BoE’s Andy Haldane: Digital currencies could cut risk and boost lending November 18, 2020 Digital currencies could reduce risk in the financial system and aid monetary policy with interest rates close to rock bottom, Bank of England chief economist Andy Haldane has said. Haldane also told The City UK’s annual conference that new technological infrastructure should be considered to help small and medium-sized businesses better access finance after years [...]
UK inflation picks up despite lockdowns as clothing prices rise November 18, 2020 Prices picked up across the UK economy in October, the latest figures have shown, with clothing pushing inflation higher after disruption to the sector earlier in the year. Consumer price index inflation came in at 0.7 per cent on an annual basis last month, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said. That was up from [...]
It is science, not lockdowns, that will save the world November 18, 2020 The various new vaccines announced over the past two weeks give real hope of a return to normal life. Of course, many practical questions remain. How will these vaccines be delivered? Do they stop the transmission or simply the symptoms of the virus? Exactly how effective will they be outside a controlled trial environment? But [...]
Cabinet confidential: Who will Joe Biden pick as the next US Secretary of the Treasury? November 16, 2020 President-elect Joe Biden has made it clear he wants his government to “actually look like America”, with pundits expecting the most diverse cabinet ever assembled. Speculation is rife Biden will appoint female and Bame candidates to top cabinet roles, including to Secretary of the Treasury and Secretary of State. The former Vice President will have [...]
Hungary and Poland veto EU budget and coronavirus recovery fund November 16, 2020 Hungary and Poland have effectively vetoed the European Union’s budget and coronavirus recovery package in response to plans to make access to funds conditional on adhering to the rule of law. The veto came as top EU officials and countries’ ambassadors today discussed the €1.1 trillion (£990bn) budget, which covers 2021-27, and the €750bn coronavirus [...]
Asian stocks near record high after signing of huge RCEP trade deal November 16, 2020 Asian stock markets rose towards record highs after countries in the region signed the world’s biggest trade deal, which covers nearly a third of the globe’s population and economic output. The main Asian benchmark was on track to close at its highest ever level. China’s SSE Composite index rose one per cent while Japan’s Nikkei [...]
Explainer: What are green bonds? And how will the UK’s first green gilts work? November 15, 2020 Chancellor Rishi Sunak announced yesterday that Britain will issue its first green government bond next year, in a bid to capitalise on growing investor demand for assets that fund environmentally-friendly projects. The market for investments with an environment, social, or governance (ESG) focus has increased exponentially in recent years. Around $250bn (£189bn) of green bonds [...]
U.N chief to push G20 to further expand debt service suspension November 12, 2020 United Nations secretary-general António Guterres will push G20 leaders to expand debt service suspension to help developing and middle-income economies recover from the coronavirus pandemic. Addressing a virtual annual ministerial meeting attended by the Group of 77 – a collection of 134 developing countries – plus China, Guterres said: “Many developing countries are suffering from [...]
ECB turns to emergency bonds and ultra-cheap loans to control financial costs November 12, 2020 The ECB will use its emergency bond-buying and ultra-cheap loans to banks as the primary instruments to control financing costs, European Central Bank president Christine Lagarde told the ECB’s annual forum on central banking this evening. The EU heavyweight said financing costs for governments, households and businesses in the eurozone will stay “exceptionally favourable” until [...]
US jobless claims fall to seven-month low but pace of decline slows November 12, 2020 The number of Americans filing new claims for unemployment benefits dropped to a seven-month low last week, official figures showed, but the rate of decline in jobless claims slowed. Initial claims for state unemployment benefits hit a seasonally adjusted total of 709,000 for the week to 7 November, the US Department of Labor said. This [...]