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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

Asian Stocks Tumble as Tech Selloff Deepens Ahead of Fed Decision, Big Tech Earnings

Asian stock markets posted steep losses on Wednesday as a sharp technology sector selloff continued for a second day, with South Korea leading regional declines ahead of the U.S. Federal Reserves policy announcement and...

Gold Price Holds Near $4,025 Ahead of Fed Decision as Middle East Tensions Lift Oil

Gold prices traded little changed during Asian trading on Wednesday as investors stayed cautious ahead of the U.S. Federal Reserves closely watched interest rate decision, while renewed geopolitical tensions in the Middle...

Hong Kong Home Prices Extend Winning Streak With 13th Straight Monthly Gain in June

Hong Kong home prices continued their upward momentum in June, marking the 13th consecutive month of gains, although the pace of growth slowed as the property market faced fresh economic headwinds. According to data...

Oman Proposes Strait of Hormuz Plan as U.S., Iran Remain Divided Over Shipping Fees

Oman has presented Iran with a Gulf-backed proposal aimed at restoring stability in the Strait of Hormuz, including a system of voluntary contributions from ships using the strategic waterway, according to Reuters citing a...

Chile Central Bank Holds Interest Rate at 4.5% as Inflation and Global Risks Persist

Chiles central bank left its benchmark interest rate unchanged at 4.5% on Tuesday, in line with market expectations, as policymakers weighed persistent inflation against slowing domestic economic activity and ongoing...

Politics

California ICE Detention Center Found to Have Inadequate Medical Care, Court Monitor Says

A court-appointed monitor has concluded that Californias largest immigration detention center failed to provide adequate medical care to detainees, finding the facility out of compliance with a previous federal court order...

US Intercepts Iranian Ballistic Missiles as Middle East Tensions Escalate

The U.S. military said it successfully intercepted multiple ballistic missiles launched by Iran toward American forces in the Middle East on Tuesday, describing the attack as an attempted surprise strike amid heightened...

Trump, Zelenskiy Discuss Patriot Missile Production and Ukraine Peace Talks

U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy met in Washington on Tuesday to discuss reviving peace negotiations with Russia, expanding Ukraines air defense capabilities, and strengthening...

U.S., Saudi Forces Launch Precision Strikes on Iran-Backed Militants in Iraq

The U.S. military announced Tuesday that American and Saudi Arabian armed forces carried out coordinated precision strikes in Iraq targeting Iran-backed militant groups accused of threatening regional security. According...

Zelenskiy Urges Trump for More Anti-Ballistic Missile Systems to Strengthen Ukraine Defense

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Tuesday that he used his visit to Washington to press U.S. President Donald Trump and key U.S. senators for additional anti-ballistic missile systems and interceptors,...

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

X Challenges Australia’s Expanded Social Media Ban Enforcement Powers

Elon Musks social media platform X has criticized Australias proposal to expand the powers of its online safety regulator, arguing the changes could conflict with U.S. law, threaten international legal principles, and...

Meta CEO Zuckerberg Opposes U.S. Ban on Chinese AI Models, Warns Against Overregulation

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has urged the U.S. government not to prohibit advanced Chinese artificial intelligence models, arguing that such restrictions would not help the United States maintain its competitive edge in the...

Trump Administration to Ban Chinese Robots, Power Inverters Over AI Security Concerns

The Trump administration is set to introduce new restrictions on Chinese technology imports, targeting advanced robots and power inverters as part of a broader effort to strengthen U.S. national security and protect the...

TSMC Gradually Restarts Japan Chip Plant After Kumamoto Earthquake

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC), the worlds largest contract chipmaker, has started gradually restoring operations at its Japan semiconductor facility after a powerful earthquake in Kumamoto Prefecture forced...

SK Hynix Q2 Profit Hits Record as AI Memory Chip Demand Fuels Growth

SK Hynix reported record second-quarter earnings as surging demand for artificial intelligence memory chips and stronger memory pricing drove exceptional growth, reinforcing its position as one of the biggest beneficiaries...