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• We have revised up our 2024 real GDP growth forecast for Laos to 4.0%, from 3.5% previously to reflect stronger-than-expected growth of 3.7% in 2023.
• We expect a continued improvement in services exports and a brighter investment outlook to support growth.
• On the downside, ongoing inflationary pressures and a sustained weakness in the

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• In this article, we consider ‘wild card’ or unexpected developments that could affect our core view that the UK’s main opposition Labour party will form a government after the July 4 election. 
• Both the Conservatives and Labour will see intense scrutiny on the campaign trail, which could lead to notable gaffes or a scandal coming to light.
• Th

The Latest: On April 12 2024, the Italy-based airline ITA Airways launched nonstop flight services between US and Italy. Flights will operate six times a week from O’Hare International Airport in Chicago to Rome-Leonardo da Vinci Fiumicino (FCO) International Airport in Rome. ITA Airways new flight route will allow the company to expand its flight

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• In line with expectations, the European Central Bank (ECB) lowered its deposit rate from 4.00% to 3.75% during its June 6 policy meeting. 
• We expect that the ECB will keep the deposit rate unchanged in its next policy decision on July 18, and forecast that it will cut it by only a further 50 basis points to 3.25% by the end of 2024. 
• We

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• Brazil's medical devices market will grow at a mid single-digits from 2023 to 2028, driven by increased healthcare budget allocations. 
• New regulations will accelerate device approvals in Brazil, supporting the long-term growth of the market. 
• The US will remain Brazil’s most dominant medical device trade partner due to strong trade relations

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• We have kept our forecasts for the Polish end-2024 policy rate unchanged at 5.75% after the National Bank of Poland (NBP) meeting on June 5.
• Ongoing concerns about fiscal policy changes and elevated core inflation will prompt caution by the Monetary Policy Council for the remainder of the year.
• We expect the NBP to begin easing in Q224 as

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• The Port of Maputo in Mozambique is on track to strengthen its role as a pivotal logistics hub in Southern Africa, driven by the MPDC'S strategic investment of USD600mn to enhance terminal facilities by 2026. This initiative is part of a more expansive USD2bn investment plan aimed at broadening the port's capacity and infrastructure by 2058

In this article, we will investigate which banking sectors across Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) are outperforming their peers, and which ones are falling behind. We will be looking at banking indicators on a regional basis, as well as delving more deeply into the ten largest sectors, which we forecast will account for 76.9% of total regional assets in