Economics

The ink is dry and the full text of the major trade deal between the US and 11 Pacific Rim countries, the Trans-Pacific Partnership or TPP, is available to the public. And it contains plenty of lessons that can be...

Indonesian President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) was in Washington DC recently for his first-ever presidential visit to the United States. What can the two countries do now to build on the momentum for cooperation gained on the trip? Indonesian President Joko...

After 271,000 were jobs added in October, US unemployment rate fell to 5.0 percent. Meanwhile, average annual hourly earnings climbed by the most since 2009. As a result, the dollar strengthened and treasuries plunged. The report was a green light...

The US dollar is firm within fairly narrow ranges that have prevailed this week as the market consolidates its recent gains.  Draghi's comments to the European Parliament are similarly dovish in tone to the October post-ECB press conference.  Sterling posted...

A recent article in The Atlantic highlighted a growing trend in economic aid of giving money directly to the needy, often without strings attached. The spread of smartphones is fueling this, which makes it a breeze to offer a few...

This month’s long-awaited release of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) text was the result of years of negotiations on trade ties between nations around the Pacific Rim. Some six weeks earlier, another set of deliberations came to an end as the...

Narendra Modi, the prime minister of India, is in the UK from November 12 for a three-day visit. There is pressure on both India and the UK to sign a package of business deals to mark the occasion. Diplomatic business....

The lavish welcome laid on for Chinese President Xi Jinping in the United Kingdom in October 2015 provoked a surprising amount of criticism in the British and international press. Journalists talked of Prime Minister Cameron and Finance Minister Osborne’s ‘kowtow’,...

Most of what APEC will achieve in 2015 has already been achieved. The Economic Leaders’ Meeting in the Philippines on 18–19 November 2015 will endorse agreed upon measures. Leaders will talk — in various groupings — about whatever else interests...

The main divergence we have emphasized is in monetary policy trajectories.  The first phase, which began late last year and will run through this month, is other countries taking action to ease policy.  The Fed stood pat.  The second phase...

The US dollar continues to consolidate its recent strong gains. Its pullback is shallow is corrective in nature. Nothing has materialized to challenge the divergence meme. The US 2-year premium over Germany has edged higher still today. It is a...

It is hard to overplay the importance of the damning report from the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) that has presented evidence of widespread and systematic doping – particularly in Russia, which it recommends should be suspended from competition. The investigation...

Turkey’s Prime Minister, Recep Tayyip ErdoÄŸan, has said to judge the G20 Summit in Antalya on Sunday 15 November based on three words: inclusiveness, implementation, and investment. Turkey’s Prime Minister, Recep Tayyip ErdoÄŸan, has said to judge the G20 Summit...

The Swiss National Bank increased its ownership of US equities by about $350 mln in Q3 to $38.95 bln.  The SNB has a stake in some 2500 listed US companies.  The Russell 2000 was marginally lower in the quarter.  The...

Climate change has been on many people's minds for the last few years, but few consider how it could affect the poorest members of society. A recent report by the World Bank cautions that climate change could push more than...