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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

Trump Signals Possible U.S.-Iran Peace Deal as Markets Rally on Hopes of War Ending

U.S. President Donald Trump said a peace agreement between the United States and Iran could be reached soon, raising hopes of an end to the ongoing conflict that has shaken global energy markets and disrupted shipping in...

Japan Tech Stocks Surge as AI Optimism Lifts SoftBank, Chipmakers

Japanese technology and semiconductor stocks rallied sharply on Thursday, driven by growing global optimism surrounding artificial intelligence and strong momentum in the AI chip sector. The surge followed impressive...

European Stocks Edge Higher as Iran-U.S. Peace Talks Boost Market Sentiment

European stock markets traded mostly higher on Thursday as investors reacted positively to reports that the United States and Iran are preparing to restart negotiations aimed at ending their ongoing conflict. Optimism...

Iran-U.S. Peace Deal Near as Oil Prices Fall and Nuclear Disputes Persist

Iran said it is reviewing a new U.S. peace proposal aimed at ending the ongoing conflict between Washington and Tehran, while major disagreements over Irans nuclear program and the Strait of Hormuz remain unresolved. The...

Trump-Xi Meeting 2026: U.S.-China Trade Tensions Escalate Ahead of Beijing Summit

U.S. President Donald Trump is expected to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping in May 2026 during his first trip to China in eight years, as tensions between the worlds two largest economies continue to reshape global trade,...

Politics

US Senators Push for Stable US-China Relations Ahead of Trump-Xi Beijing Summit

A bipartisan delegation of United States senators visiting Beijing has emphasized the importance of maintaining stable and peaceful cooperation between the United States and China ahead of a high-profile summit between...

UK Local Elections 2026: Starmer Faces Pressure as Reform UK Surges

Millions of voters across Britain headed to the polls on Thursday in crucial local and regional elections that could significantly weaken Prime Minister Keir Starmers Labour Party and reshape the countrys political...

Israel Strikes Beirut Amid Fragile Hezbollah Ceasefire Tensions

Israel carried out an airstrike on Beirut on Wednesday, marking the first attack on the Lebanese capital since last months ceasefire agreement with Hezbollah. According to Israeli officials, the strike targeted a commander...

Trump-Xi Beijing Summit Sparks Taiwan Concerns Amid U.S.-China Tensions

Taiwan is closely monitoring next weeks meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing, amid concerns that China could attempt diplomatic manoeuvring over the Taiwan issue....

Rubio Meets Pope Leo Amid Trump-Vatican Tensions Over Iran War

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is set to meet Pope Leo at the Vatican on Thursday during a high-profile discussion expected to address growing tensions between the Trump administration and the Catholic Church over the...

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

U.S.-China AI Talks May Take Center Stage at Trump-Xi Summit

The United States and China are reportedly exploring the possibility of launching formal discussions on artificial intelligence, according to a Wall Street Journal report published Wednesday. The talks could become a major...

Arm Stock Drops Despite Strong AI Chip Demand and Earnings Beat

Arm Holdings delivered stronger-than-expected quarterly earnings and revenue, driven by rising demand for artificial intelligence data center chips. However, despite the positive results, Arm stock reversed early gains in...

Hua Hong Semiconductor Stock Surges to Multi-Year High Amid AI Boom

Hua Hong Semiconductor shares soared on Wednesday as investors rushed into technology stocks fueled by strong artificial intelligence momentum and improving confidence in Chinas economy. The Hong Kong-listed chipmaker...

Infineon Raises 2026 Outlook as AI Data Center Chip Demand Surges

Infineon Technologies (ETR: IFXGn) raised its fiscal 2026 revenue growth forecast on Wednesday, citing booming demand for AI data center power chips despite continued weakness in the electric vehicle semiconductor market....

BHP Attracts AI-Focused Investors as Copper Demand Surges

BHP Group is drawing growing attention from international investors as the global artificial intelligence boom increases the value of copper, according to Chief Financial Officer Vandita Pant. Speaking at the Macquarie...