There are strong arguments that uncertainty has been the defining economic feature of the past three years. From the US-China trade war to COVID-19 and the supply chain crisis of 2021, markets have been constantly up or down with remarkably few (and generally short) periods of stability in between. 2022 has only continued that trend …
Why will the uncertainty in markets continue for a long time? Read More »
For companies still reeling from pandemic tailwinds and last year’s supply chain shocks, the Russia-Ukraine conflict couldn’t have come at a worse time. While most organizations were focused on consolidating growth gained within the past year, new concerns raised by the war have forced boardrooms back into crisis mode as they grapple with rising energy …
Although Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) emerged before the pandemic, the attractive e-commerce payment option is soaring on post-COVID adoption. BNPL provides short-term financing to online shoppers, allowing them to split the cost of purchases into affordable installments. For most shoppers, BNPL is a comfortable payment alternative since it lets them enjoy goods instantly while …
How BNPL works and how it’s spreading after the pandemic crisis Read More »
In the past two decades, national banks pumped trillions into their economies to grapple with recession and stimulate economic growth in a process called Quantitative Easing (QE). However, with inflation at a 40-year high, the Federal Reserve, alongside other central banks, is backtracking from this policy in a bid to raise interest rates and disincentivize …
How could the FED implement Quantitative Tightening? Read More »
The World Bank has warned in a recent report that, due to headwinds such as inflation and vaccine inequality, the world faces a two-speed recovery that could damage prior strides in global economic development. Although there’s likely to be a general slowdown after the strong rebound in 2021, the results and any eventual recovery that …
World Bank: growth down, towards a two-speed recovery Read More »
I have closely followed the recent upsurge in energy costs that characterized the end of 2021. According to global reports, coal, gas, and electricity prices rose to decade-high levels in the final months of the year, and projections were that the energy shortfall would continue well into 2022. The International Energy Association reports that gas …
Rising energy costs worldwide: reasons and what to expect Read More »
As the world looks to bounce back from the 2020 COVID-induced slump, inflation is playing a larger role than anticipated in global economies. A slower than expected economic recovery, a flagging labor market, and supply chain disruptions have created concerning inflationary conditions, affecting middle-class families globally. For instance, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization reports …
Inflation hits middle-class consumption and remains an uncertainty for the economy Read More »
The electric revolution in European skies could take just a few years. Judging by the speed at which things are moving, particularly in Scandinavia, the first to see the dawn of zero-emission aircraft will be passengers in the far north, where a number of experimental initiatives are taking shape to get small battery-powered aircraft into …
US Trade Representative Katherine Tai announced that “these extraordinary times and circumstances call for extraordinary measures. The US supports the waiver of IP (intellectual property) protections on COVID-19 vaccines to help end the pandemic and we will actively participate in WTO (World Trade Organisation) negotiations to make that happen”. It is reported that 10-15 billion …
By far not all the lessons of the 2008 financial crisis have been learned. And those that have been learned have not necessarily been applied. Nevertheless, one of them – drawn and applied – will certainly have been of great help in the current crisis. At least it has helped to limit the economic catastrophe: …
Have we learned from history – Current crisis vs. 2008 Read More »
