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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

Rising Jet Fuel Costs from Iran Conflict Push Airfare Higher Across Europe

Disruptions to global oil supplies linked to the Iran conflict are driving a sharp increase in jet fuel prices, adding significant costs to air travel across Europe. According to analysis from campaign group Transport ...

UK Wage Growth Slows to 3.6% as Inflation Pressures Complicate Bank of England Outlook

British wage growth showed signs of cooling, though not as sharply as analysts had anticipated, according to the latest data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS). Regular pay, which excludes bonuses, rose by 3.6%...

US-Iran Peace Talks Fuel Market Optimism Amid Ongoing Tensions

The United States has expressed renewed confidence that peace talks with Iran could resume soon in Pakistan, raising hopes of easing geopolitical tensions that have disrupted global energy markets. A senior Iranian...

Asian Currencies Stay Range-Bound as Dollar Holds Steady Ahead of Fed Nominee Hearing

Asian currencies traded within a narrow range on Tuesday as geopolitical uncertainty surrounding potential U.S.-Iran peace talks kept investors cautious. With a temporary ceasefire set to expire later this week, traders...

Gold Prices Slip Amid Iran Tensions and Fed Chair Uncertainty

Gold prices edged lower during Asian trading on Tuesday as investors weighed geopolitical risks and monetary policy uncertainty. The precious metal remains range-bound, with traders closely monitoring developments...

Politics

Pakistan Halts $1.5 Billion Sudan Arms Deal After Saudi Arabia Withdraws Support

Pakistan has reportedly paused a $1.5 billion defense deal to supply weapons and fighter jets to Sudan after Saudi Arabia withdrew financial backing and urged Islamabad to abandon the agreement. According to Pakistani...

UN Secretary-General Race 2027: Key Candidates Competing to Replace Antonio Guterres

The race to select the next United Nations Secretary-General is gaining momentum as global leaders position themselves for the top diplomatic role. The 10th UN chief will assume office on January 1, 2027, for a five-year...

Philippines Says U.S. Access to EDCA Bases Limited by Land Issues and Delays

Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro has revealed that the use of military bases accessible to the United States under the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) remains limited, citing unresolved land...

Trump Maintains Iran Naval Blockade as Ceasefire Deadline Nears

U.S. President Donald Trump announced that the naval blockade against Iran will remain in force until a formal agreement is reached with Tehran, adding uncertainty ahead of a looming ceasefire deadline later this week. In...

Gaza Violence Continues Despite Ceasefire as Israeli Strikes and Clashes Escalate

Israeli airstrikes in the Gaza Strip killed at least five Palestinians on Monday, according to Palestinian health officials, highlighting ongoing violence despite a fragile ceasefire agreement. The incidents occurred in...

Science

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...

NASA Artemis II: First Crewed Moon Mission Since Apollo Takes Four Astronauts on 10-Day Lunar Journey

NASAs Artemis II mission launched Wednesday, marking humanitys return to crewed lunar exploration for the first time since the Apollo era. Carrying four astronauts aboard the Orion spacecraft, this historic 10-day mission...

NASA's Artemis II Mission: First Crewed Lunar Journey Since Apollo

NASA's Artemis II Crew Arrives in Florida for Historic Moon Mission

The four astronauts chosen for NASAs Artemis II mission have touched down at Kennedy Space Center in Florida, marking the beginning of final launch preparations for the first crewed lunar journey in over 50 years. NASA...

SpaceX Pivots Toward Moon City as Musk Reframes Long-Term Space Vision

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has revealed a significant shift in the companys near-term space exploration strategy, announcing that SpaceX is now prioritizing the development of a self-growing city on the Moon rather than focusing...

Technology

SpaceX President Gwynne Shotwell Earns $85.8M as IPO Buzz Grows

SpaceX President and Chief Operating Officer Gwynne Shotwell earned $85.8 million in total compensation last year, according to details from the companys S-1 filing, positioning her among the highest-paid executives in the...

John Ternus Signals Apple’s Future with Product-First AI Strategy

Apples incoming CEO John Ternus is already shaping expectations for the companys future, and his stance on artificial intelligence reveals a clear direction. Unlike competitors such as Microsoft and Google, which are...

Jeff Bezos Eyes $10 Billion Funding Round for AI Venture Project Prometheus

Jeff Bezos is reportedly closing in on a massive fundraising deal for his artificial intelligence startup, signaling a major move in the rapidly expanding AI industry. According to a Financial Times report citing sources...

Apple Stock Dips as Tim Cook Steps Down, John Ternus Named Next CEO

Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) shares slipped more than 1% in after-hours trading Monday following a surprising leadership transition announcement. The tech giant revealed that longtime CEO Tim Cook will move into the role of...

Amazon Expands AI Bet with Up to $25 Billion Investment in Anthropic

Amazon is significantly deepening its artificial intelligence strategy by announcing a new investment of $5 billion in AI firm Anthropic, with the potential to reach up to $25 billion based on performance milestones. This...