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China Coronavirus fears hit equity markets

In the World, World economy 17th August 2020

The Great Lock-Down Is Ending In Emerging Asia As Growth Collapsed And Fiscal And Monetary Space Is Limited

Trinh Nguyen (Natixis) | After the Philippines reported a shocking decline of GDP of -16.5% YoY, Malaysia topped it off with GDP falling by -17.1% YoY. The deterioration is in line with other Southeast Asian economic weakness -Singapore fell -13.2% and Indonesia -5.3%, much worse than during the Great Financial Crisis (Vietnam is the only that has positive Q2 GDP growth in ASEAN). While some of it is due to external demand decline, the severity of economic contraction is self-imposed via suppression measures that crushed domestic economic activity.

Global inequality is on the rise – but at vastly different rates across the world

In the World, World economy 16th August 2020

Global Poverty: Coronavirus Could Drive It Up For The First Time Since The 1990s

Andy Sumner, Christopher Hoy and Eduardo Ortiz-Juarez via The Conversation| As COVID-19 slows in developed countries, the virus’s spread is speeding up in the developing world. Three-quarters of new cases detected each day are now in developing countries. And as the pandemic spreads, governments face juggling the health consequences with economic ones as this shifts to becoming an economic crisis.

US China relations

In the World, World economy 15th August 2020

The Technological Threat Intensifies In The Face Of The US Presidential Election

Escalating tension between the United States and China will encourage volatility as the Presidential Election approaches and measures taken against Chinese technology will be the focus. Investors underestimate domestic policy support for Chinese technology, as well as the political risks to American technology, explains Evan Brown, Head of Multi Asset Strategy at UBS AM.

capitalism1

In the World, World economy 14th August 2020

The Promises Of The Varieties Of Capitalism, Or On The Impossibility Of Having It All

CaixaBank Research |  The American political philosopher John Rawls coined the concept of the «veil of ignorance». Under this somewhat cryptic expression lies a suggestive notion: in order to determine which society is the best one to live in, we must ask ourselves: «if I did not know what position I would have in this society, in what kind of society would I choose to live in at birth?»

Hong Kong

In the World, World economy 13th August 2020

Red capital: How Chinese Companies Wield Political Influence In Hong Kong

Heidi Wang-Kaeding via TheConversation | The pervasive influence of red capital in Hong Kong shows the impossibility of putting politics aside when doing business with China. Now, the US’s new Hong Kong Autonomy Act has shattered the illusion of Chinese political and business elites that it is sustainable to take advantage of Hong Kong’s “two systems” when “one country” undermines them.

CO2 777x400 1

In the World, World economy 11th August 2020

COVID Will Have Brought Some Good Too!

La Française | “While most of the world’s population was confined to their homes, we witnessed catastrophic news related to the pandemic. However, we also witnessed the positive impacts of lockdown on the environment: cleaner air and clearer skies due to lower levels of airborne particles in major cities,” says Marie Lassegnore, Credit Fund Manager.

migrants italy

In the World, World economy 9th August 2020

Hosting Refugees and Migrants Is a Global Public Good

Diego Chaves & Olivier Lavinal | On June 20, we celebrated World Refugee Day. This was an opportune time for us all to pay attention to the challenge of forced displacement today. Strikingly, the world is facing the largest forced displacement crisis since World War II, with nearly 80 million people having fled their countries because of persecution, conflict, violence, human rights violations or events that have seriously disturbed public order.

big four tech

In the World, World economy 3rd August 2020

Valuation Of Big Four Techs Reaches 24% of US Economy Amid Growing Concerns About Their Market Dominance

With 30 M Americans receiving a paycheck to make ends meet, the big four technologies Apple, Amazon, Alphabet and Facebook are challenging the economy. While all economic indicators are down, their second quarter results could not be better. These results were published one day after the heads of major US technology companies were forced to appear before Congress in an anti-competitive practices investigation.