Skip to main content

Featured

Eurozone’s Next Chapter: Why Expansion Won’t Be Easy After Bulgaria

  The European Union’s long‑running project to expand the eurozone has reached a pivotal moment. With Bulgaria preparing to adopt the euro, attention is shifting to the remaining EU states still outside the common currency—and the road ahead looks far more complicated. Bulgaria’s entry is significant: it demonstrates that euro adoption is still possible for countries willing to meet the strict fiscal and legal criteria. Yet the remaining holdouts—such as Romania, Hungary, Poland, Czechia, and Sweden—face a mix of political hesitation, economic challenges, and public skepticism that make near‑term expansion unlikely. Some governments argue that adopting the euro would limit their monetary flexibility, especially in a period marked by inflation and geopolitical uncertainty. Others face structural economic gaps that make meeting the convergence criteria difficult. In several countries, public opinion remains divided or outright opposed, slowing political momentum. The EU continues...

article

Trump's 10% Tariff: A Global Trade Shake-Up

The United States has begun enforcing President Donald Trump's controversial 10% tariff on imports, marking a significant departure from post-World War II trade norms. This "baseline" tariff, effective at U.S. ports and customs warehouses, is the first step in a broader strategy that includes higher levies on goods from major trading partners.

The move has already sent shockwaves through global markets, wiping out $5 trillion in stock value for S&P 500 companies and causing oil and commodity prices to plummet. Countries like Australia, the UK, and Saudi Arabia are among the first to face the new tariff, with even steeper rates set to impact the European Union and China in the coming weeks.

While the White House defends the tariffs as a response to trade imbalances, critics warn of escalating tensions and potential economic fallout. This seismic shift in U.S. trade policy is reshaping global dynamics, leaving nations scrambling to adapt.

Comments