What does the Middle East conflict mean for global growth? AD Middle East conflict sends shockwaves through oil, inflation and global growth: This is what Investec experts are thinking In our latest Q&A, Investec experts Callum Macpherson (Head of Commodities), Philip Shaw (Chief Economist) and Chris Holdsworth (Chief Investment Strategist for Investec South Africa) explain what could happen if the Middle East conflict continues, what key [...]
How geopolitics is influencing investment Opinion The UK’s classification of AI as critical infrastructure is being paradoxically balanced by increasingly strict national security scrutiny on ownership, investment, and partnerships, introducing political risk into the innovation pipeline, says Claire Trachet Britain classified AI as critical national infrastructure last September, sitting it alongside defence, energy and telecommunications. At Davos this year, former UK [...]
BCG warns the era of ‘wait and see’ is dead as global risks hit all-time high Business As concerns over global policy uncertainty reached a 20-year peak in 2025, BCG is warning that the issue must be a core business capability, with dedicated teams. Business leaders cite trade reconfiguration, weakening multilateral institutions, and the weaponisation of economic tools as persistent threats to business continuity and competitiveness. However, a report by the IMD [...]
Venezuela is ‘uninvestable’ as Trump unnerves market analysts January 10, 2026 Venezuela is “uninvestable” and requires sweeping reforms before oil giants can support US ambitions, a top chief executive has warned Donald Trump, in a warning that comes amid growing concerns the president is set to rattle markets and hit global economies. ExxonMobil boss Darren Woods appeared to distance the company from the president’s ambitions to [...]
Gold to glitter past $4,000 after year of political jitters October 2, 2025 In a year defined by geopolitical turmoil, gold has not stopped glittering. The yellow metal started the year near $2669 and has since soared to $3900 – a rise of over 45 per cent. The asset now looks set to cross the $4,000 landmark for the first time with the latest rally triggered by the [...]
Officials working ‘very hard on ending Russia-Ukraine war’, Trump envoy says August 25, 2025 US president Donald Trump’s special envoy Keith Kellogg said officials are “working very, very hard” on efforts to end the three-year war between Russia and Ukraine, as a lack of progress fuels doubts about whether a peace settlement could be on the horizon. Mr Kellogg said in Kyiv that officials are “hoping to get to [...]
Starmer speaks with Trump after president’s Ukraine ceasefire talks with Putin August 16, 2025 Sir Keir Starmer has spoken with Donald Trump after the US president’s summit with Vladimir Putin ended without a deal to stop the war in Ukraine. The Prime Minister joined a call with Trump and Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelensky, as well as other European leaders, after the US-Russia ceasefire talks, Downing Street said. Trump did not [...]
Forget the EU, UK businesses want to trade with China May 23, 2025 From UK businesses shifting trade to China, the message is clear: growth matters more than geopolitics, writes Jane Galvin.
Britain’s space launch programme could be thwarted by NATO May 19, 2025 Aspirations of UK space launch will soon collide with the new geopolitical realities of global security, writes Susan Walton.
John Major warns of ‘dangerous world’ if US does not stand behind allies February 16, 2025 A world in which the United States does not support its allies will be “rather more dangerous”, former prime minister Sir John Major warned.