Good morning.

🇵🇸 The ceasefire in Gaza is close to collapse as Hamas has suspended hostage transfers, accusing Israel of “violations and its failure to comply with the terms of the agreement.” Israel has responded by placing its military on high alert, while Donald Trump has said that if all hostages are not released by Saturday, the deal should be scrapped. (Note, the deal does not call for all hostages to be released by Saturday but in a phased transfer through March 1.) [Live coverage - BBC]

🇮🇳 Indian security forces killed 31 suspected Maoist rebels and lost two personnel in a major gun battle in Chhattisgarh state's Indravati area on February 9, 2025. This marks the deadliest clash of 2025 and follows two other significant encounters in January where Indian forces killed 24 rebels. The Maoist rebels, known as Naxals, have been fighting since 1967 for increased rights and resources for India's poor Indigenous communities, with the government aiming to end the insurgency by 2026. [More - AlJazeera]

🇨🇰 The Cook Islands plans to sign a partnership deal with China this week during its first-ever state visit to Beijing, creating tension with New Zealand, which says it wasn't properly consulted. Under a longstanding "free association" agreement, the Cook Islands relies on New Zealand for defense and financial support, while its citizens can live and work there as New Zealand citizens. The proposed deal is expected to cover infrastructure, trade, tourism, and deep-sea mining, though opposition leaders have criticized the lack of public consultation about the agreement. [More - BBC]

Live Country Data, Connected in Minutes

We’re all short of time and one thing I am incredibly focused on with Decis is getting you the information you need as easily and quickly as possible. Why would you have to jump through hoops to set up a data service or wait for the analyst to get you a country brief?

So when I built the API, the intent was to make everything as smooth as possible: the sign up, coverage selection, connection to your systems.

What does that mean in reality?

It means you can be set up and connected in just a couple of minutes. Here’s how.

Try the API yourself - api.decis.ai 

(And if you beat my time, let me know.)

Key Metrics

WTI is $73.52 (Down)

Low |--------- < ----------| High

Wheat is $185.794 (Up)

Low |--------- > ----------| High

EuroDollar is $1.03 (Down)

Low |-- < -----------------| High

YuanDollar is $0.14 (Unchanged)

Low |---------- < > ---------| High

Graphs are illustrative to show comparative price over last 180 days

Metrics via AlphaVantage updated Feb 10 2025 21:16 UTC

Americas Stability Ratings and News Summary

More Unstable

🇦🇷 Argentina, 🇧🇿 Belize, 🇧🇴 Bolivia, 🇧🇷 Brazil, 🇨🇦 Canada, 🇨🇱 Chile, 🇨🇴 Colombia, 🇨🇺 Cuba, 🇩🇴 Dominican Republic, 🇪🇨 Ecuador, 🇸🇻 El Salvador, 🇬🇹 Guatemala, 🇬🇾 Guyana, 🇭🇹 Haiti, 🇭🇳 Honduras, 🇯🇲 Jamaica, 🇲🇽 Mexico, 🇳🇮 Nicaragua, 🇵🇦 Panama, 🇵🇪 Peru, 🇱🇨 Saint Lucia, 🇸🇷 Suriname, 🇹🇹 Trinidad and Tobago, 🇺🇸 United States Of America, 🇻🇪 Venezuela

More Stable

No countries were more stable over this period

Unchanged

🇦🇬 Antigua and Barbuda, 🇧🇧 Barbados, 🇨🇷 Costa Rica, 🇩🇲 Dominica, 🇬🇩 Grenada, 🇵🇾 Paraguay, 🇰🇳 Saint Kitts and Nevis, 🇻🇨 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, 🇧🇸 The Bahamas, 🇺🇾 Uruguay

Regional News Summary

Brazil's economy continues to grapple with significant challenges, despite some positive indicators. Public debt has surged to $1.17 trillion in 2024, underscoring the financial strain the country faces. However, industrial revenue has seen a remarkable increase of 5.6%, the highest since 2010, indicating resilience in certain sectors. The automotive market is also experiencing growth, with sales rising despite economic headwinds. Yet, the Brazilian currency flow plummeted in January, marking the second-worst performance since 1982, further complicating the economic landscape [SOURCE - Riot Times].

In environmental matters, a Brazilian-led expedition to Antarctica has yielded critical insights into climate patterns, emphasizing the continent's global significance. Meanwhile, the Brazilian government plans to continue oil exploration in the Amazon with a focus on minimizing environmental impact [SOURCE - Riot Times].

As the world's largest coffee producer, Brazil is expected to maintain high coffee prices due to ongoing drought and frost damage, which could have implications for global markets [SOURCE - Mercopress].

In the realm of business development, ArcelorMittal has committed $670 million to upgrade its Tubarão steel plant, aiming to enhance productivity and reduce costs. Additionally, Brazil's insurance sector has reported a record 12.2% growth in 2024, reflecting a robust business environment [SOURCE - Riot Times].

On the political front, President Lula has reiterated his commitment to reducing poverty and inequality, highlighting progress made thus far [SOURCE - Riot Times].

Meanwhile, trade relations between the United States and Latin America, particularly with Mexico and Brazil, are under scrutiny as the U.S. seeks to renegotiate existing agreements. The threat of tariffs on Mexico has led to significant economic uncertainty, prompting the Mexican government to deploy 10,000 troops to the U.S.-Mexico border and diversify trade relationships, particularly with the European Union [SOURCE - Riot Times].

In a related development, the U.S. has delayed tariffs on Canada and Mexico while maintaining them on China, leading to a decline in crude oil futures as investors anticipate increased supply [SOURCE - The Hindu Business Line]. The economic uncertainty has also impacted Mexico's automotive sector, with experts warning that tariffs could hurt the U.S. auto industry as well [SOURCE - Financial Post].

In El Salvador, a significant diplomatic shift has occurred as the country has offered to accept U.S. criminal deportees, including violent offenders, as part of a new immigration agreement. This move has raised concerns about the implications for human rights and the legalities involved [SOURCE - OC Register].

As tensions escalate, the U.S. has also seized a Venezuelan aircraft, further straining relations with the Maduro regime, which is already under scrutiny for its handling of the country's economic crisis [SOURCE - New York Post].

In Colombia, President Gustavo Petro's administration faces challenges as it contemplates the legalization of cocaine, a proposal that has sparked controversy and criticism [SOURCE - Times of India].

Chile, meanwhile, is bracing for moderate economic growth amid rising uncertainty, with the IMF projecting a 2.5% growth rate for 2025. The country is also facing challenges related to inflation and global market instability [SOURCE - Rio Times].

Carpe tomorrow!