Global Spotlight
Are Maduro’s Days Numbered? The United States is working with Brazil and Colombia to deliver humanitarian assistance to the Venezuelan border. And on Feb. 13, Colombian President Ivan Duque will meet with U.S. President Donald Trump in the White House to discuss regime change in Venezuela.
Failed Merger Spurs EU Reform Effort. Germany and France announced this week that they will present plans to reform the European Union’s antitrust rules within the next three months.
Russia’s Increasingly Heavy Hand in Afghanistan. Diplomacy and war are shaping Russia’s positioning on Afghanistan. On Feb. 5, Taliban officials and prominent Afghan politicians outside of President Ashraf Ghani’s administration met in Moscow, highlighting Russia’s role as a powerful regional actor seeking to shape peace negotiations countering U.S. influence.
Long-Awaited Kim-Trump Summit Date. During his State of the Union address on Feb. 5, U.S. President Donald Trump announced that he and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un will meet Feb. 27-28 in Vietnam.
Rate Cut Is a Positive Sign for Modi. The Reserve Bank of India’s first interest rate cut in 18 months offers good news for Prime Minister Narendra Modi as he faces a tough re-election contest by May.
Nigeria’s Election Approaches. As President Muhammadu Buhari and his main opponent, Atiku Abubakar, lock up final support before Nigeria’s Feb. 16 election, the broader question of whether the country will pull off a vote free of controversy weighs heavily.
Next Round of U.S.-China Trade Talks. World markets, upbeat from last week’s talks, cheered the prospect of a trade deal between China and the United States.
Spanish Tensions. Political tensions in Spain will escalate considerably next week when a dozen Catalan pro-independence figures go on trial Feb. 12 in the Supreme Court.
Stratfor.com
Economic Calendar
Briefing.com has a good U.S. economic calendar for the week. Here are the main U.S. releases.
Briefing.com
Last Weeks Numbers
Review Last weeks numbers here.
Earnings
Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S
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