Economic Insights

Dec 08, 2021

Jostle the colossal fossil: A path to the energy sector transition

The EU faces an implementation gap of six years in cutting greenhouse gas emissions from the energy sector by 2030.

Dec 03, 2021

Monetary policy: Omicron management & beyond

In their December policy meetings, the US Federal Reserve and the ECB will be tested on their monetary policy stance amid signs of higher inflation and rising omicron-related uncertainty.

Dec 01, 2021

Global FX volatility: still waters run deep

A China factor is increasingly present in a large set of non-CNY-denominated assets, which can create “hidden” opportunities as well as “hidden” risks.

Nov 25, 2021

Chinese capital markets: the panda in the room

China’s speedy economic development and dominant role in global trade has spurred a rapidly evolving financial system with an increasingly diverse capital market.

Nov 21, 2021

US retail: a not so black Friday for consumers

American consumers hunting for Black Friday bargains won’t find much in 2021 as supply remains tight, inventory low and discounts will apply to goods already more expensive.

Nov 18, 2021

Corporate credit: life after policy support

Strong crisis support from central banks has triggered substantial inflows into corporate credit, keeping spreads anchored close to multi-year lows. But will a world without QE reverse the trend?

Nov 17, 2021

The middle-income trap: inequality across countries after Covid-19

In 2020, Covid-19 narrowed the prosperity gap between rich and poor countries as the former were at first the most affected. But over the medium and long run, its consequences could hit emerging markets harder.

Nov 12, 2021

Diabetes and Covid-19: The silent 45 billion euro problem

A further rise in the prevalence of diabetes could add 25 million people suffering from diabetes worldwide, causing 45 billion euro of direct health costs per year.

Nov 10, 2021

The EU utility transition: A pathway powered by solar and wind

Electrification is the key to decarbonization in the EU, but a front-loading of investments is needed to ramp up renewable energy to meet rising demand.