Economics

The United States saw GDP growth of 2.2% in the fourth quarter of 2014, below expectations of 2.4% growth in a sign that the country’s economic recovery is stalling. The Commerce Department reported that the second estimate for fourth quarter...

Investors are nervous as Saudi Arabia and other Gulf nations commence air strikes in Yemen to combat Houthi rebels. Many fear the battle could affect crude supplies going forward. Investors are nervous as Saudi Arabia and other Gulf nations commence...

Durable goods sales contracted in another sign that the U.S. recovery may be stalling. Despite expectations of growth, durable-goods orders fell by 1.4% in February—the third decline in the last four months even as analysts expected a 0.2% increase in...

The US dollar is broadly lower, with the escalation of the conflict in Yemen dragging it down, as are month and quarter-end position adjustments and the ongoing technical correction following last week's FOMC meeting.  The euro, yen and Canadian dollar...

It’s frequently claimed that copyright law should be made more restrictive and copyright terms extended in order to provide an incentive for content creators. But with growing use of works put into the public domain or released under free and...

Largely the Summary of Economic Projections, the infamous dot-plot, drove the dramatic reaction to last week’s FOMC meeting, which may still not be complete. This Great Graphic shows the latest iteration. What riveted the investors was the sharp reduction in...

Both sides of US politics are mooting the closure of the US Export-Import Bank. Commonly known as the Ex-Im bank, it helps support US exporters and the buyers of US goods. But it will cease its financing operations in June...

The U.S. economy is growing at a lower-than-average rate, far short of expectations, as last-year’s optimism turns sour. A new study by the Chicago Federal Reserve shows that economic fell 10% from January to February as the region’s National Activity...

In what can only be seen an unexpected Chinese success, several US allies have agreed to participate in China and India's Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank.  The UK not only appeared to break ranks with the US, but seemed to have...

The events of the past week will continue to reverberate in the capital markets in the week ahead. The key development was the market’s ultra-dovish read of the Federal Reserve. Although the dollar recouped the lion’s share of the knee...

Mortgage interest rates are falling, but that is not encouraging more Americans to buy houses, especially in higher-priced urban markets. According to Freddie Mac, 30-year mortgage interest rates fell to 3.78%, remaining near the lowest levels seen in the first...

Democracy in Bangladesh is broken. The country recently witnessed political deadlock causing violence and crippling unrest. Bangladesh’s dysfunctional two-party system, dominated by the Awami League and Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), has seen party leaders wage personal vendettas to grab power....

Economics is, at its core, the study of diverse financial systems and how they interact. It attempts to make sense of the ups and downs of various markets, the buying patterns of consumers, and the impacts of politics on the...

Thailand’s General Prayuth Chan-ocha announced in February that Thailand would hold elections to restore democracy in early 2016. Despite their many efforts to make the case for the military takeover, Prayuth has realised that the military and its supporters will...

Russia is hoping football can become an instrument that it can use to help legitimize its annexation of Crimea. Russian troops invaded Crimea in late February 2014, in response to the Euromaidan Revolution in Kyiv. Pro-Russian Crimean authorities signed an...