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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

Dollar Slides After Supreme Court Blocks Trump Tariffs, Boosting Global Growth Outlook

The U.S. dollar weakened on Monday after the Supreme Court struck down a broad range of former President Donald Trumps tariffs, a move investors interpreted as supportive for global economic growth. Currency markets...

Asian Currencies Rise as US Dollar Weakens Amid Trump Tariff Uncertainty and Fed Outlook

Asian currencies moved higher on Monday while the US dollar retreated, as investors reacted to fresh developments surrounding President Donald Trumps tariff policies and ongoing uncertainty over Federal Reserve interest...

Trump Raises Tariffs to 15% Under Section 122 After Supreme Court Ruling

U.S. President Donald Trump announced plans to raise a temporary tariff on imports from all countries to 15%, up from 10%, following a Supreme Court decision that struck down a significant portion of his earlier trade...

Indonesia Posts 54.6 Trillion Rupiah Budget Deficit in January 2026 Amid Rising Spending

Indonesia recorded a 54.6 trillion rupiah ($3.25 billion) budget deficit in January 2026, equivalent to 0.21% of gross domestic product (GDP), according to data released by the Finance Ministry on Monday. The shortfall...

Asian Stocks Mixed as Trump Tariffs Stir Uncertainty; Hong Kong and South Korea Lead on AI Gains

Asian stock markets delivered a mixed performance on Monday as uncertainty surrounding U.S. President Donald Trumps trade tariffs dampened investor sentiment. Trading volumes remained thin due to market holidays in China...

Politics

South Korea Urges Russian Embassy to Remove ‘Victory Will Be Ours’ Banner Ahead of Ukraine War Anniversary

South Korea has formally requested that the Russian embassy in Seoul remove a large banner reading Victory will be ours, just days before the fourth anniversary of Russias invasion of Ukraine. The South Korean foreign...

China Reviews U.S. Supreme Court Tariff Ruling as Trump Signals New Import Duties

Chinas commerce ministry announced that it is conducting a full assessment of the recent U.S. Supreme Court tariff ruling while urging Washington to remove what it described as relevant unilateral tariff measures imposed...

Russia Launches Massive Drone and Missile Attack on Ukraine’s Energy Infrastructure

Russia launched a large-scale overnight assault on Ukraine using dozens of strike drones, ballistic missiles, and cruise missiles, intensifying its campaign against the countrys energy infrastructure. According to the...

EU Demands U.S. Honor Trade Deal After Supreme Court Blocks Trump Tariffs

The European Commission has urged the United States to uphold the terms of last years EU-U.S. trade deal after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down former President Donald Trumps global tariffs. The ruling prompted Trump to...

India and Brazil Strengthen Trade Partnership with New Mining and Steel Cooperation Pact

India and Brazil have taken a major step toward strengthening bilateral trade relations by signing a new agreement focused on mining, minerals, and steel sector cooperation. The pact, signed in New Delhi in the presence of...

Science

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...

SpaceX Prioritizes Moon Mission Before Mars as Starship Development Accelerates

Elon Musks SpaceX is shifting its near-term space exploration strategy, choosing to prioritize a return to the Moon before pursuing missions to Mars, according to a recent Wall Street Journal report citing sources familiar...

NASA and SpaceX Target Crew-11 Undocking From ISS Amid Medical Concern

NASA has confirmed that the agency, in coordination with SpaceX, is targeting no earlier than 5 p.m. Eastern Time (2200 GMT) on Wednesday, January 14, for the undocking of the SpaceX Crew-11 mission from the International...

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...

Technology

Samsung Stock Hits Record High on Nvidia HBM4 Supply Deal, Boosting AI Chip Rally

Samsung Electronics shares surged to a record high on Monday after reports indicated the company could become the exclusive memory chip supplier for Nvidias next-generation AI processors. The rally highlights growing...

Microsoft Gaming Leadership Shake-Up: Phil Spencer Retires, Asha Sharma Named New Xbox CEO

Microsoft has announced a significant leadership transition in its gaming division, as longtime executive Phil Spencer prepares to retire after 38 years with the company. The move marks a pivotal moment for Microsoft...

Nvidia Earnings Preview: AI Growth Outlook Remains Strong Beyond 2026

NVIDIA Corporation (NASDAQ: NVDA) is heading into its upcoming earnings report with Wall Street expecting another quarter of solid performance, driven by surging demand for artificial intelligence infrastructure. While...

Microsoft Gaming Leadership Overhaul: Phil Spencer Retires, Asha Sharma Named New Xbox CEO

Microsoft has announced a major leadership transition in its gaming division, as longtime executive Phil Spencer retires after 38 years with the company. The move marks a significant shift for Microsoft Gaming at a time...

OpenAI Targets $600B Compute Spend as IPO Valuation Could Reach $1 Trillion

OpenAI is reportedly planning a massive expansion of its artificial intelligence infrastructure, targeting approximately $600 billion in total compute spending through 2030. According to a source cited by Reuters, the...