The board of governors of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) approved China’s application for membership. China is, of course, already a shareholder in several global and regional development institutions, but the EBRD is different in its focus on private sector development and explicit promotion of democracy and a market economy. Membership is part of much more ambitions engagement of China in global finance.

The European Union will likely struggle to find a balance in relations with China this year, after initiatives such as participating in the Beijing-sponsored Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank contributed to a warming of ties last year with the world’s second-largest economy. On Feb. 15, the head office of the EU in Brussels was surrounded by about 5,000 demonstrators wearing hard hats and carrying banners and signs, who accused China of dumping steel and demanded the protection of jobs in Europe.

the US Dollar is close to printing 2016 lows. We have a scenario on our hands that is uniquely different to 2015 at the same time of year. Last year, the US Dollar was a run-away train into the Ides of March, and then the Fed came out to tell markets that the Fed would not harm the world with a Strong Dollar on their own accord.

The future-bearing potential of the rapprochement of Europe and the BRICS as a spearhead of global governance reform in a multipolar world. However, given the current global political setup the Euro-BRICS connection does not live up to its full potential.

Britain’s membership of the European Union reinforces the country’s economic “dynamism” but leaves it more exposed to financial shocks, Bank of England governor Mark Carney said.  Carney expressed the view in a letter to the head of the Treasury Select Committee before facing questions from the cross-party panel of lawmakers on Britain’s relationship with the EU ahead of June’s referendum on whether the country should remain part of the EU.