The Economics of Subscriptions

You may not realise how many things you are subscribed to. There’s Netflix, Amazon, Spotify, iCloud, your mobile data plan, and that is just the beginning. Nowadays, many companies are shifting to subscription plans as payment. But why? There are many psychological hooks deeply rooted in these monthly commitments, but people also find them extremely convenient. Are we getting our money’s worth, or are we paying more than we should without noticing?   Subscriptions are more … Continue reading The Economics of Subscriptions

The GameStop Short Squeeze

In early 2021, the stock market experienced one of the most dramatic short squeezes in history, involving the video game retailer GameStop (GME). This event highlighted the power of retail investors, the risks of short selling, and the influence of social media on financial markets. The GameStop short squeeze became a major topic of discussion in the fields of economics and finance, challenging traditional market … Continue reading The GameStop Short Squeeze

Mapping India’s Economy

Mapping India’s Economy: Where It Is and Where It’s Going  “India’s economy is likely to stand firm in an uncertain world”, according to Goldman Sachs. Recently, the nation’s economic climb has been amid the centre of global discussions. Their $3.7 trillion GDP has now surpassed the UK, ranking fifth largest in the world. The quote deduces that in a world of corrupt governments and economic … Continue reading Mapping India’s Economy

CBCDs and Digital Currency

Globally people are progressively shifting away from cash and adopting digital payments in their day to day life. In the last decade or so, the UK has seen a significant surge in mobile banking, contactless cards and fintech platforms such as Apple Pay and PayPal. However, the dependence on private businesses presents challenges of access as well as control. Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs) are … Continue reading CBCDs and Digital Currency

OPEC and the Changing Oil Market

Impact on OPEC of changes in the market for Oil  According to The Organisations of Petroleum Exporting Companies (OPEC), just under 80% of the world’s crude oil reserves are located within OPEC nations. Countries such as China and India rely heavily on OPEC for a steady flow of oil. This has fuelled significant growth in industry and technology seen in these nations over recent years. … Continue reading OPEC and the Changing Oil Market

Trump and Bitcoin

Trump and Bitcoin: How his policies and influence shape the Crypto market  INTRODUCTION:  Bitcoin is a popular cryptocurrency created in 2008 by Satoshi Nakamoto (whose actual identity remains unknown). It is the first decentralised cryptocurrency, based on a free-market ideology. Put simply, when you buy Bitcoin, the transaction is noted in the blockchain, which is a digital ledger that ensures transparency and verification of transactions. … Continue reading Trump and Bitcoin

AI Phishing

As the World Locked Down, AI Went Phishing  The latest data from the Anti-Phishing Working Group (APWG), a global organisation dedicated to cybercrime prevention, shows that the number of newly discovered phishing sites jumped tenfold between 2020 and 2023, before dipping somewhat by mid-2024.  Even so, the total remains much higher than before the spike.  Phishing, in simple terms, is when online thieves pretend to … Continue reading AI Phishing

The TSMC and a Chinese Invasion of Taiwan

Chinese military action against Taiwan seems to grow increasingly likely by the day; the US intelligence community’s latest estimate believes a potential invasion of Taiwan could occur as early as 2027. The implications of military action in Taiwan would be devastating to US national output, because Taiwan houses much of the manufacturing capacity of a company that is key to the US economy: Taiwan Semiconductor … Continue reading The TSMC and a Chinese Invasion of Taiwan

The Malthusian Trap of Societal Collapse

Thomas Malthus introduces his theory of population growth, which examines the relationship between the size of a population and the sustenance available to support growth, in his work An Essay on the Principle of Population. Specifically, it posits that population growth can be modelled by a geometric progression and food supply growth by an arithmetic progression. In other words, assuming the abundance of food is beyond … Continue reading The Malthusian Trap of Societal Collapse