In The News

Edward J. Lincoln February 10, 2015
Abenomics – economic policies of quantitative easing, fiscal stimulus and structural reforms with deregulation – has been in play for two years since Shinzo Abe once again became prime minister of the world’s third largest economy. Economist and author Edward J. Lincoln suggests that Abenomics is not producing rapid improvements. Quantitative easing has shown results with modest gains in bank...
Paul Lewis February 9, 2015
A huge leak of undeclared bank accounts will prompt regulators and justice officials to explain the investigation’s status and punishments. The data suggest that suggests the Swiss offices of HSBC helped clients – hedge fund managers, athletes, fashion models, entertainers and royalty, including the king of Jordan – hide more than $100 billion in assets. So far, 61 of 106,000 clients have been...
David Parkinson February 6, 2015
Central banks around the globe, including those in Canada and Australia, continue to reduce interest rates, pump more money into their economies and reduce the value of their currencies to strengthen exports. “Countries appear to be lowering rates at least in part to discourage investors from buying their currency, as they jockey for position with trading partners doing the same,” reports David...
Simeon Kerr February 4, 2015
Subsidies distort markets, and because consumers take the low prices for granted, governments struggle to restore fair-market prices. States that rely heavily on oil revenues struggle over whether to dip into reserves to continue subsidies or enact unwelcome reforms. Stability for many oil-rich states in the Persian Gulf hinges on oil revenues. The price of oil has fallen by half since summer...
Nayan Chanda January 30, 2015
The abrupt fall in oil prices, due to new technologies and a battle over market share between Saudi Arabia and the United States, creates clear winners and losers. Exporting countries that predicated budgets on oil priced near $100 per barrel struggle to adjust even as prices near $50 per barrel offer a brief respite for nations that depend on oil imports. “Amid signs that the price may fall...
Wang Wenwen January 29, 2015
The mission of most think tanks is to analyze and propose policies for all segments of society, and this requires the ability to investigate, criticize and envision policies freely, often with government or foundation funding. China has more than 400 think tanks, second after the United States with more than 1,800 think tanks, reports Wang Wenwen for Global Times. The Central Committee of the...
Joergen Oerstroem Moeller January 27, 2015
The European Central Bank announced dramatic expansion of its monetary stimulus plan to purchase asset-backed securities and bonds through September 2016 for a total of at least €1 trillion On the surface, the move has similarities to US stimulus measures in play since late 2008, with the US Federal Reserve purchasing billions of dollars in mortgage-backed securities, bank debt and treasury notes...