The flash sale of a Hong Kong-owned global ports business highlights geopolitical volatility, executives and analysts said.

Panama President José Raúl Mulino has accused U.S. President Donald Trump of lying when Trump said in his address to Congress the night before that his administration was “reclaiming” the Panama Canal

Trump threatened to take back the canal because of what he called Chinese influence. CK Hutchison, a Hong Kong company, is selling its control in a firm that ran two ports on the canal.

A consortium led by U.S. private equity firm BlackRock has agreed to purchase the Panama port terminals owned by CK Hutchison of Hong Kong. The post After Trump pressure, China sells Panama port terminals to US private equity firm,