Emerging Markets Newsletter

Semester 1 Week 8

Hey Legend!

Happy Monday and welcome to Week 8! 🥳

We hope you’ve had a restful mid-sem break 🛏️ and are (hopefully) caught up with uni work 🪖 

To alleviate the stress and anxiety 😟 of returning back to uni, we have partnered with the FBE 🤝to bring you prizes 🎁, food 🍴and treats🪅at the Student Brunch this Thursday.

It’s the perfect opportunity to have a go at our Export Challenge 🌎 and ease back in to your lectures, tutorials and assignments 🪖. We hope to see you there! 👋

Updates

EMN Pop-up Stall @ FBE Student Brunch 🏪

Come by our stall for the Export Challenge — prizes 🎁, food 🍴, & treats 🪅 on us!

• 📍 Level 1 Student Lounge, The Spot

• 📅 Thursday 1st May

• 🕛 11.00 am to 12.00 pm

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From there, we provide exclusive networking opportunities, practical workshops with industry professionals, direct employer introductions, and 1:1 internship and job search coaching—supporting you until you land the role you want.

See how Prepped Talent can help you start a coveted career in High Finance through our comprehensive Break into Mergers & Acquisitions Program.

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The Numbers

Markets extended their rally this week, with strong gains across equities and an especially sharp rebound in Bitcoin. Crude oil bucked the trend with a notable drop, while gold remained steady after its impressive run earlier in the year.

The Roundup

India reels from the Pahalgam attack amid market jitters, China pushes trade diversification with a new bond offering, and Africa faces slipping growth, security risks, and tighter finances.

India

Tensions soar after the deadly Pahalgam attack, shaking markets and sparking a fierce India-Pakistan standoff. As fear grips investors, the rupee slips, stocks stumble, and geopolitical risks escalate.

• The Indian rupee ended weaker in a volatile session on Friday as investors stayed cautious amid fears of an escalation in tensions with Pakistan after a militant attack in Kashmir earlier this week ⬇️ 👀 . The rupee ended 0.2% lower against the U.S. dollar at 85.45 compared with its previous close of 85.26 📉 .

• India's benchmark indexes declined on Friday, limiting their weekly gains, weighed by broad-based sectoral losses and investor anxiety over geopolitical tensions following a deadly militant attack in Kashmir ⏱️😳. The Nifty 50 fell 0.86% to 24,039.35 while the BSE Sensex lost 0.74% to 79,212.53 📉 .

• An attack on tourists in India's Himalayan territory of Kashmir this week sparked a new crisis between nuclear armed neighbours India and Pakistan, with New Delhi blaming militants with "cross-border linkages" for the killings 🔫💣. In the wake of the Pahalgam attack, India suspended the Indus Waters Treaty 💧 while Pakistan responded by closing its airspace and suspending trade ties ⚔️ ✈️ .

• At least 26 people were killed and 17 injured after suspected militants opened fire at a popular tourist spot in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir 🔫🪦. Calling it a cowardly act of terrorism, Prime Minister Modi vowed the attackers and their backers would be punished "beyond their imagination 😡 ."

China

This week, we explore Beijings dismissal of reports that renewed trade negotiations with the US have begun, Chinese companies ongoing efforts to diversify their trade amidst the current trade war, and the emergence of China’s new game changing technology poised to reshape the military power balance in the South China Sea.

• China’s Commerce and Foreign Ministries rebuked President Trumps claim that the two countries had begun tariff talks, calling it “fake news”🧢 and warning ⚠️ Washington not to “mislead the public”. This latest fiasco😵‍💫 reflects Beijings adoption of a no-first-move policy in future negotiations, leaving the trade war in deadlock🔒 with neither side willing to budge.

• Fallout from American tariffs continues as China returned 3 Boeing 737 Max planes ✈️intended for Xiamen Airlines, while Chinese importers cancelled orders for 12,030 metric tonnes of American pork🚫🥓🐖. This comes as Beijing eyes markets 👀 in Europe 🇪🇺 and BRICS 🧱 to cover the shortfall, signalling a strategic push for trade diversification 🌏.

• China’s Ministry of Finance begun its latest issuance of special bonds to fund Beijings plan of stimulating the economy via fiscal spending💸📈. The 3-part issuance valued at $39bn saw 5-year, 20-year and 30-year special bonds sold at average yields of 1.45%, 1.98% and 1.88% respectively; with the shorter term 5-year bonds accounting for 57% of the total issuance📊.

• China makes breakthrough in submarine technology after scientists👨‍🔬unveiled a new state-of-the-art quantum sensor system 📡⚛️. The new system would allow the PLA to accurately locate enemy submarines 🎯and detect their tail wave signatures 💨🌊 in low-latitude regions, giving Beijing a significant technological edge in submarine warfare in the South China Sea⚔️⚓️.

Africa

Africa is going through a tougher economic environment as April wraps up 📉🌍. Growth forecasts have slipped, blaming weaker global demand and shaky commodity prices 🚚🌟. West Africa’s security risks are heating up 🔥 with tight financial conditions squeezing governments.

• The IMF cuts Sub-Saharan Africa’s 2025 growth forecast to 3.8% 📜⬇️📉. Inflation is easing, though, with South Africa reporting a surprise fall to 2.7% 🪙 in March - the lowest since 2020. East Africa remains to shine 🌟 as Ethopia and Kenya push ahead with infrastructure 🏗️ and service sector growth.

• Caution hit Ghana’s markets 📉, with bond trading volumes down 34% ⚖️ mid-April. Treasury yields dipped slightly📊, while SIC Insurance stock jumped 10% 🚀 and MTN Ghana slipped 📱. Cairo’s FOCUS Africa Forum gathered leaders 🧑‍💼 to pitch big projects 🏗️ and promote stronger regional investment.

• Violence spiked 🚨 as al Qaeda’s Sahel branch launched a deadly attack in Benin 🕊️. Somalia saw 400 Turkish troops, arrive to bolster the government 🛡️. Nigeria grapples with expanding Salafi-jihadi threats ⚔️, as instability spreads beyond traditional conflict zones 🌍.

• A spectacular puppet herd 🐘🦒🐆 has set off from Kinshasa, trekking 20,000 km 🌍 toward the Arctic 🧊 to spotlight climate change 🌱. Artists, activists, and kids 🎨👧 celebrated the launch with music 🎶, dance 💃, and recycled art ♻️, blending environmental urgency with African creativity 🌟.

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 💚