24 June 2018 Even in comparison with the recent deterioration in diplomatic norms, the breakdown of the recent Group of 7 meeting was breath-taking. The long-planned gathering, cut short by US President Trump's early departure for his hastily planned Singapore summit with North Korea, began with Donald Trump's advocacy to include Russia in future occasions. [...]
6 June 2018 As a reminder that populist sentiment in Europe has not disappeared, Italy's March election has finally produced an anti-establishment coalition between the Lega and the Five Star Movement (M5S), which appears willing to at least consider leaving the European Union as a remedy for the nation's economic ills. On one level this [...]
15 March 2018 Turkey has a history of "boom-bust" economic cycles. And, while Turkey enjoyed an impressive 7% GDP gain in 2017, the telltale signs of overheating again have emerged. In February 2018, for instance, inflation stood at 10.3% (granted, a bit lower than previous months), double the central bank's (CBRT) 5% target. And, core [...]
4 February 2018 In the wake of the Global Financial Crisis followed by Europe's Sovereign Debt Crisis, the Swiss franc (CHF) appreciated sharply (see top Chart), reflecting its traditional role as a safe haven. Confronting considerable deflationary risks the Swiss National Bank (SNB) abandoned its policy aimed at setting a floor for the exchange rate [...]