The main events by the morning: July 3

• If Trump wins the election, he intends to abandon the expansion of NATO. The idea concerns, first of all, the expansion to the east. In addition, the alliance will refuse to accept Ukraine and Georgia. As another option, a two–tier system of participation in NATO is being considered - some countries will not be covered by collective protection. 

• The share of the BRICS countries in the global economy has reached a record level. In 2023, the association accounted for 35.7% of global GDP, while the share of G7 countries decreased to 29%. An important contribution was made by Russia, which, according to the World Bank, remained the fourth largest economy in the world last year.

• Russia is considering the possibility of legalizing stablecoins for international settlements. The central bank is already discussing this idea. Alexey Guznov, deputy chairman of the regulator, noted that the legalization of stablecoins can help solve some problems with settlements with foreign banks. In addition, legalization will be a constant norm, which can lead to a significant influx of liquidity into the centralized cryptocurrency sector.

• Russian banks have accumulated a record amount of liquidity, which, according to experts, is not a good sign. The amount of funds in accounts and deposits with the central bank has almost reached 12 trillion rubles. It is becoming increasingly difficult for banks to use funds raised for deposits due to the complexity of cross-border transfers and, probably, slowing demand for loans.

• Egypt plans to improve its tourism infrastructure, moving from an image of a country for «economy» holidays to offering luxury options. According to Eldar Musaoglu, CEO of Anex Russia, the share of budget travel to this country will decrease in the coming years.