How many humans tomorrow? The United Nations revises its projections

Jun 19, 2019 02:32 am UTC| Insights & Views Economy

In 2019 the planet has 7.7 billion inhabitants, which is likely to rise to 8.5 billion in 2030 and nearly 10 billion in 2050. These figures are taken from the world population projections just released by the United...

Below zero is "reverse". How the Reserve Bank would make quantitative easing work

Jun 19, 2019 02:29 am UTC| Insights & Views Economy Central Banks

With its official cash rate now expected to fall below 1% to a new extraordinarily low close to zero, all sorts of people are saying that the Reserve Bank is in danger of running out of ammunition. Ammunition might be...

South Africa should learn from Brazil about how to tackle 'hidden hunger'

Jun 19, 2019 02:23 am UTC| Insights & Views Economy

South Africa faces a double burden of hunger and malnutrition, on the one hand, and obesity with associated non-communicable diseases (NCDs), on the other. In many countries, in both the global North and South,...

American giving lost some ground in 2018 amid tax changes and stock market losses

Jun 19, 2019 02:21 am UTC| Insights & Views Economy

The sweeping tax reforms that took effect in 2018 meant fewer Americans could itemize their taxes and benefit from the charitable deduction. Has that brought about any dramatic changes in charitable giving? We are...

France and Britain in a race for carbon neutrality by 2050

Jun 19, 2019 02:21 am UTC| Insights & Views Economy

The long-running rivalry between France and Britain has entered a new era: who will decarbonise the fastest. As the UK government announced on June 11 that it had committed to a net zero emissions target for 2050, the...

German bund yields plunge following dovish speech from ECB President Draghi, fall in eurozone CPI

Jun 18, 2019 10:40 am UTC| Commentary Economy

The German bund yields plunged during European trading session Tuesday following a dovish speech from European Central Bank (ECB) President Mario Draghi, delivered early today, along with a fall in eurozones consumer price...

Trade escalation balloons recession risks, Fed likely to cut as early as July

Jun 18, 2019 09:10 am UTC| Commentary Central Banks Economy

A significant escalation in the ongoing viral trade war between the worlds two economic behemoths has increased the risks of a global recession, which also dramatically ballooned the chances of a policy easing by the...