The US Bond Market Puzzle: Higher Yields Amid Cuts
The economic theory suggests that when central banks cut interest rates, bond yields decline. Interest rates are the annual return investors receive from a bond. If the central banks issue new bonds at a lower rates, existing bonds – which yield a relatively higher return – will be received with higher market demand, thereby driving up bond prices. Consequently, their yield, defined as the quotient … Continue reading The US Bond Market Puzzle: Higher Yields Amid Cuts
From Blockbuster to Bust: Lessons for Companies Facing Innovation
We’ve all heard of the video rental giant – Blockbuster. Its Founder David Cook opened nearly 10,000 global stores and generated billions in annual revenue. Yet in the early 2010s, the name disappeared from high streets, with its last corporate-owned store shutting in 2014. How did a company that dominated its industry fail so spectacularly, and more importantly, how can companies today learn from its … Continue reading From Blockbuster to Bust: Lessons for Companies Facing Innovation
Christiania: Economic Lessons from Copenhagen’s Self-Governing Society
Freetown Christiania is an experimental self-governing community in Copenhagen, amidst the “hippie” counter-culture movement of defiance that characterised the time. Born in 1971 from the occupation of an abandoned military base, Christiania defies conventional economic norms, operating without private property and with a unique model of communal ownership and resource sharing. Over the past 50 years, it has evolved into a sustainable micro-economy that draws … Continue reading Christiania: Economic Lessons from Copenhagen’s Self-Governing Society
Britannia on the Brink: Is the UK Turning into Greece Lightning?
In the aftermath of the 2008 global financial crisis, Greece was faced with crippling debt. Resulting in the implementation of austerity measures (policies which reduce government spending and shrink the budget deficit), slumping GDP and overall political instability. Despite the UK being one of the largest economies in the world its national debt (£2,686 billion) has been ever rising, especially after the pandemic and specific … Continue reading Britannia on the Brink: Is the UK Turning into Greece Lightning?
UK Productivity
What strategies would be most effective for improving UK productivity? Introduction Enhancing productivity, defined as the ratio of output to input volume [1], is critical to unlocking higher UK economic growth. Productivity improvements account for half of the differences in GDP per capita across countries (Chart 1). Growth in labour, capital, and Total Factor [2] productivity would translate into higher standards of living and prosperity growth. As Krugman … Continue reading UK Productivity
Green Parties
As the world faces mounting environmental challenges, green parties have become influential players in shaping climate-focused policies. Defined by their commitment to finding solutions to climate change and promoting sustainable growth, green parties advocate for strong shifts in energy, transport and the industrial sector. From Germany’s Bündnis 90/Die Grünen to Ireland’s Green Party, their influence has grown significantly over the last few years; but how effective have their … Continue reading Green Parties
The Christmas money machine
Christmas is one of the largest holidays on Earth, if not the largest. Although many religions, such as Judaism, observe other traditions, such as Hanukah, it has become increasingly common for families to partake in multiple celebrations. Interestingly, the rise in popularity of Christmas is less about its original Christian significance – namely to remember the birth of Jesus Christ – and more about its unique way of gift-giving … Continue reading The Christmas money machine
The Secret to Australia’s Success
Among the economies of Southeast Asia, Australia stands out on its own. Viewed by many as the stronghold of the West in the East, its GDP per capita of $69,000 competes with the richest EU countries and even stands above the UK’s. Some attribute modern Australia’s success to its colonial origins or to its influx of skilled immigrants over the last hundred years. However, the … Continue reading The Secret to Australia’s Success
Shareholders and the Dutch East India Company
During the early 17th century, the Dutch found themselves in increasingly competitive waters concerning their early dominance of maritime trade. The English, Portuguese and Spanish were all threats to the diminishing share of the Netherlands in the lucrative spice trade. Something had to be done. Yet how would a single organisation gather the huge amounts of capital required for such an undertaking? Creating a corporation … Continue reading Shareholders and the Dutch East India Company
Cracks in the Crown: The decline of the UK Economy
During the 19th century, the UK stood as the preeminent global superpower. From the British Raj in India to the Dominion of Canada, its riches and power were unmatched. Since the height of the empire in 1922, when the UK governed 23% of the world population (458 million people with a domestic population of only 42 million) (Source: Statista), the UK has seen a gradual decline … Continue reading Cracks in the Crown: The decline of the UK Economy
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