
Investopia to host inaugural edition of Global Talks in Tashkent next year
Investopia has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Ministry of Investment, Industry and Trade of the Republic of Uzbekistan to host the inaugural edition of Investopia Global Talks in Tashkent in 2026.
The event will be held in collaboration with the Tashkent International Investment Forum (TIIF) 2026. The MoU was signed by Dr. Jean Fares, CEO of Investopia, and Shokhrukh Gulamov, Deputy Minister of Investments, Industry and Trade of Uzbekistan.
The strategic partnership establishes a significant platform to strengthen connections and foster engagement between business communities in the UAE, Uzbekistan, and across Central Asia. Investopia – Tashkent will offer a dynamic venue for exploring promising economic and investment opportunities in the new economy sectors of the UAE, Uzbekistan, and broader Asian markets.
The initiative also aims to promote impactful public-private partnerships and channel investments into key sectors in both the UAE and Uzbekistan, while shaping emerging trends in investment and finance across the region.
TIIF, held under the patronage of the President of Uzbekistan, is one of Central Asia's premier investment forums, which makes it an ideal partner for Investopia Global Talks.
Laziz Kudratov, Minister of Investment, Industry and Trade of the Republic of Uzbekistan, said, 'In 2026, Tashkent will host the first edition of Investopia Global Talks in Central Asia, in collaboration with TIIF. Launched by the UAE, Investopia is a global investment platform that connects investors, governments, and enterprises to new economic opportunities. Previous editions have been held in cities such as Tokyo and Milan. The Tashkent edition will convene investors, decision-makers, and business leaders to explore opportunities in renewable energy, digital technologies, infrastructure, and agriculture, serving as sectors that are pivotal to Uzbekistan's economic growth. This collaboration represents a significant step toward positioning Uzbekistan as the region's key investment hub and building long-term relations across markets.'
Mohammed Alhawi, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Investment, emphasised that the UAE and Uzbekistan share robust strategic ties and outstanding economic partnership across diverse sectors. 'Through the new edition of Investopia Global Talks in Tashkent, we aim to enhance economic and investment collaboration, unlock new development avenues for the UAE and Central Asian business communities, and advance sustainable economic growth in line with the goals of the 'We the UAE 2031' vision.'
Dr. Jean Fares, CEO of Investopia, said, 'The UAE and Central Asian countries possess promising economic and investment opportunities, particularly in emerging and new economic sectors. We are confident that Investopia – Tashkent will play a pivotal role in connecting Asian business communities with these ambitious opportunities by facilitating effective dialogue among business leaders, decision-makers, and investors. It will also explore new pathways for enhancing mutual investment and trade flows and share insights on the latest policies and strategies related to global trends in finance and investment.'
The fourth edition of TIIF showcased Uzbekistan's investment opportunities, particularly in the energy, agriculture, industry, tourism, and infrastructure sectors. The forum attracted over 7,500 participants from over 100 countries, including nearly 3,000 guests of honour.
Meanwhile, the Anwar Gargash Diplomatic Academy (AGDA) and GLOBSEC forum, a global think tank committed to enhancing security, prosperity and sustainability in Europe and throughout the world, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding, designating AGDA as the Main Institutional Partner of the GLOBSEC Forum from 2025 to 2027.
The MoU was signed by the Academy's Director-General Nickolay Mladenov and GLOBSEC's Founder and President Róbert Vass.
The GLOBSEC Forum, held annually, is a major European platform for dialogue convening global leaders, policymakers, and experts to examine and address critical issues such as security, economic development, climate change, and technology. The 2025 edition is scheduled for 12th to 14th June in Prague, Czech Republic, creating a strategic space for future-oriented policy exchange.
As part of the agreement, AGDA will contribute to shaping the GLOBSEC agenda over the next three years by participating in main programs, consulting on key themes and speakers, co-hosting side events, and supporting bilateral meetings and media engagements.
Emphasising AGDA's proactive role on the world stage, Nickolay Mladenov said, 'The UAE has consistently advocated for multilateral dialogue and pragmatic diplomacy. Through this alliance with GLOBSEC, the Academy will help elevate voices from our region while contributing constructively to global policymaking at a time when trust, dialogue, and coordinated action are essential.'
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Arabian Post
an hour ago
- Arabian Post
Central banks' decisions loom amidst global uncertainty, Octa Broker offers its view
KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA – Media OutReach Newswire – 16 June 2025 – This week is set to be a pivotal one for financial markets in general and Forex market in particular as four major central banks—the Bank of Japan (BoJ), the U.S. Federal Reserve (Fed), the Swiss National Bank (SNB), and the Bank of England (BoE)—are scheduled to announce their latest decisions on interest rates. Their policy statements, spread across Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, will be under intense scrutiny from traders and investors alike. The reason for this heightened attention is simple: relative monetary policy is a primary driver of currency exchange rates, and any shift in a central bank's stance can trigger significant market movements. However, this week's announcements arrive amidst a backdrop of considerable global uncertainty, stemming from the flared-up conflict between Israel and Iran. This geopolitical tension in the Middle East has already exerted an upward pressure on oil prices, leading to increased concerns about inflation and raising the probability of a global economic recession. Consequently, investors might be surprised by the tone and content of the upcoming policy statements. While the prevailing market assumption is that most central banks (with the notable exception of the SNB) will maintain their current interest rates, the escalating inflation risks could prompt some central banks to adopt a more hawkish stance than anticipated, potentially leading to unexpected shifts in their monetary policy outlooks. This makes it more crucial than ever for market participants to closely monitor all announcements, accompanying policy reports, and subsequent press conferences for any clues regarding future policy trajectories. Bank of Japan BOJ's decision will hit the wires in the early hours during the Asian trading session on 17 June. Unlike other major banks, BoJ has embarked on a path toward monetary tightening. Last year, it concluded its yield curve control (YCC) policy and initiated a gradual reduction of its substantial bond purchases. These actions were part of an ongoing effort to transition the Japanese economy away from a decade of significant stimulus. Furthermore, the BOJ increased short-term interest rates to 0.5% in January, based on the assessment that Japan was progressing towards sustainably achieving its 2% inflation target. ADVERTISEMENT However, potential risks to Japan's export-dependent economy stemming from U.S. tariffs have led to a revision in market expectations regarding the timing of the BOJ's next rate hike. In addition, the Japanese bond market has been under severe stress lately, as long-term yields reached record high. Specifically, in Japan's 20-year government bond auction on 20 May, the demand was very weak and the bid-to-cover ratio fell to just 2.50, its lowest point since 2012. Consequently, market attention is currently focused on whether the BOJ will maintain or reduce the pace of its current bond tapering. Investors are also keenly awaiting any signals from BoJ Governor Kazuo Ueda concerning the potential resumption of rate increases. The general expectation is that the BOJ will largely stick to its current tapering plan for now, but it may consider a slower pace of reduction starting from the next fiscal year. 'I believe the BOJ may not be able to delay rate hikes for an extended period due to inflationary pressures from elevated food costs, particularly for staple rice, so I think Governor Ueda may deliver a more hawkish tone that the market currently expects', says Kar Yong Ang, a financial market analyst at Octa broker. Indeed, Japan's core inflation has exceeded the BOJ's 2% target for over three years, reaching a more than two-year high of 3.5% in April, largely driven by a 7% surge in food prices. Moreover, the ongoing conflict in the Middle East poses a risk of further increasing Japan's import costs. Kazuo Ueda is expected to hold a news conference at 6:30 a.m. UTC on 17 June to explain the BOJ's policy decision. Federal Reserve The Fed will issue its monetary policy updates at 6:00 p.m. UTC and hold a press conference at 6:30 p.m. UTC. The decision—especially the accompanying Statement—and the latest Economic Projections by the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) may potentially surprise the market, resulting in above-normal volatility. ADVERTISEMENT Traders expect the Fed to leave its policy rate unchanged in the range of 4.25–4.50%. However, the market usually moves not because of the decision itself, but rather the new details revealed in the FOMC Statement as well as during the press conference. In addition, traders will be paying close attention to the Fed's economic outlook and the so-called 'dot plot', seeking to understand the central bank's policy trajectory. The FOMC dot plot is a chart that visually represents the projections of each FOMC member for the target range of the federal funds rate. It is updated on a quarterly basis and tends to have a major impact on financial markets, serving as a critical piece of forward guidance that can significantly influence bond yields, equity prices, and currency valuations as investors recalibrate their expectations for future interest rate movements and the overall trajectory of monetary policy. 'It is not going to be an easy decision for the Fed', says Kar Yong Ang. 'They are balancing between a weakening labour market, still elevated inflation, uncertainty regarding trade tariffs—and now the Middle East crisis and the oil price shock. Overall, the market is positioned for a relatively dovish Fed, so traders will be waiting for hints about whether the Fed might be poised to lower rates in the coming months. And this is where the market may be disappointed'. In other words, there's a significant risk that Jerome Powell, the Fed Chairman, could adopt a more hawkish stance than the market anticipates. This would likely lead to considerable downward pressure on equity prices and present substantial upside risks for the U.S. Dollar Index (DXY). At the same time, even if the Fed does deliver a hawkish message, gold (XAUUSD) is unlikely to see a significant downturn, as the ongoing conflict between Israel and Iran will almost certainly sustain strong safe-haven demand, counteracting any typical negative pressure from a hawkish Fed. Swiss National Bank SNB is due to make its policy decision on 19 June. It is the only central bank whose rate cut is almost 100% guaranteed. The debate is not whether the SNB will cut the rates, but to what extent. Recent disinflationary pressures within the Swiss economy have led markets to anticipate a larger-than-usual 50-basis point (bps) reduction in rates. 'Despite the Swiss headline CPI [Consumer Price Index] recently turning negative, I think the SNB will still opt for a smaller, 25-bp cut. Inflation shock coming from the Mideast conflict and policymarkers' recent rhetoric suggest that the SNB will be careful not to overshoot with policy easing', says Kar Yong Ang. Indeed, SNB board member Petra Tschudin recently highlighted that achieving medium-term price stability is more critical to their policy choices and that a single data point (i.e., latest inflation report) is not substantial enough to alter the current policy outlook. Moreover, with the SNB's policy options being quite narrow now (the deposit rate bottomed out at -0.75% during the previous rate-cutting cycle), a 25-basis point rate cut looks like the most sensible choice for now. On balance, the most probable outcome remains a 25bp rate cut. While the Swiss franc (CHF) might experience an initial sharp rise as the market corrects its 50bp cut predictions, this reaction would likely be fleeting. The central bank's accompanying dovish commentary would likely ensure that any strengthening of the franc is quickly reversed. Bank of England BoE will announce its monetary policy decision on 19 June, a few hours after the SNB. At its previous meeting in March, the BoE kept its key rate at 4.50% with only one Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) member calling for a rate cut. In its guidance, the BoE stressed that it was taking a 'gradual and careful approach' to rate cuts due to a lack of visibility about the inflation outlook because of the rise in trade tensions. Since then, however, the U.S. and the U.K. agreed to a new trade deal, but the U.K. CPI continued to rise, while GBP/USD reached a fresh three-year high. 'The latest U.K. CPI figures will be released on Wednesday, before the BoE decision, and I actually think that they will have a much bigger impact on the market than BoE's verdict itself', says Kar Yong Ang, adding that if the CPI report indicates a slowdown in inflation, the optimal strategy would be to go long EUR/GBP. Overall, the BoE is expected to keep interest rates unchanged, especially considering that ongoing hostilities in the Middle East have introduced new long-term inflation risks. Indeed, according to the latest interest rate swaps market data, investors are pricing in only a 10% chance of a 25-bp rate cut by the BoE this Thursday. However, traders are advised to monitor any shift in BoE's MPC rate voting. Previously, eight members voted to hold the rates unchanged, but this week's decision may feature more doves than hawks. ___ Disclaimer: This press release does not contain or constitute investment advice or recommendations and does not consider your investment objectives, financial situation, or needs. Any actions taken based on this content are at your sole discretion and risk—Octa does not accept any liability for any resulting losses or consequences. Hashtag: #Octa The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. Octa Octa is an international CFD broker that has been providing online trading services worldwide since 2011. It offers commission-free access to financial markets and various services used by clients from 180 countries who have opened more than 52 million trading accounts. To help its clients reach their investment goals, Octa offers free educational webinars, articles, and analytical tools. The company is involved in a comprehensive network of charitable and humanitarian initiatives, including improving educational infrastructure and funding short-notice relief projects to support local communities. In Southeast Asia, Octa received the 'Best Trading Platform Malaysia 2024' and the 'Most Reliable Broker Asia 2023' awards from Brands and Business Magazine and International Global Forex Awards, respectively.


Web Release
4 hours ago
- Web Release
Investopia to host inaugural Global Talks in Tashkent in 2026 in collaboration with Uzbekistan's Ministry of Investments, Industry and Trade
Investopia has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Ministry of Investment, Industry and Trade of the Republic of Uzbekistan to host the inaugural edition of Investopia Global Talks in Tashkent in 2026. The event will be held in collaboration with the Tashkent International Investment Forum (TIIF) 2026. The MoU was signed by Dr. Jean Fares, CEO of Investopia, and His Excellency Shokhrukh Gulamov, Deputy Minister of Investments, Industry and Trade of Uzbekistan. The strategic partnership establishes a significant platform to strengthen connections and foster engagement between business communities in the UAE, Uzbekistan, and across Central Asia. Investopia – Tashkent will offer a dynamic venue for exploring promising economic and investment opportunities in the new economy sectors of the UAE, Uzbekistan, and broader Asian markets. The initiative also aims to promote impactful public-private partnerships and channel investments into key sectors in both the UAE and Uzbekistan, while shaping emerging trends in investment and finance across the region. TIIF, held under the patronage of the President of Uzbekistan, is one of Central Asia's premier investment forums, which makes it an ideal partner for Investopia Global Talks. H.E. Laziz Kudratov, Minister of Investment, Industry and Trade of the Republic of Uzbekistan, said: 'In 2026, Tashkent will host the first edition of Investopia Global Talks in Central Asia, in collaboration with TIIF. Launched by the UAE, Investopia is a global investment platform that connects investors, governments, and enterprises to new economic opportunities. Previous editions have been held in cities such as Tokyo and Milan. The Tashkent edition will convene investors, decision-makers, and business leaders to explore opportunities in renewable energy, digital technologies, infrastructure, and agriculture, serving as sectors that are pivotal to Uzbekistan's economic growth. This collaboration represents a significant step toward positioning Uzbekistan as the region's key investment hub and building long-term relations across markets.' H.E. Mohammed Alhawi, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Investment, emphasized that the UAE and Uzbekistan share robust strategic ties and outstanding economic partnership across diverse sectors. 'Through the new edition of Investopia Global Talks in Tashkent, we aim to enhance economic and investment collaboration, unlock new development avenues for the UAE and Central Asian business communities, and advance sustainable economic growth in line with the goals of the 'We the UAE 2031' vision.' Dr. Jean Fares, CEO of Investopia, said: 'The UAE and Central Asian countries possess promising economic and investment opportunities, particularly in emerging and new economic sectors. We are confident that Investopia – Tashkent will play a pivotal role in connecting Asian business communities with these ambitious opportunities by facilitating effective dialogue among business leaders, decision-makers, and investors. It will also explore new pathways for enhancing mutual investment and trade flows and share insights on the latest policies and strategies related to global trends in finance and investment.' The fourth edition of TIIF showcased Uzbekistan's investment opportunities, particularly in the energy, agriculture, industry, tourism, and infrastructure sectors. The forum attracted over 7,500 participants from over 100 countries, including nearly 3,000 guests of honor.


Gulf Today
11 hours ago
- Gulf Today
Japan's exports post first drop in 8 months as tariffs hit auto firms
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