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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

Japan Manufacturing Growth Accelerates in June as Orders Surge Despite Iran War Cost Pressures

Japans manufacturing sector maintained strong momentum in June, supported by the fastest rise in new orders in more than four years, even as businesses continued to face mounting cost pressures linked to the ongoing Iran...

U.S.-Iran Diplomacy Helps Drive Gasoline Prices Down 15% From May Highs

American drivers are seeing welcome relief at the gas pump as gasoline prices continue to decline following improved diplomatic relations between the United States and Iran. According to fuel price tracker GasBuddy, the...

Wall Street Ends Mixed as Alphabet Slumps, Middle East Developments and Fed Outlook Weigh on Markets

U.S. stocks closed mixed on Monday as a sharp decline in Alphabet shares pressured the communication services sector, while investors closely monitored evolving developments in the Middle East and assessed the Federal...

Oil Prices Fall as Iran Peace Talks Progress, Hormuz Reopens, and U.S. SPR Hits 1983 Low

Global oil prices extended their recent decline on Monday as optimism grew over ongoing U.S.-Iran peace negotiations and the reopening of the vital Strait of Hormuz. The easing of geopolitical tensions in the Middle East...

Japan Keeps Markets Guessing as Yen Nears 40-Year Low, Raising Intervention Risks

Japans financial authorities are maintaining uncertainty over potential currency intervention as the Japanese yen hovers near its weakest level in nearly four decades. Market participants are closely watching government...

Politics

Russian Air Strikes Injure Six Across Ukraine as Kyiv Issues Air Raid Alert

At least six people were injured in a new wave of Russian air strikes across Ukraine overnight, according to local officials, as authorities in Kyiv issued an air raid alert early Tuesday and urged residents to seek...

Alan Greenspan: 7 Fascinating Facts About the Former Fed Chairman

Former Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan, who died Monday at the age of 100, left behind a remarkable legacy that extended far beyond economics and monetary policy. Known as one of the most influential figures in...

UNAIDS Urges U.S. to Reconsider South Africa HIV Funding Withdrawal

The head of UNAIDS, Winnie Byanyima, has urged the United States to reconsider its decision to withdraw HIV/AIDS funding for South Africa, warning that the move could put millions of vulnerable people at risk and...

US Waives Iran Sanctions for 60 Days as Peace Talks Advance and Lebanon Sees Calm

The United States has granted Iran a 60-day sanctions waiver following the first round of negotiations under a newly established peace agreement, signaling a potential breakthrough in efforts to ease tensions across the...

Rubio Gulf Tour Aims to Reassure Allies on Trump’s Iran Deal

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio will visit the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, and Bahrain from Tuesday through Thursday as the Trump administration seeks to strengthen support for its preliminary agreement with Iran...

Science

Blue Origin New Glenn Explosion Could Delay Launch Operations Until 2028

Blue Origin is facing a significant setback after a dramatic explosion involving its New Glenn rocket severely damaged a launch pad at Cape Canaveral, Florida. According to NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman, repairs to the...

Blue Origin New Glenn Rocket Explodes During Launch Pad Test, Delaying Space Ambitions

Blue Origin suffered a major setback after its uncrewed New Glenn rocket exploded during a launch pad test in Florida on Thursday, raising new challenges for Jeff Bezos space company as it competes with Elon Musks SpaceX...

SpaceX Delays Starship V3 Launch Ahead of Potential Record IPO

SpaceX on Thursday postponed the highly anticipated launch of its 12th Starship rocket test from Texas after technical issues interrupted the final countdown. The company now plans to attempt the Starship V3 launch again...

Trump Administration Releases New UFO Files and Apollo Mission Records

The U.S. Defense Department has released dozens of previously classified UFO-related files following an order from President Donald Trump, sparking renewed debate over unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAP) and government...

China vs. NASA: The New Moon Race and What's at Stake by 2030

The space race is back and this time, its a direct competition between the United States and China for dominance on the lunar surface. NASAs Artemis II mission recently made history when four astronauts flew farther into...

Technology

Meta Pauses Employee Activity Tracking Program Over Data Security Concerns

Meta has temporarily suspended an internal employee monitoring program used to train its artificial intelligence models after concerns emerged about potential data security and privacy risks. The program, known as the...

Oracle Cuts 21,000 Jobs as AI Reshapes Workforce and Cloud Expansion Accelerates

Oracle reduced its global workforce by approximately 21,000 employees, or 13%, during fiscal 2026 as the company continued a major restructuring effort while expanding its artificial intelligence and cloud computing...

Alphabet Stock Slides as AI Talent Exodus and SpaceX Losses Shake Investor Confidence

Alphabet (NASDAQ: GOOGL) shares plunged nearly 7% on Monday, marking one of the companys sharpest single-day declines in recent years as investors reacted to a combination of high-profile AI talent departures and weakness...

SpaceX Stock Plunges 16% as KeyBanc Warns Valuation May Be Overstretched

SpaceX shares tumbled more than 16% on Monday after investment firm KeyBanc initiated coverage with a cautious outlook, suggesting the aerospace giants valuation has become stretched following its strong post-IPO rally....

Trump’s Quantum Push Lifts IBM Stock as CEO Arvind Krishna Receives White House Praise

IBM shares surged in after-hours trading Monday after President Donald Trump publicly praised IBM CEO Arvind Krishna during a White House event focused on advancing U.S. quantum technology leadership. The endorsement...