Cuba's National Assembly has approved the country's most far-reaching economic overhaul since the 1959 revolution, ratifying a package of reforms designed to pull the island back from the brink of collapse,

SEBI wants capital, information and liquidity to move faster. The next market shock will reveal whether speed comes at a cost. by Krishnadevan V, BasisPointInsight.com

The American West's electricity system is undergoing a significant transformation, driven by the recent approval of Southwest Power Pool's Markets+, a coordinated power trading system set to launch in 2027. This marks a departure from the traditional, individual utilities-based structure that has characterized the region's power markets for decades, and promises to bring economic benefits such as reduced customer costs through the pooling of generation resources, while also facilitating the integration of renewable energy sources and minimizing curtailment.

In a coordinated effort, several Mid-Atlantic and Midwest states are challenging the operational practices of PJM Interconnection, a regional grid operator, citing concerns over energy costs and supply stability. The dispute centers on the PJM Independent Market Monitor (IMM), which evaluates the fairness and efficiency of PJM's electricity markets, with state officials seeking to influence its structure and membership in an effort to protect constituents from potentially inflated prices and ensure reliable power flows.

ISO New England recently released an updated Wholesale Markets Project Plan (WMPP) as of June 2025. This document provides a snapshot of the progress on 13 key initiatives impacting the region’s wholesale electricity markets. The WMPP is a recurring publication, released both in the summer and winter months. It complements the ISO’s Annual Work Plan, which is issued during the spring and fall. ISO New England consistently works on various projects to improve and evolve the wholesale electricity markets. A major focus currently is the Capacity Auction Reforms, which involves shifting to a prompt and seasonal capacity market and revising capacity accreditation processes. The comprehensive WMPP webpage serves as a central resource, bringing together the Annual Work Plan, the WMPP itself, details on key projects, a record of completed market design projects, the NEPOOL Markets Committee Two-Month Look-Ahead Forecast, and agendas and materials from Markets Committee meetings. Additional resources are readily accessible, including direct links to Federal Energy Regulatory Commission filings and orders, and the ISO’s Participant Readiness Project Outlook page, designed to keep market participants and others informed about these critical market-related developments.

China’s stock market has surged, with the CSI 300 Index up about 25% since February, despite economic headwinds such as * weak consumer confidence, * deflationary pressures, * and a worsening property sector. What’s surprising is that the rally is happening in the absence of stronger fundamentals. Authorities in Beijing are now framing the upturn as the payoff from reforms begun 18 months ago. * Regulators have shifted strategy since early 2024 under new leadership, pushing listed companies to pay dividends and buy back shares, lowering fees, and encouraging long-term institutional investors like insurers and pension funds to enter the market. * At the same time, authorities have cracked down on fraud and tightened oversight to rebuild public trust. The broader goal is what Beijing calls a “slow bull market” — steady, long-term gains that can support innovation, help households build wealth in place of a moribund property sector, and ease pressure on an underfunded pension system. Whether this rally marks the start of that vision remains uncertain, but for now, structural reforms and limited investment alternatives appear to be channeling more domestic savings into equities. This article was written by Eamonn Sheridan at investinglive.com.

Cheap Stocks and Market Reforms Draw Investors to Saudi  Bloomberg.com

A project, in collaboration of the Global Department of Agriculture and Food of the World Bank, explores how recent agricultural policy reforms — particularly the liberalisation of cotton and wheat pr...