Global Spotlight
One Brexit Battle Down, Many More to Come. British Prime Minister Theresa May is now safe from her fellow Tories for at least one year after surviving a no-confidence vote Dec. 12.
Probing Chinese Trade Concessions. Most of the “concessions” China laid out this week for Washington were recycled from earlier negotiations, including confirmed purchases of U.S. soybeans, broad pledges on intellectual property protections, and promises to buy more liquefied natural gas from the United States and lower tariffs on U.S. automobiles from 40 percent to 15 percent (though the auto tariff reduction wouldn’t take effect until April).
Mercosur Is Making Moves. With Brazil’s incoming president, Jair Bolsonaro, breathing new life into the Common Market of the South (Mercosur), members of the trade bloc have come up with a framework in principle to reform Mercosur’s rigid rules.
The Power of the Yellow Vest. French President Emmanuel Macron’s ambitions have been reduced from a flood to a puddle as “yellow vest” protests have forced him into watering down reforms at home, as well as on the EU front. Watch Italy take full advantage of France’s deficit breach as it haggles with Brussels over what will end up being minor changes to its budget.
Manbij Watch. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is back to threatening an operation against the Kurdish People’s Protection Units in Manbij, a town in northern Syria currently protected by the United States and held by its Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) ally.
Stratfor.com
Economic Calendar
Here isa a list of the U.S. economic events happening this week.
Briefing.com
Review Last weeks numbers here.
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