Good morning.

🇵🇭 Breaking Former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte was arrested in Manilla in response to an ICC warrant alleging human rights abuses during his time as President. [More - BBC]

Two headlines to kick off your Tuesday

🇺🇦 Ukraine Ceasefire Talks Resume in Saudi

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio expressed optimism about Ukraine's partial ceasefire proposal ahead of crucial talks in Saudi Arabia, calling it "the kind of concession needed to end the conflict." Ukraine is expected to propose an aerial and naval truce during negotiations between Ukrainian officials and U.S. representatives including Rubio, National Security Adviser Mike Waltz, and Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff. The talks follow President Trump's suspension of military aid to pressure Kyiv toward peace negotiations, with Rubio indicating aid could resume if Ukraine demonstrates commitment to a diplomatic solution. President Zelensky met with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Monday but will not participate directly in Tuesday's discussions. More - BBC

📉 Tech Stocks Lead US Market Plunge

U.S. stocks tumbled sharply Monday as investors grew increasingly anxious about Trump's tariff policies and signs of economic slowdown, with the tech-heavy Nasdaq plummeting 4% in its worst day in 2.5 years. Tesla crashed 15.4%, erasing all post-election gains and falling over 50% from December highs, while Nvidia dropped 5.1% amid a broader tech sell-off. Major banks have abandoned bullish forecasts as China's retaliatory tariffs took effect and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent acknowledged the economy "starting to roll a bit." Goldman Sachs cut its U.S. growth forecast to 1.7% from 2.4%, with JPMorgan warning the S&P could fall another 10% due to "trade uncertainty." More - FT

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.)

Americas Stability Ratings and News Summary

More Unstable

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

More Stable

No countries were more stable over this period

Unchanged

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

Regional News Summary

Brazil's economy is navigating a complex landscape marked by both opportunities and challenges. The recent imposition of tariffs by China on US soybeans is poised to benefit Brazilian farmers, potentially boosting the agricultural sector as demand for Brazilian soybeans rises. However, the coffee industry is grappling with dwindling stockpiles and soaring prices, raising concerns for producers and exporters amid a global economic slowdown [SOURCE - The Rio Times].

The backdrop of these developments is the ongoing US-China trade war, which has led to retaliatory tariffs affecting various sectors. Brazil has also seen significant foreign investments, including a $100 billion pledge from the Abu Dhabi Group to revamp urban infrastructure and a $486 million investment from a Chinese company in a terminal in Santos [SOURCE - The Rio Times].

Despite these positive signs, Brazil faces substantial hurdles. A resurgence of COVID-19 has prompted President Lula to dismiss his health minister, while the economy is expected to slow down, with inflation remaining a persistent concern due to tariff risks [SOURCE - WSWS]. In response, the government is implementing measures such as scrapping import tariffs on basic foods and extending visa-free travel for North Americans until April 2025 [SOURCE - Financial Times].

In the broader context of the Americas, trade tensions are escalating between the US and Mexico, following President Trump's announcement of a 25% tariff on goods from both Canada and Mexico. This has led to threats of retaliation from Mexico, with potential impacts on various sectors, including beer and tequila [SOURCE - Michael West]. The situation is further complicated by a temporary lifting of tariffs on Mexico by Trump, which hints at ongoing negotiations under the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) [SOURCE - Global Voice Times].

As these trade disputes unfold, Colombia is grappling with its own economic challenges, including a downgrade in fiscal outlook by Fitch due to rising security concerns and the resurgence of coca production amid violence from FARC dissidents [SOURCE - The Rio Times]. The government is attempting to address these issues through a coca crop restitution program, but the situation remains precarious.

In the Caribbean, rising crime rates have prompted travel advisories for popular destinations like the Bahamas and Turks and Caicos, potentially impacting tourism [SOURCE - Fox News]. Meanwhile, Grenada's tuna industry is gaining international attention as China expands its fishing fleet, raising questions about sustainability and the future of global tuna supplies [SOURCE - Undercurrent News].

Carpe tomorrow!