In The News

Coronavirus Hits Aerospace: Financial Times

Peggy Hollinger April 25, 2020
Pandemic has reversed optimistic forecasts from only a few months ago, hitting the global aerospace industry led by Boeing and Airbus with cancelled orders and halted production. Government lockdown policies have grounded over 60 percent of the world’s commercial aircraft. Reduced flights force airlines to cut costs and scramble for government aid to survive the hardship. Some 25 million jobs in...

Governments Clamp Down: New York Times

March 9, 2020
The world has more than 110,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and nations impose more restrictions to contain the spread, which also slows spending and hurts businesses. “Italy began one of the largest-ever attempts to restrict the movement of people in a Western democracy, with a lockdown of the country’s northern region affecting about 16 million people and fueling questions about whether...

Investors Come Back for Bitcoin: Financial Times

Eva Szalay and Laurence Fletcher February 10, 2020
Bitcoin’s excellent performance in 2019 has attracted investors from banks and asset managers once again, despite past worries about the currency’s reputational risk, lack of regulation, and volatile returns. In 2017, bitcoin went above US$20,000, prompting Wall Street banks to rush and develop their own digital currencies with blockchain technology. CME Group launched the first futures on a...

Post-Brexit Britain and Africa: Economist

January 27, 2020
Africa is projected to be the fastest growing continent for both population and economic growth. Britain is considering ways to regain influence in Africa after Brexit. Prime Minister Boris Johnson hopes to strengthen business and social ties with African countries and looks forward to enthusiastic responses. Methods for revitalizing British influence in Africa, including diplomacy, aid, and...

The West’s Stake in Hong Kong: Diplomat

Brian C.H. Fong January 23, 2020
Hong Kong protests continue after seven months, bringing scrutiny to the territory’s relationship with China and the promises for semi-autonomy through 2047. Disagreement between protesters and the Hong Kong government is not a local issue, but a “complicated geopolitical issue involving great power competition,” explains Brian C.H. Fong for the Diplomat and HongKong Brief. He describes the...

Polluting Firms to Be “Hit by Climate Policies”: BBC

Roger Harrabin December 11, 2019
Climate researchers overwhelmingly agree that carbon emissions are increasing global temperatures and contributing to worsening storms and rising seas. Most nations rallied around reducing carbon emissions with the Paris Accord in 2015. All levels of government are imposing policies aiming to reduce carbon emissions. As a result, carbon-intensive firms could lose 43 percent of their value and...

Global Pension Crisis: Financial Times

Josephine Cumbo and Robin Wigglesworth November 26, 2019
Since the financial crisis in 2008, many central banks have implemented easier monetary policies and other tools to stimulate economic growth. Due to those efforts, the interest rates have dropped in many countries, in turn reducing investment gains and swelling debt of pension funds. In some extreme cases, such as Sweden and Switzerland, the central bank policy rate falls below zero, or negative...