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Rhys ap Gwilym

Senior Lecturer in Economics, Bangor University
Dr Rhys ap Gwilym is a Senior Lecturer in Economics at Bangor University’s Business School. He trained as a macroeconomist at Cardiff University, gaining his PhD on the “Macroeconomic Implications of Behavioural Finance Models” in 2009. His academic research has involved developing models which introduce behavioural factors into macroeconomic analysis (including DSGE models) and the analysis of financial instruments in a general equilibrium setting. He has published in journals including the Journal of Banking and Finance, Economics Letters and the Southern Economic Journal.

More recently, his research interests have evolved to cover spatial economics and public finance. He is currently working on a project examining how geographical differences in access to finance influence regional economic disparities; in particular the links between the financialization of land and regional economic development.

Rhys has a strong interest in regional development policy and its role in Wales in particular. He has been a principal investigator on two grant-funded research projects for the Welsh Government relating to land value tax and tourism taxes. He is a member of the Institute of Welsh Affairs’ Economic Policy Group, where he has been involved in the development of discussion papers on the Welsh economy. He recently contributed to the “expert roundtable on the Welsh tax base & implications for public policy”.

Why you should expect to pay more tourist taxes – even though the evidence for them is unclear

May 09, 2024 07:09 am UTC| Insights & Views Business

In April 2024, Venice began its controversial experiment to charge day trippers 5 (4.30) to visit the city on some of the busiest days of the year. But its not just the lagoon city, with its 30 million visitors a year...

Economy

Supreme Court Showdown: Trump's Sweeping Tariffs Face Judgment Day as Early as Friday

On President Trumps contentious use of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) to levy broad Liberation Day tariffs of 10-50% on imports from most nations, along with other duties on Canada, Mexico, and...

Thailand Economy Faces Competitiveness Challenges as Strong Baht and U.S. Tariffs Pressure Exports

Thailands economy is facing mounting structural and external challenges, with declining competitiveness and pressure on exports emerging as key concerns, according to a statement released Wednesday by the Bank of Thailand...

Asian Currencies Trade Sideways as Dollar Wavers Ahead of Key U.S. Jobs Data; Aussie Dollar Hits 15-Month High

Most Asian currencies traded within a narrow range against the U.S. dollar as global markets turned cautious ahead of key U.S. labor market data due later this week. Currency traders largely avoided taking major positions,...

Oil Prices Slide in Asia as Trump Signals Venezuela Supply Boost, Raising Global Glut Fears

Oil prices fell sharply during Asian trading on Wednesday as markets reacted to comments from U.S. President Donald Trump suggesting Venezuela could soon supply tens of millions of barrels of crude oil to the United...

Asian Markets Slip as Oil Prices Fall on Venezuela Developments and Global Tensions

Asian markets traded mixed as investors digested falling oil prices, rising commodity stocks, and heightened geopolitical tensions tied to Venezuela, China, and broader global uncertainty. Crude oil futures extended losses...

Politics

Trump Administration Expands U.S. Visa Bond Requirement to 38 Countries

The U.S. government under President Donald Trump has expanded a controversial visa bond policy, adding 25 more countries to a list of nations whose citizens may be required to post a bond of up to $15,000 in order to apply...

China’s Taiwan War Games Signal Political Pressure Amid Economic Strain

Chinas recent large-scale military exercises around Taiwan were part of a broader political and psychological campaign aimed at countering rising international support for the island while diverting attention from Beijings...

Trump Administration Freezes Federal Child Care Funds Over Fraud Concerns

The Trump administration has announced a freeze on certain federal child care and family assistance funds for five U.S. statesCalifornia, Colorado, Illinois, Minnesota, and New Yorkciting serious concerns about fraud and...

Five Years After January 6 Capitol Riot, Democrats and Republicans Clash Over History and Power

Five years after the January 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol, sharp political divisions resurfaced in Washington as Democrats accused Republicans of attempting to rewrite history, while President Donald Trump downplayed...

US–Venezuela Oil Deal Signals Major Shift in Energy Trade and Sanctions Strategy

The United States and Venezuela have reached a significant agreement that could reshape global oil flows, following an announcement by U.S. President Donald Trump that Caracas will export up to $2 billion worth of...

Science

Neuralink Plans High-Volume Brain Implant Production and Fully Automated Surgery by 2026

Elon Musks brain-computer interface company Neuralink is preparing for a major expansion, announcing plans to begin high-volume production of its brain implant devices and transition to a fully automated surgical procedure...

Jared Isaacman Confirmed as NASA Administrator, Becomes 15th Leader of U.S. Space Agency

The U.S. Senate has officially confirmed billionaire private astronaut Jared Isaacman as the new NASA administrator, making him the 15th leader in the agencys history. The confirmation, which took place on Wednesday, marks...

Senate Sets December 8 Vote on Trump’s NASA Nominee Jared Isaacman

The U.S. Senate Commerce Committee announced it will vote on December 8 on President Donald Trumps renewed nomination of private astronaut and tech entrepreneur Jared Isaacman to lead NASA. Isaacman, known for his...

NASA Cuts Boeing Starliner Missions as SpaceX Pulls Ahead

NASA has significantly scaled back Boeings Starliner program after years of technical issues and delays, announcing that the next Starliner mission to the International Space Station (ISS) will fly without astronauts. The...

Blue Origin’s New Glenn Achieves Breakthrough Success With First NASA Mission

Blue Origins massive New Glenn rocket marked a major milestone as it completed its first mission for paying customers, sending two NASA satellites toward Mars and successfully landing its reusable booster at sea. The...

Technology

Baidu’s AI Chip Unit Kunlunxin Prepares for Hong Kong IPO to Raise Up to $2 Billion

Baidu Inc (NASDAQ: BIDU) is moving forward with plans to list its artificial intelligence chipmaking subsidiary, Kunlunxin, in Hong Kong, in a deal that could raise as much as $2 billion, according to a Bloomberg report...

Hyundai Motor Shares Surge on Nvidia Partnership Speculation

Shares of Hyundai Motor surged sharply on Wednesday, climbing as much as 14.9% to reach a record high during morning trading, significantly outperforming South Koreas benchmark KOSPI index, which gained 1.2%. The rally was...

Lenovo Unveils AI Cloud Gigafactory With NVIDIA and Launches New AI Platform at CES 2026

Lenovo made a major impact at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas on Tuesday by unveiling an artificial intelligence cloud gigafactory developed in collaboration with NVIDIA, reinforcing its position as a...

China Reviews Meta’s $2 Billion AI Deal With Manus Amid Technology Control Concerns

Chinese government officials are reportedly reviewing Meta Platforms $2 billion acquisition of artificial intelligence startup Manus, raising potential concerns over technology transfer and national security controls....

Discord Confidentially Files for U.S. IPO, Signaling Major Milestone

Popular chat platform Discord has confidentially filed for an initial public offering (IPO) in the United States, according to a Bloomberg News report citing people familiar with the matter. The move marks a significant...