What Obama’s Victory Means for Asia
The Obama Administration has made major shifts towards Asia. During his first term, Obama’s foreign policy understood that the best way to manage a fast-growing China is not to contain it, but to ensure that the United States remains aligned...
The End Of Cheap Oil & Its Impact On Financial & Energy Security: Gail Tverberg
Historically, many of the world’s major financial crises have been, in some way, connected to the cost or supply of oil. Though numerous countries around the world are now attempting to reduce their oil consumption, the end of “cheap...
Bernanke’s Great Deception: Is The Federal Reserve Waging A War On Savers & Pensioners?
The Federal Reserve’s strategy of holding interest rates near zero to spur the economy has had its share of critics – especially since it caused a massive transfer of wealth from savers to spenders, while many middle class pensioners,...
Can Women Take The Lead In Disaster Risk Reduction? – An Indian Perspective
READER SUBMISSION - Natural disasters devastate the lives and livelihoods of millions of people and cause substantial loss to the economy. A proper disaster risk management framework would enable the affected population, especially women, in taking immediate and correct steps...
The ‘Forgotten’ Crisis – Why Governments Must Now Resolve Main Street’s Credit Crunch: El-Erian
The world is now in the midst of two financial crises: On the one hand, the sovereign debt crisis has rightfully been hogging the headlines as well the attentions of government policymakers; Yet at the same time, declining access to...
Mitt’s Misguided Beliefs – Why The World Faces Greater Risks Under A Romney Presidency: Joseph Stiglitz
The world has a lot riding on the upcoming U.S. presidential elections. Overwhelmingly, non-US citizens favour Barack Obama’s re-election over a victory for his challenger, Mitt Romney – and for good reason. The world has a lot...
Behind The Narrow Margins Of Victory In US Presidential Elections: George Friedman
American presidential elections have historically been close affairs; with just four presidential candidates in the past have receiving more than 60 percent of votes across the electorate. But while the American electorate may appear to be deeply and persistently divided,...
Australia’s Resource Boom: From Blessing To Curse
Over the last decade, the Australian economy has experienced a boom on the back of the rise of Asia – with Chinese demand for Australian commodities in particular spurring economic growth. Yet, with emerging market growth in Asia having...
An Alternative Theory For The World’s Limited Oil Supply: Gail Tverberg
Ever since Mankind first began using crude oil for its energy needs, economists and analysts alike have brought forward numerous theories to forecast the lifecycle of oil supplies, both on a local and global scale. But with oil demand, oil...
Is Affordable Energy a Myth? – Interview with Ed Dolan
Oil and energy prices have fluctuated so erratically in the last several years, affected by the constant threat of war and exacerbated by the global economic turmoil. As energy prices continue on its long-term upward trend, many wonder if affordable...
Breaking the Inter-Generational Poverty Curse: Jeffrey D. Sachs
To break the cycle of poverty, a country needs to invest in its people. Governments have the unique role to play to ensure that all young members of a generation – the poor children as well as rich ones –...
The Missing Link in Japan’s Lost Decades
The Japanese economy crashed in the late 1980s and annual growth has since averaged 0.8 percent – despite the Bank of Japan’s zero interest rate strategy. For two decades, the Japanese economy was characterised by meagre growth, unemployment and persistent...
Obama Battles to Become First $1 billion President
President Obama’s fundraising campaign is set to raise US$1 billion and that does not even include the massive ads funded by the Super PACS. Meanwhile, in Washington, the billions spend on lobbying rises ever year. The result is a conservative...
Will a Weaker RMB Necessarily Aid the Chinese Economy?: Michael Pettis
As part of China’s adjustment process, it is a virtual certainty that domestic growth will slow significantly for many years. However, many analysts argue that by boosting China’s export competitiveness abroad, a weaker RMB will provide some relief from the...
Big Oil’s Influence on US Politics
Energy and taxes have come up as important topics in this year’s race to the White House. From energy independence to tax breaks for the oil industry, affordable gas prices and environmental protection – these are the issues that can...