Emerging Markets Newsletter

Semester 1 Week 1

Hey Legend!

Happy Monday and welcome back to semester 1! 🥳 We hope your holidays have been glorious 🏆.

For those that are new around here, this is the Emerging Markets Newsletter, where we bring you the latest insights across the developing world. Your inbox will be graced with our presence weekly on Mondays 📰.

While you have been on holiday, our team has cooked up a star-studded calendar of events and activities for you soldiers ✨.

First up, EMN x GAS Pub Night this Thursday at the Clyde Hotel from 6.00 PM. Free drinks 🍺, free food 😋 and fantastic people 🤝, this event is not to be missed so get your tickets below before they sell out 🏃.

Updates

EMN x GAS Pub Night 🍻

Markets, geopolitics & good pints—join two global-minded clubs for one legendary night.

• 📍 The Clyde Hotel Rooftop, 385 Cardigan St, Carlton VIC 3053

• 📅 Thursday 6th March, 6.00 PM to 9.00 PM

• 🎟️ Get your tickets Here before they sell out!

EMN 2025 Committee Recruitment 💼

Join our team to gain professional experience, make life-long friends, and drive our impact on campus .

Apply Here for the following positions by Friday 7th March at 11.59pm.

• ⚙️ Operations Subcommittee

• 🤳 Marketing Subcommittee

• 📝 Communications Officer

• 🤝 External Relations Officer

• 🎙️ Podcast Director

President’s Selection

The Numbers

Equities, commodities and crypto are down this week, but Gold and Emerging Market Equities are strongly in the green year-to-date. Notably, Gold has surged over 40% since the start of 2024, with Goldman Sachs predicting a further 8% increase in 2025.

The Roundup

Rising tensions plague domestic politics in India, while China displays its military strength in the Pacific. Africa prepares for landmark leadership changes amidst escalating conflict and a glimpse of economic stability. Let’s dig in.

India

A trade deal is on the table  for India and the EU by year-end, equity markets gain momentum  as BigBasket plans for an IPO, and political tensions are high  with the BJP accusing Congress of foreign interference.

• At least 25 people remain trapped under snow after an avalanche struck Uttarakhand, with the incident occurring at a labour site of the federal Border Roads Organisation (BRO), where eight containers 🗃️ and one shed, with 57 workers inside, were buried under the snow 🥶.

• India and the European Union on Friday agreed to conclude a free trade deal  🚢🤝 by the end of the year, their first commitment to a deadline on talks that have been going for years 📅, as they look to soften the effect of tariff increases from the United States 📈. The EU is India's largest trading partner, with two-way trade reaching $137.5 billion in the 2023/24 fiscal year💰.

• BigBasket 🧺plans for its listing in India in the next 18 months as the quick commerce industry sees high double-digit sales growth 📈, with rivals such as Instamart and Blinkit racing⚡️to make the most of red-hot🥵demand for 10-minute deliveries in urban metros 🚚. The company is on track to double its business YoY ⏳ by March 2026 and expand to about 70 Indian cities  🌆.

• The BJP lashed out at Congress, accusing it of seeking foreign funds💰to prevent Prime Minister Narendra Modi from coming to power in 2014 ⚔️. The party's allegations came a day after US President Donald Trump questioned a move by former president Joe Biden's administration to provide $21 million 💰 to India for "voter turnout" 🙋‍♂️ and questioned if they were "trying to get somebody else elected" 🤔.

China

This week, we dive into China’s emerging film industry , future CCP intervention in the banking sector , the latest in regional escalations with Australia and the escalating trade war with America .

• China's largest banks are set to receive a $55bn liquidity boost 🏦🌊 for the first time since 2008. Beijing aims to stabilise the banking sector🛡️, which has seen bank profits fall and capital margins reach all-time lows 📉🚨. Despite total relief expected to rise to $140bn, the stimulus fails to address the underlying problem of Chinese banks' poor loan practices🧐.

• Trump to 2X tariffs on Chinese imports 😱 as the Chinese-American trade war intensifies ⚔️ . The 10% tariff hike would raise tariffs on Chinese goods to 20%, with Trump seeking to retaliate against Chinese involvement in fueling America’s rampant worsening fentanyl crisis 💊.

• China to conduct future military naval drills near Australia 🪖  🚢, after the Chinese ambassador declared China’s navy as “no threat”🕊️. This comes amidst rising tensions with Australia, which has seen confrontations 🥊 between Australian and Chinese forces in the South China Sea and Chinese Warships conducting live-fire 💥 exercises in the Tasman Sea.

• Chinese film ‘Ne Zha 2’ approaches $2bn at the box office🚀. Spurred by domestic demand, contributing $1.9bn🤑, the film has seen a meteoric rise, overtaking Inside Out 2 as the highest-grossing animated film of all time🥇 and the seventh highest-grossing film of all time🏆!

Africa

Africa enters 2025 at a crossroads , balancing new opportunities with persistent challenges. Economic growth continues but inflation remains a concern. Key elections are set to play a crucial role in shaping the continent’s future .

• The African Union (AU) is preparing for a major leadership change  🔄🏛️, as candidates from Djibouti, Kenya, and Madagascar compete for the position. This election will determine Africa’s diplomatic ties 🤝, trade policies 💼, and regional cooperation 🌍.

• The African Development Bank projects the continent’s GDP to grow by 4.1% in 2025 🚀, thanks to new infrastructure and better economic policies 🏗️  📊. Inflation persists in Nigeria and Egypt, where central banks are struggling to stabilize the currency  💱. West African countries using the CFA franc are seeing more stability, but others are still dealing with high debt and slow growth  🏦⚖️.

• African stock markets had a mixed week. Nigeria’s stock exchange soared 📈to record highs  💥 as foreign investors poured money into tech and banking  💻🏦. South Africa’s JSE dropped due to political uncertainty  📉 ahead of the upcoming elections 😬. Kenya’s fintech sector is thriving, with $100 million investment in mobile banking startups.

• Violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Sudan are escalating. In Sudan, the civil war is turning into a humanitarian disaster, with millions displaced 🏚️ and food shortages getting worse  🍞⚠️. In the DRC, ceasefire talks with M23 rebels have collapsed, forcing thousands to flee 🚶💨. A rare positive sign! Ethiopia and Eritrea have restarted diplomatic talks after years of tension and hostility 💣 🤝. If successful, this could bring more stability to the Horn of Africa, a region often caught in conflict🌍.

See you all next week!

We hope you enjoyed reading our newsletter! There are plenty of facts for you to drop in your next conversation to sound more intelligent. Make sure to share this artistic marvel with a friend!

Good luck for your studies, we know you smart cookies will smash it.

If you have any inquiries please email [email protected]

We look forward to seeing you at our next event!

Best regards,

The EMN Team 💚