Showing 1 - 10 of 1,315
The hazard of lower interest rates
Oped, Published on 20/06/2024
» When interest rates decline and stabilise, financial-market participants tend to take on greater leverage and risk. The challenge for regulators, then, is to prevent those risks from becoming systemic and causing a broader economic crisis.
Going private in poorer countries
Oped, Published on 19/06/2024
» In recent years, governments in low- and middle-income countries have been experimenting with ways to alleviate the financial burden of high out-of-pocket costs for health care, which account for 40% of households' catastrophic health spending. To ensure universal access, they are gradually shifting away from public provision of health care to publicly funded insurance that covers treatment at private facilities.
2% inflation targets wiggle room
News, Published on 11/06/2024
» This week's milestone G7 interest rate cuts dispel any notion that hitting 2% inflation targets spot on is a precondition for central bank moves or indeed sensible -- and may guide thinking on the Federal Reserve and Bank of England too.
Thailand wants faster inflation
News, Daniel Moss, Published on 06/06/2024
» It's hard to find a leader anywhere these days who will argue the case for faster inflation. Politicians would rather drink hemlock than call for a renewed acceleration; they are often too busy nodding sympathetically at what their opponents call a cost-of-living crisis. But there is a kingdom where calling for more elevated prices, sooner, isn't off limits. In fact, the government embraces the concept.
Rise of the killer 'toys'
Oped, Editorial, Published on 31/05/2024
» As we celebrate World No Tobacco Day today, society, especially parents, are facing a new challenge -- the rise of young smokers and deceptively packaged but harmful tobacco products like "toy pods", the fifth generation of e-cigarettes designed to be both collectable and appealing to youngsters.
City needs to do more
Oped, Editorial, Published on 30/05/2024
» Halfway into his term as city governor, Chadchart Sittipunt still rates himself a five out of 10, which is the same as last year's self-appraisal. Judging from that, we can only hope there is room for improvement.
The 'billions to trillions' charade
Oped, Published on 23/05/2024
» The international development sector has become fixated on calculating financing gaps. Hardly a day goes by without new estimates of the funds low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) need to meet their climate targets and achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Why the US can't win trade war with China
Oped, Published on 22/05/2024
» Allegations about China's manufacturing overcapacity have sparked heated discussions among policymakers. During her visit to China in April, US Treasury Secretary Janet L Yellen reportedly argued that "when the global market is flooded by artificially cheap Chinese products, the viability of American and other foreign firms is put into question", adding that it was the same story a decade ago.
A small Slovak assassination bid; few hurt
Oped, Gwynne Dyer, Published on 21/05/2024
» Madeleine Albright, the former US Secretary of State, once called Slovakia "the black hole at the heart of Europe", which seems a harsh judgement on five million Slovaks. The assassination attempt on Prime Minister Robert Fico was alarming, but we can narrow the problem down to a more specific group of people.
Green push needs united approach
News, Published on 20/05/2024
» Bridging the divide between agriculture and forestry is imperative for climate action. The global and national race is on to steeply reduce emissions over the next six years. According to the watershed Global Stocktake report, released ahead of COP28 in Dubai, we face the daunting task of reducing emissions by 43% by 2030 to retain the possibility of limiting warming to 1.5 degrees by the end of the century, and 27% to stabilise at a 2-degree temperature increase. Since the Paris Agreement was signed in 2015, we have managed only to be on track for a 2% reduction in emissions against 2019 baselines. Each subsequent year, we collectively feel the impacts of a hotter, more volatile climate as new records are set for temperature and natural disasters.