This week’s featured stories 02 November – 08 November 2026…
Europe’s strained social model
As populist and nationalist forces gain ground across the EU, Marco Buti and André Sapir call for a new European social contract to counter their rise—one that pairs social protection with investment in human capital and aligns national and EU responsibilities
What the midterms mean for business—and what comes next
The 2026 midterms shifted control of Congress to Democrats, giving the party majorities in both the House and Senate. Business leaders should carefully consider the dynamics of this adversarial policy environment in Washington
After a momentous US election, it’s still shaky ground for American democracy
The repudiation of Donald Trump and his enablers in the midterms is absolutely stunning in its breadth and scope. It exceeds even the most optimistic polling results. J Scott Marcus discusses
US officials press China on Busan trade deal compliance ahead of further talks
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and USTR Jamieson Greer urged Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng to fully implement Busan commitments on rare earths, critical minerals and agricultural purchases, warning progress depends on concrete results amid ongoing truce extensions
IFC and Citi launch $2 billion trade finance facility for emerging markets
The partners created a risk-sharing facility of up to $2 billion targeting SMEs and corporates in Africa, Asia and Latin America, with Citi committing at least $500 million for climate-benefit sectors to help close the global trade finance gap
Africa Energy Bank formally launched with $5 billion authorised capital
Afreximbank and APPO established the pan-African lender in Abuja to finance oil, gas and broader energy projects as traditional international funding for fossil fuels retreats, aiming to address an estimated $200 billion continental investment need
Critical minerals agreements surge amid AI buildout and energy transition
Analysis shows two-thirds of recent climate-related trade agreements involve critical raw materials, with 139 such deals involving 79 countries driven by energy transition, AI infrastructure and defence needs, reshaping supply chain diplomacy
C2FO, Ripple and BNY advance tokenised trade finance pilot
The partners are testing tokenised receivables financing on the XRP Ledger using RLUSD stablecoin, enabling faster supplier payments and broader investor access, with a controlled US launch planned by year-end
EU opens safeguard investigation into PET resin chemical imports
The Commission initiated a probe into surging imports of PET resin chemicals (including virgin/recycled PET and upstream inputs) to assess injury to EU producers and possible safeguard measures, following recent anti-dumping action on related Chinese products
An opportunity to strengthen ECB governance and policies
Andreas Billmeier and Rebecca Christie see the imminent ECB Executive Board leadership change as a chance to prioritise expertise in appointments, restore staggered terms, and rethink how the ECB communicates policy
UK and Switzerland hold financial dialogue, review Berne Agreement
Officials met in London on 4 November for the first Joint Committee under the Berne Financial Services Agreement (in force since January), exchanging views on macroeconomic outlooks, regulatory cooperation and market access while planning further assessment
COP31: UNCTAD to spotlight trade, investment and finance as drivers of climate action
Turning climate commitments into action will be at the heart of UNCTAD’s engagement at this year’s UN climate summit, COP31
China’s emerging economic engine
The IMF’s Yanliang Miao argues China’s advances in EVs, AI and other technologies boost industrial competitiveness, but lasting growth requires stronger household incomes, services consumption and domestic demand
