Markets Archives - Page 563 of 782

Will Japanese Politics Undermine The Reform Agenda?

Abe’s reform plan, now in its critical phase, will be derailed if tensions persist, both at home and abroad.

After two “lost decades”, Japan began its bold but risky reforms a year ago. The new governor of the Bank of Japan, Haruhiko Kuroda, pledged to do “whatever it takes” to achieve the 2 percent inflation target, seeking to double the monetary base by the end of this year.

That was the first tenet of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s economic reform agenda. It was followed by a major fiscal stimulus focused mainly on infrastructure spending.

UK Largest Banks To Face “Extreme” Stress Test

U.K.’s central bank, the Bank of England, has ordered eight of the nation’s largest financial institutions to undergo an “extreme” stress test, which will test if they are strong enough to withstand a potential economic shock similar to conditions in the aftermath of World War I.

Why Economists Can No Longer Ignore Environmental Issues

The concept of environmental capital is throughly entrenched in policy dicussions but largely missing from mainstream economic curriculums. This column argues environmental externalities, climate change, and constraints on natural resources will constantly and deeply affect humankind’s future. The teaching of economics, especially growth economics, should stop ignoring them.

Bill Gates Urge China’s Richest To Donate To Poor In State Editorial

Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates has written an appeal to fellow billionaires from China, urging them to do more for the poor, as wealth continues to grow in the world’s second largest economy.

In an editorial published by the state-owned People’s Daily, often seen as a government mouthpiece, Gates called on Chinese businessmen to “put their talents to work to improve the lives of poor people in China and around the world, and seek solutions for them.”

New, More Transparent, Contracts To End Africa’s ‘Resource Curse’?

Contrary to logic, resource-rich countries in Africa have tend to experience less economic growth in the long run than those deprived of natural riches. To reverse this trend, NGOs have been campaigning for greater transparency and accountability in the management of revenues from oil, gas and mining.

Why Is India Still The World’s Largest Arms Importer?

Although not the world’s top military spender, India has been the world’s largest arms importer since 2010. The need to modernise has indeed been one major reason for India’s status as top spender on arms imports. But there are other factors at work too.

India has been the world’s largest arms importer every year since 2010, as its defence industry struggles to keep up with its international ambitions.

The New Geopolitics Of Risk

The Cold War has not made a comeback. Rather, the geopolitics of new risks is taking off. The Ukraine crisis is just a tip of the iceberg.

Ukraine – On Lifeline Support

Despite a tentative agreement on de-escalation in Geneva, Washington, Brussels, Moscow and Kiev disagree on the nature of the Ukraine crisis and measures to defuse it, while extremist groups seek to destabilize the region.

UK Unemployment And The G7: It Could Be Worse

The jobless rate in the U.K. has been falling consistently since a peak in 2011, reaching 7.2 percent this month. It’s still a far cry from the 5 percent unemployment the country had before the global financial crisis hit in 2008, but it has come down significantly since the 8.1 percent in August 2011, which was the nation’s highest in 17 years at that point.

Chinese Court Orders Seizure Of Japanese Ship Over WWII Compensation

A Chinese court over the weekend ordered the seizure of a Japanese ore carrier that had been docked in Zhejiang Province, claiming that the ship’s parent company had failed to pay compensations for claims incurred during World War II.

Bitcoin ATM Debuts In China In Spite Of Government Crackdown

BTC China, one of the country’s leading bitcoin exchanges, has installed China’s first bitcoin ATM in Shanghai, defying recent government efforts to prohibit widespread usage of the digital currency, reported Reuters on Wednesday.

The machine, located in a cafe at a mall in Shanghai’s Zhangjiang technology park area, allows people to buy bitcoin directly from the exchange for yuan inserted into the machine.