The world is warming up and now “boiling”, according to the new definition by UN Secretary-General António Guterres. Yet, instead of tackling the “climate crisis”, governments are subsidising fossil fuels.…
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Although the global economic performance shows signs of improvement, growth remains fragile. Certainly, lower energy costs contribute to slowing down the rise in prices and this is good news for…
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The European Stability Mechanism hangs by a thread – on France’s credit rating
by Bob Lyddonby Bob LyddonIntroduction The European Stability Mechanism (ESM) backstops the euro. Its nominal size is €705 billion but its lending capacity is lower at €500 billion, and the main condition attached to…
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La Niña has gone, and El Niño is back. They are natural phenomena originating in the Pacific Ocean and affect the weather all around the world. La Niña cools global…
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Government and Gambling: Taxation of Addiction or Addiction to Taxes?
by IREF, Marek Hudík and Jakub Žofčákby IREF, Marek Hudík and Jakub ŽofčákGambling, alongside tobacco and alcohol, is often regarded as a vice. The main reason behind this view is that gamblers often overlook the full extent of the costs involved in…
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UK inflation is a threat to financial stability – time to conceal that with Eurozone techniques
by Bob Lyddonby Bob LyddonUK Consumer Price Inflation remained at 8.7% in May. The Bank of England has raised the cost of overnight money to 5% via increases in its Base Rate, and has…
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Is Newspeak just a piece of the dystopia imagined by Orwell, or is it a realistic representation of a typical ambition of political power, connected with the will to influence…
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Since the beginning of March, US regulators have closed and sold three banks: Silicon Valley Bank, Signature Bank and First Republic. The failures are the biggest to hit the US…
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Central banks should be wobbling in their drive towards Central Bank Digital Currencies
by Bob Lyddonby Bob LyddonIntroduction Central banks have undertaken many investigations, pilots and proofs-of-concept into Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs), proving little beyond the lack of a convincing case in their favour, but unearthing…
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Artificial Intelligence (AI) will soon become a major force in the economy, affecting nearly all aspects of production and consumption as well as the labour market. Many jobs which in…

