with the House of Representatives – on his desk for signature by July 4th.
But seeing the significant differences between the Senate and House on the SALT provisions, Section 899, and Medicaid cuts - all highly contentious issues which House Republicans spent the last several weeks loudly warning Senate Republicans not to change – we see it as unlikely Congress will meet the July 4th deadline. Instead, we do not see easy compromises on these points suggesting to us efforts to reach a deal could go for the better part of the summer.
Please let us know if you have any questions.
The U.S. Financial Regulatory Week Ahead
A Quiet Week in Washington, The Senate Gets Set to Pass the GENIUS Act but Also Blocks An Effort to Bar Fed Paying Interest Rates on Bank Reserves, and SEC Chair Atkins Staffs Up
June 16 - 20, 2025
The Juneteenth holiday on Thursday, the Federal Reserve’s Open Market Committee meetings on Tuesday and Wednesday, and the House of Representatives being out of session this week have ensured it will be a very quiet week in Washington.
But the Senate is in session, and they are feverishly working away at trying to hammer out their version of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBA). The Senate Finance Committee is expected to release the tax portion it has drafted, and we will all be watching for any changes that impact investment vehicles, such as pass-throughs and investment savings accounts.
Also this week, the Senate is likely to pass the GENIUS Act (Guiding and Establishing National Innovation for U.S. Stablecoins Act) on Tuesday, aimed at giving the crypto industry legal and regulatory clarity. Passage in the House is likely in the coming months.
Looking at what happened last week and staying with the US Senate, it was interesting to see Senate Republicans block an effort by Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) to move legislation that would bar the Federal Reserve from paying interest on reserves to banks as a way to help pay for OBBA. Cruz argued that doing so would cut $1.1 trillion from the federal budget over ten years. The proposal sent minor waves of panic through the banking community but was quickly snuffed out by Senate Banking Committee Chair Tim Scott (R-SC).
Also this past week, SEC Chair Paul Atkins announced a number of senior appointments. Among those named are Akin Gump partner Brian Daly to serve as the new Director of the Investment Management, Jamie Selway, a partner at Sophron Advisors, to serve as Directo of Trading and Markets, Kurt Hohl as the Chief Accountant, and Erik Hotmire as Chief External Affairs Officer and Director of the Office of Public Affairs.
Other than two speeches by Housing and Urban Development Secretary Scott Turner (who may speak about the future of Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae), there really is not much going on this week. Below is everything we could find happening:
U.S. Congressional Hearings
U.S. Senate
· There are no significant events scheduled at this time.
House of Representatives
· The House of Representatives is out of session this coming week.
Federal Department & Regulatory Agency Meetings & Events
Federal Reserve Board and Federal Reserve Banks
Tuesday & Wednesday, June 17 & 18 -- The Fed’s Open Market Committee meets on interest rates.
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
· Thursday, June 18, 1:00 p.m. – U.S. Housing and Urban Development Secretary Scott Turner gives remarks at a joint Exchequer Club – Women in Housing & Finance Lunch in Washington, D.C.
Securities and Exchange Commission
· There are no significant events scheduled at this time.
Commodities Futures Trading Commission
· There are no significant events scheduled at this time.
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation
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 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
· Tuesday, June 17 , 2:00 p.m. – The Brookings Institution will hold an event entitled “Beyond profit: How blockchain technology can be used for the public good.”
· Wednesday, June 18, 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. – the Bipartisan Policy Center’s 2025 Terwilliger Center Summit on Housing Supply Solutions takes place in Washington, D.C. U.S. Housing and Urban Development Secretary Scott Turner will speak, as will a number of US senators, mayors, and CEOs.
· Wednesday, June 18, 1:00 p.m. – U.S. Housing and Urban Development Secretary Scott Turner gives remarks at a joint Exchequer Club – Women in Housing & Finance Lunch in Washington, D.C.
Recommended Reading
· Bloomberg: Banks Want Staff Back at the Office. There Aren’t Enough Desks — HSBC and JPMorgan are among lenders taking extra space to deal with shortages.
Please let us know if you have any questions or would like to be added to our email distribution list.
The Global Week Ahead
The Israeli-Iran War Expands, Canada hosts the G7+, the UN Holds a High-level Two-State Solution Conference, and the Fed, Bank of England, and Bank of Japan Meet on Interest Rates
Israel and Iran are now going into their fourth day of ballistic missile strikes on each other after Israeli fighter bombers struck Iranian nuclear facilities, targeting senior Iranian military leaders and nuclear scientists. At the time of this writing, it appears the targeting has expanded away from military targets to civilian targets, including energy and infrastructure.
As to how long the fighting will continue, there is no clear answer but from all the conversations we have had with US government officials and Middle Eastern experts, it will likely last weeks if not months as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has made clear Israel will not let up until Iran’s growing stockpile of highly enriched uranium and all the enrichment facilities, centrifuge production lines, and other affiliated support facilities are destroyed.
But fully succeeding in destroying those facilities will not be easy, as Iran has spent years not only fortifying them but also making them particularly hard to hit. The best example of this is the Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plant, which is built deep into a mountain in Qom, Iran, estimated as deep as half a mile down. It is estimated there could be as many as 3,000 centrifuges inside Fordow. But destroying the facility is particularly hard since the facilities are buried so deeply into the mountain, and Israel is not seen as having the military capability to destroy it (only the US has the capacity).
Overall, there are an estimated twelve other nuclear facilities being targeted by Israel, and, according to initial reports, many of them have been struck and destroyed by Israeli forces.
The big question for markets will be how far the fighting spreads, specifically, to the oil and gas sector. Israel has hit the main gas depot and central oil refinery in Tehran and reportedly has hit a major natural gas facility in Bushehr, Iran. And fear is growing that Israel could focus on other Iranian oil and gas facilities.
The Israeli-Iranian fighting is going to dominate the G7+ meetings that begin Monday in Canada. But the current trade tensions brought by President Trump’s “Liberation Day” will also be a major focus of the meetings. All of the G7 leaders (the US, Japan, Canada, the UK, France, Germany, and Italy) plus the invited guest leaders of India, Ukraine, Mexico, South Africa, and South Korea will be gathered in Alberta for two days of meetings. There are reports that President Trump is hoping to announce trade deals with Canada, Mexico, and Japan, but we cannot confirm this and are doubtful they will be announced during the summit.
Elsewhere, the United Nations is holding a high-level conference this week to discuss the feasibility of a two-state solution with Israel and Palestinians. The event is being co-hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron and Saudi Arabia’s Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salem. The US is boycotting the event and urging other countries not to participate.
In Washington, we are watching to see what President Trump does with TikTok this week as the latest deadline for the company to suspend operations Thursday. We are expecting Trump to again give an extension for the parent company, ByteDance, in the hope that a compromise can be reached.
Kazakhstan will be the scene of an important meeting of Central Asian leaders and Chinese President Xi Jinping at the China-Central Asia Leaders’ Summit. The leaders of Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Kazakhstan – all mineral-rich and eager to expand trade ties with China – will discuss ways to better coordinate on policy and trade.
Looking at the global markets radar screen, it will be a big week for central banks as the US Federal Reserve, the Bank of England, and the Bank of Japan each meet to discuss interest rates. With all that is happening in the Middle East with spiking oil prices along with ongoing global trade tensions, we do not envy any of these central banks in deciding which way to go on rates.
Looking at major economic reports being released this week, in the US, it is a shortened week with the Juneteenth holiday on Thursday (markets are closed). But on Tuesday, we will see two May economic activity reports, retail sales and industrial production reports, released. And on Wednesday, housing market data is due for release.
In Asia, Japan’s May trade balance is out on Wednesday, and its May CPI print is out on Friday. And China releases industrial production and retail sales figures. And in Europe, there are a large number of speeches by European Central Bank Board members, plus the Eurogroup meets in Luxembourg on Thursday. The major reports markets include Germany’s ZEW June Survey, along with the business confidence figures. France releases its May retail sales on Friday.
Below are all the other major geopolitical and geoeconomic events we are tracking this coming week:
Sunday, June 15, 2025
Global
· The G7 Leaders’ Summit begins in Alberta, Canada and goes through June 17. In advance of the meeting, the 50th G7 meeting, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, who is chairing the Summit, announced the priorities for the meeting will include: “1) Protecting our communities and the world—strengthening peace and security, countering foreign interference and transnational crime, and improving joint responses to wildfires. 2) Building energy security and accelerating the digital transition—fortifying critical mineral supply chains and using artificial intelligence and quantum to unleash economic growth, and 3) Securing the partnerships of the future—catalyzing enormous private investment to build stronger infrastructure, create higher-paying jobs, and open dynamic markets where businesses can compete and succeed.
· The US hosts the FIFA World Cup 2025 through July 13. 32 teams will take part in the newly expanded format.
· It is Father’s Day, celebrated globally.
Americas
Political/Social Events –
· French President Emmanuel Macron and Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen pay a joint visit to Greenland. The point of the meeting is to support the independence of Greenland in the face of President Trump’s efforts to acquire it, which Macron has termed as “preying on” the Danish territory.
Economic Reports/Events –
· Peru GDP Growth Rate (April)/ Unemployment Rate (May)
Asia
Political/Social Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Economic Reports/Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Europe
Political/Social Events –
· There will be an informal meeting of EU Agricultural Ministers through June 17 in Warsaw.
· Cities in Spain, Portugal, France, Italy, Croatia, and Greece will participate in the Southern European Meeting Against Touristization (SET) 2025. The point of the conference is to find ways to curb mass tourism.
· Zug, Switzerland holds Executive Council by-elections.
Economic Reports/Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Middle East
Political/Social Events –
· Morocco and France, in addition to eight other countries from the 5+5 Defense Initiative, will conduct the Sea Border 25 joint naval exercise through June 20.
Economic Reports/Events –
· Israel Balance of Trade (May)/ GDP Growth Annualized 2nd Est Q1/ Unemployment Rate (May)
· Saudi Arabia Inflation Rate (May)/ Wholesale Prices (May)
· Jordan Unemployment Rate Q1
Africa
Political/Social Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Economic Reports/Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Monday, June 16, 2025
Global
· The UN Security Council will is scheduled to hold consultations on Protection of civilians in armed conflict. In the afternoon, the Security Council is scheduled to hold consultations on Sudan.
· OPEC releases its monthly oil report.
· The UN Climate Change June Climate Meetings in Bonn, Germany begin and run through June 26.
Americas
Political/Social Events –
· A U.S. Federal Judge is scheduled to hear the legal arguments over the White House’s efforts to block Harvard’s ability to have international students.
· The US House of Representatives is out of session this coming week, but the US Senate is in session.
Economic Reports/Events –
· Brazil IBC-BR Economic Activity APR/ BCB Focus Market Readout
· Canada Housing Starts MAY
· USA NY Empire State Manufacturing Index/ NOPA Crush Report
Asia
Political/Social Events –
· Chinese President Xi Jinping will arrive in Kazakhstan for meetings in advance of the China-Central Asia Leaders’ Summit (which begins the following day). Xi is looking to deepen ties with the mineral-rich country and expand trade overall.
· Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov will travel to New Delhi, India for meetings with Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar.
· Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Cyprus through June 16.
· US, Japanese, and Philippine Coast Guard units will be holding drills off the coast of the Philippines.
Economic Reports/Events –
· The Bank of Japan meets to discuss monetary policy.
· New Zealand Composite & Services NZ PCI MAY
· China House Price Index YoY MAY/ Industrial Production YoY MAY/ Retail Sales YoY MAY/ Fixed Asset Investment (YTD) YoY/ Unemployment Rate MAY/ New Yuan Loans MAY/ M2 Money Supply YoY MAY/ Outstanding Loan Growth YoY MAY/ Total Social Financing MAY
· India WPI Food/ Fuel/ Inflation/ Manufacturing Index YoY MAY
· Pakistan Interest Rate Decision
· Kazakhstan Industrial Production YoY MAY
· Sri Lanka Manufacturing PMI MAY/ Services PMI MAY
· Singapore Balance of Trade MAY
Europe
Political/Social Events –
· There will be an EU Transport, Telecommunications, and Energy (Energy) meeting Luxembourg. Ministers will be invited to express their opinions on the REPowerEU roadmap, which the Commission made public on 6 May. The roadmap follows up on the March 2022 European Council meeting, when leaders agreed to phase out Europe's dependency on Russian energy imports as soon as possible.
· There will be an informal meeting of EU Agriculture Ministers through June 17 in Warsaw, Poland.
· The 55th Paris Air Show begins in Le Bourget Airfield and runs through June 22.
· The International Conference on the Science of Science and Innovation begins in Copenhagen, Denmark.
Economic Reports/Events –
· European Central Bank Board Member Piero Cipollone will give the opening at the Osservatorio Banca Impresa 2030 Meeting in Milan, Italy.
· Switzerland Producer & Import Prices YoY MAY/ SECO Economic Forecasts
· Turkey Current Account APR/ Retail Sales YoY APR/ Budget Balance MAY
· Italy Inflation Rate YoY Final MAY
· Euro Area Labour Cost Index YoY Final Q1/ Wage Growth YoY Q1
· Serbia Building Permits APR
· Poland Core Inflation Rate YoY MAY
· Belarus Industrial Production YoY MAY
Middle East
Political/Social Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Economic Reports/Events –
· Israel M1 Money Supply YoY MAY
Africa
Political/Social Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Economic Reports/Events –
· Angola Foreign Exchange Reserves MAY/ M3 Money Supply YoY MAY
· Nigeria Food Inflation YoY MAY/ Inflation Rate YoY MAY
Tuesday, June 17, 2025
Global
· A UN Conference – co-chaired by Saudi Arabia’s Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salme and France’s President Emmanual Macron – on a possible two-state solution with Israel will begin and run through June 20. Entitled “Peaceful Settlement of the Question of Palestine and the Implementation of the Two-State Solution” will involve an estimated 150 countries. However, Israel and the U.S. have elected not to participate. The US has condemned the conference and urged other countries not to participate. President Emmanuel Macron has suggested France could recognize a Palestinian state in Israeli-occupied territories at the conference. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman may attend but has not confirmed his attendance yet.
· The UN Security Council is scheduled to hold a briefing on the Middle East, followed by consultations on the Middle East (Syria).
· The International Energy Agency (IEA) June 2025 Oil Report is released.
Americas
Political/Social Events –
· The Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) Regional Conference on South – South Cooperation in Latin America and the Caribbean is held in Santiago, Chile. The Conference brings together representatives of the region’s countries, the United Nations system, and regional and international organizations.
· Mexico’s Federal Economic Competition Commission (Cofece) – the country’s antitrust body – will deliver a ruling on Google’s alleged monopoly in the digital advertising market.
· Argentina celebrates The Commemoration of General Don Martín Miguel de Güemes, a public holiday. The day commemorates the general who helped win Argentina’s independence from Spain in 1820.
· Virginia holds gubernatorial primaries.
Economic Reports/Events –
· The US Federal Reserve Board’s Open Markets Committee meets today and tomorrow to discuss interest rates.
· Canada Foreign Securities Purchases APR
· USA Import & Export Prices YoY MAY/ Retail Sales YoY MAY/ Redbook YoY JUN/14/ Capacity Utilization MAY/ Industrial Production YoY MAY/ Manufacturing Production YoY MAY/ Business Inventories MoM APR/ NAHB Housing Market Index JUN/ API Crude Oil Stock Change JUN/13/ International Monetary Market (IMM)
· Chile Interest Rate Decision
Asia
Political/Social Events –
· The China-Central Asia Leaders’ Summit will take place in Astana, Kazakhstan. The Summit brings together the leaders of China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan.
· New Zealand's Prime Minister Christopher Luxon will visit China through June 20.
· Russia and North Korea will resume passenger train connections after a 4-year hiatus.
· The Circular Economy Forum 2025 begins in Manila. The event, sponsored by the Asian Development Bank, runs through Thursday and the primary focus of this year’s conference is how to reduce plastic pollution.
Economic Reports/Events –
· South Korea Import & Exports Prices YoY MAY
· New Zealand Import Prices YoY MAY/ Global Dairy Trade Price Index JUN
· Singapore Non-Oil Exports YoY MAY
· Japan Bank of Japan Interest Rate Decision
· Hong Kong Unemployment Rate MAY
· Philippines Cash Remittances APR
Europe
Political/Social Events –
· The EU Environmental Council meets in Luxembourg. EU Environmental Ministers are expected to reach an agreement on the Council's position regarding a new regulation that will replace the current directives on end-of-life vehicles (ELV), as well as those on reusability, recyclability, and recoverability. Ministers will also exchange views on the preparations for the 30th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP30), which will take place in the Brazilian city of Belém in November 2025.
· The SeaEnergy Forum which is focused on offshore renewable energy begins in Paris and runs through June 18.
· Today is Iceland Independence Day, celebrating the country’s freedom from Denmark.
· In England, the Royal Ascot horse races begin. The races were first run in 1711 when Queen Anne arranged them.
Economic Reports/Events –
· Hungary Gross Wage YoY APR
· France IEA Oil Market Report
· Euro Area ZEW Economic Sentiment Index JUN
· Germany ZEW Economic Sentiment Index JUN/ ZEW Current Conditions JUN
· Ireland Balance of Trade APR
· Belarus GDP YoY MAY
Middle East
Political/Social Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Economic Reports/Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Africa
Political/Social Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Economic Reports/Events –
· Nigeria GDP Growth Rate YoY Q1
Wednesday, June 18, 2025
Global
· Nothing significant to report.
Americas
Political/Social Events –
· US Trade Representative Jamison Greer will host Malaysian Trade Minister Tengku Zafrul Aziz for trade talks. Malaysia was hit with a 24 percent “reciprocal” tariffs when President Trump announced the “Liberation Day” tariffs.
· The US Senate Judiciary Committee holds hearing on Joe Biden’s ‘cognitive decline’ and possible cover-up. The Senate is now following the House of Representatives in running a probe into the then-President’s mental state and if a group of aides covered it up.
· Today is Juneteenth National Independence Day, a public holiday in the US.
· Argentinian unions will go on strike in advance of former President Cristina Fernandez’s court appearance which will begin her six-year prison sentence for corruption.
Economic Reports/Events –
· The Federal Reserve Open Market Committee votes on interest rates. Fed Chair Jay Powell holds a press conference at 2:00 p.m.
· USA MBA Mortgage Market Index JUN/13/ MBA Mortgage Refinance Index JUN/13/ MBA Purchase Index JUN/13/ Building Permits Prel MAY/ Housing Starts MAY/ EIA Crude Oil & Gasoline Stocks Change JUN/13/ 15- & 30-Year Mortgage Rate JUN/19/ Net Long-term TIC Flows APR/ Foreign Bond Investment APR/ Overall Net Capital Flows APR
· Governor of the Bank of Canada Tiff Macklem will give a speech at the St. John’s Board of Trade.
· Chile Monetary Policy Meeting Minutes
· Mexico Aggregate Demand YoY Q1/ Private Spending YoY Q1
· Colombia ISE Economic Activity YoY APR
· Argentina Retail Sales YoY APR/ Leading Indicator MoM MAY
· Brazil Interest Rate Decision
Asia
Political/Social Events –
· Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishida will host German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier for bilateral talks. Steinmeier, who will be in Japan through June 20, will also meet with Japanese Emperor Naruhito and then travel to Osaka to attend Expo 2025.
· China will hold its annual 618 Shopping Festival. It is a major e-commerce shopping campaign here retailers offer significant discounts and promotions and dovetails with the government’s drive to increase consumer spending.
· The inaugural Nikkei Forum Medini, co-organized by Nikkei Inc. and Iskandar Investment, will take place over two days in Medini, Malaysia's southern state of Johor, bringing together global leaders and experts to discuss regional integration, clean energy, finance, technology and innovation. Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim will deliver the keynote address on Thursday.
Economic Reports/Events –
· New Zealand Current Account Q1
· Japan Imports/ Exports/ Balance of Trade MAY/ Machinery Orders YoY APR
· Australia Westpac Leading Index MoM MAY
· Indonesia Interest Rate Decision/ Lending & Deposit Facility Rate JUN
Europe
Political/Social Events –
· Russian President Vladimir Putin will host Indonesian President Subianto Prabowo for meetings through June 20. Prabowo, who is skipping attending the G7 Meetings in Canada despite being personally invited by Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, will also attend the 28th International Economic Forum in St. Petersburg which begins today. Putin is expected to give the opening remarks. 137 countries are sending participants to the Summit.
· Guernsey (England) holds elections.
Economic Reports/Events –
· European Central Bank Board Member Frank Elderson gives the keynote speech at the SRB Legal Conference 2025 "Banking Crises – law, policy and practice: European and global perspectives" in Brussels, Belgium.
· European Central Bank Board Member Sharon Donnery will give a speech at the Credit Management Summit 2025 in Milan, Italy.
· Bank of England Executive Director for Prudential Policy David Bailey will give a speech at Risk.net Live Europe Conference in London entitled “Innovation and Growth: The PRA’s Approach to Competitiveness.”
· European Central Bank Board Member Pedro Machado will participate on a panel at the SRB Legal Conference 2025 "Banking Crises – law, policy and practice: European and global perspectives" in Brussels, Belgium.
· European Central Bank Board Member Philip R. Lane will chair the keynote session at 9th Annual Macroprudential Conference organized by Deutsche Bundesbank, De Nederlandsche Bank, Central Bank of Ireland and Sveriges Riksbank in Amsterdam, Netherlands.
· European Central Bank Board Member Luis de Guindos will give dinner remarks at the Osservatorio Permanente Giovani-Editori in Milan, Italy.
· Great Britain Inflation Rate YoY MAY/ Retail Price Index YoY MAY
· Slovakia Harmonized Inflation Rate YoY MAY
· Euro Area Current Account APR/ CPI Final MAY/ Inflation Rate YoY Final MAY/ Eurogroup Meeting
· Italy Current Account APR
· Serbia Current Account APR
· Russia Consumer Confidence Q2
Middle East
Political/Social Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Economic Reports/Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Africa
Political/Social Events –
· Commonwealth Trade Ministers will meet through June 20 in Windhoek, Namibia. Simultaneously, the inaugural Commonwealth Business Summit will be held.
· Today is Seychelles Constitution Day, a national holiday.
Economic Reports/Events –
· South Africa Inflation Rate YoY MAY/ Retail Sales YoY APR
Thursday, June 19, 2025
Global
· Guyana’s President Ali will chair the UN Security Council meeting to discuss policies to alleviate poverty to further global peace and security.
Americas
Political/Social Events –
· Today is Juneteenth. Financial markets in the US are closed.
· Today is the deadline for ByteDance, the Chinese parent company of TikTok, to divest the US assets. However, President Trump is expected to authorize and provide an extension.
Economic Reports/Events –
· Canada CFIB Business Barometer (JUN).
· Argentina Consumer Confidence, Balance of Trade, Unemployment
Asia
Political/Social Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Economic Reports/Events –
· New Zealand GDP Growth Rate YoY Q1
· Japan Reuters Tankan Index JUN/ Foreign Bond Investment JUN/14/ Stock Investment by Foreigners JUN/14
· Philippines Central Bank Interest Rate Decision
· Australia Employment Change MAY/ Unemployment Rate MAY/ Participation Rate MAY
· South Korea PPI
Europe
Political/Social Events –
· The Eurogroup will meet in Luxembourg. Ministers are expected to discuss the International Monetary Fund Article IV review of euro area policies , Budgetary developments in euro area members, Euro area enlargement, specifically Bulgaria, and the Eurogroup President election process.
· The London-based think tank, Chatham House, holds its 10th London Conference. A large number of government and corporate leaders will be in attendance and/or speaking.
Economic Reports/Events –
· European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde will give a speech at the 9th Annual Research Conference "Economic and financial integration in a stormy and fragmenting World" organized by National Bank of Ukraine and National Bank of Poland in Kyiv, Ukraine.
· European Central Bank Board Member Claudia Buch participates in a fireside chat at the Room for Discussion event organized by the University of Amsterdam in Amsterdam, Netherlands.
· European Central Bank Board Member Luis de Guindos will give a speech on "The challenges of this century, Eurozone economic outlook" at Young Factor conference organized by Osservatorio Permanente Giovani-Editori in Milan, Italy.
· European Central Bank Board Member Claudia Buch will moderate a policy panel at 9th Annual Macroprudential Conference organized by Deutsche Bundesbank, De Nederlandsche Bank, Central Bank of Ireland and Sveriges Riksbank in Amsterdam, Netherlands.
· European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde give a video remark at Financi'Elles event dedicated to 60 years of the law on the financial emancipation of women.
· Bank of England Interest Rate Decision and meeting minutes
Middle East
Political/Social Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Economic Reports/Events –
· Turkey Central Bank Interest Rate Decision
Africa
Political/Social Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Economic Reports/Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Friday, June 20, 2025
Global
· Nothing significant to report.
Americas
Political/Social Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Economic Reports/Events –
· US Philadelphia Fed’s Manufacturing Index/Business Conditions/CAPEX Index/Employment/New Orders
· Canada New Housing Price Index, Retail Sales, PPI, Raw Materials Prices
· Colombia Imports/Exports/Balance of Trade
Asia
Political/Social Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Economic Reports/Events –
· China FDI (YTD), Central Government Debt, Loan Prime Rate 1Y/5Y
· Japan Inflation, Bank of Japan Policy Meeting Minutes
· India Central Bank Monetary Policy Summary of Rate Decisions, Bank Loan Growth
Europe
Political/Social Events –
· The EU Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council (Social Policy) will meet in Luxembourg. Ministers will seek agreement on the quality framework for traineeships, the Equal Treatment Directive, and gender equality in the AI-driven digital age.
· Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen will co-host a joint summit of Italy's Mattei Plan — Rome's strategic development initiative for Africa — and the European Union's Global Gateway strategy, the bloc's flagship infrastructure investment framework.
Economic Reports/Events –
· European Central Bank Board Member Pedro Machado participates on a panel discussion at Banco de España's Legal Conference "Central banks and supervisors, emerging challenges and the law" in Madrid, Spain.
· ECB Economic Bulletin, Eurozone Consumer Confidence
· Italy Construction Output
· Germany PPI
· UK Retail Sales, Public Sector Net Borrowing ex-Banks
· France Business Confidence and Consumer Confidence
· Russian Central Bank Summary of Key Rate Decision
Middle East
Political/Social Events –
· Turkish President Erdogan will host Armenian Prime Minister Pashinyan in Ankara. The two leaders are expected to discuss efforts to reach a peace agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan.
Economic Reports/Events –
· Turkey Consumer Confidence
Africa
Political/Social Events –
· The West African Economic Summit 2025 begins in Abuja, Nigeria and runs through June 21.
· Today is Martyr’s Day in Eritrea, a national holiday.
Economic Reports/Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Saturday, June 21, 2025
Global
· Nothing significant to report.
Americas
Political/Social Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Economic Reports/Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Asia
Political/Social Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Economic Reports/Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Europe
Political/Social Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Economic Reports/Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Middle East
Political/Social Events –
· The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) of Foreign Ministers will meet in Istanbul, Turkey through June 22.
Economic Reports/Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Africa
Political/Social Events –
· Today is Martyrs’ Day in Togo, a national holiday.
Economic Reports/Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Sunday, June 22, 2025
Global
· Nothing significant to report.
Americas
Political/Social Events –
· U.S. Speaker of the House Michael Johnson (R-LA) is scheduled to visit Israel. He will address the Israeli Knesset (NOTE: Johnson’s trip may be canceled because of the outbreak of fighting between Israel and Iran.)
· Today is the tentative date Telsa will launch their new Robotaxis in Austin, Texas.
Economic Reports/Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Asia
Political/Social Events –
· The Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly elections take place. There are 127 seats representing the 14 million residents of Tokyo open for election.
· Today is the 60th anniversary of Japan and South Korea establishing diplomatic ties.
Economic Reports/Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Europe
Political/Social Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Economic Reports/Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Middle East
Political/Social Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Economic Reports/Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
Africa
Political/Social Events –
· The US-Africa Business Summit begins in Luanda, Angola. More than 1,500 attendees including a number of African government leaders, are expected to attend the three-day event.
Economic Reports/Events –
· Nothing significant to report.
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