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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

China Sets 1.25% Overnight Reverse Repo Rate Below Market Expectations

Chinas central bank has introduced its new overnight reverse repo operation, setting the interest rate at 1.25%, according to a Reuters report citing people familiar with the matter. The move marks another step in the...

Japan Targets 1%+ Real Economic Growth With ¥370 Trillion Investment Plan

Japans government is preparing an ambitious long-term economic strategy aimed at achieving sustained annual real economic growth of more than 1%, according to a draft of its latest economic and fiscal policy framework. The...

China Expands Export Controls, Adds 20 Japanese Companies to Restricted List

China has expanded its export control measures by adding 20 Japanese organizations and companies to its restricted export list, marking another escalation in the ongoing diplomatic and trade tensions between Beijing and...

China Factory PMI Seen Returning to Growth in June as AI Export Demand Supports Economy

Chinas manufacturing sector is expected to return to modest growth in June, supported by resilient exports tied to the booming global artificial intelligence (AI) industry. However, economists caution that the recovery...

US Stock Futures Rise as US-Iran Ceasefire Hopes Boost Market Sentiment

U.S. stock index futures moved higher late Sunday as investors reacted positively to reports that the United States and Iran had agreed to suspend recent military hostilities and resume diplomatic negotiations, easing...

Politics

Taiwan Coast Guard Officer Finds Strength in Faith as China Increases Pressure in Taiwan Strait

As tensions in the Taiwan Strait continue to rise, one Taiwan Coast Guard officer has found reassurance in an unusual combination of professional duty and spiritual faith. Yeh Chih-sheng, the first mate aboard Taiwan Coast...

Australia, Vanuatu Sign Security Pact Amid Pacific Influence Competition

Australia and Vanuatu have officially signed a long-awaited development and security agreement, reinforcing their strategic partnership while highlighting the growing geopolitical competition for influence in the Pacific...

Serbia Protests Continue as Thousands Rally Despite Vucic’s Resignation Plan

Thousands of demonstrators gathered in the central Serbian city of Kraljevo on Sunday, maintaining pressure on President Aleksandar Vucic just one day after he announced plans to resign within weeks and trigger early...

Iran Skips U.S. Technical Talks Over Unmet MoU Conditions and Frozen Funds Dispute

Iran did not participate in the technical talks scheduled for Sunday, citing recent military attacks on the country and unresolved conditions outlined in its memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the United States. The...

Trump Announces September Overhaul of Washington’s East Potomac Golf Links

U.S. President Donald Trump announced that a major renovation of Washingtons historic East Potomac Golf Links will begin on September 1, with plans to transform the century-old public golf course into what he described as...

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

Lenovo Shares Slide as AI-Driven Memory Demand Signals Higher DRAM and NAND Prices

Lenovo Group (HK:0992) shares tumbled nearly 10% in Hong Kong on Monday after the company said it expects DRAM and NAND memory prices to remain structurally higher for years, citing booming artificial intelligence (AI)...

Morgan Stanley Raises Tesla Q2 Delivery Forecast on Strong Europe and China Demand

Morgan Stanley has increased its second-quarter delivery forecast for Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ: TSLA), citing stronger-than-expected electric vehicle (EV) sales in Europe and China. The revised outlook reflects improving demand...

Open-Source AI Models Gain Ground as Enterprises Seek Lower-Cost Alternatives, Citi Says

Open-source artificial intelligence (AI) models are rapidly gaining traction as businesses search for cost-effective alternatives to proprietary AI systems, according to a new research note from Citi. The shift comes as...

Samsung, SK Hynix to Unveil $1.3 Trillion AI and Semiconductor Investment Plan

South Korean technology leaders Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix are reportedly preparing to announce investment plans worth a combined 2,000 trillion won (approximately $1.3 trillion) to strengthen the countrys...

UBS Raises TSMC Price Target to T$3,400 on Strong AI Chip Demand Outlook

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) received a fresh vote of confidence from UBS after the investment bank raised its price target for the worlds largest contract chipmaker, citing robust artificial...