The IMF’s World Economic Outlook Update is subtitled Contractionary Forces Receding But Weak Recovery Ahead. Their Global Financial Stability Report Market Update is subtitled Policies Have Reduced Systemic Risks But Vulnerabilities Remain. While capital injections have helped staunch the bloodletting, financial systems remain impaired and will remain a drag on economic recovery. More than that, …
Continue reading Stabilisation is uneven and recovery will likely be sluggish.
Category:3 The World of Money
Meagre market, massive munchies …
A report on the widening girth of America hit headlines today. The expanding waistline of America (and elsewhere no doubt) continues despite economic constraints. We continue the unnecessary and excessive calorie consumption even if we can’t afford it financially or even for the good of our health. For a very few people, obesity is physiologically …
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At last, real veg allowed back in to the EU.
The EU bureaucrats have finally wised up to the waste and frustration of regulating the shape and look of fruit and vegetables. We know from our garden how weird they can be, naturally. Like this one … It was a ludicrous regulation when it was brought in and it’s sad that it’s taken 20 years …
Continue reading At last, real veg allowed back in to the EU.
Greenwash undermines green living – the 7 sins of greenwash.
Natural. Non-toxic. Biodegradable. It’s possible for manufacturers to cover a multitude of environmental sins with a carefully – if inaccurately – chosen word. And most of them do, as a US House of Representatives committee on greenwash recently found. 98% of the products claiming to be environmentally friendly are guilty of greenwash. That in itself …
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Global Development Finance Report 2009, World Bank
The World Bank’s annual Global Development Finance combines a diagnosis of recent trends and prospects for capital flows to developing countries with an analysis of important policy issues. Amidst global economic recession and financial-market fragility, net private capital inflows to developing countries fell to $707 billion in 2008, a sharp drop from a peak of …
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God, man and growth
Some research was carried out in 2003 to explore the connection between religion, religiousness and economic growth. The story is told in this article by The Economist: God, man and growth. The conclusion supports the thesis that values are key to social and economic success, not religion itself. It is the belief in being part …
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Global military spending rose 45% between 1999 and 2008
Global military spending rose 45% between 1999 and 2008, fuelled by the US-led “war on terror” and by increased wealth in China, Russia and the Middle East. In Western and Central Europe, military spending increased at a much slower rate than in any other part of the world, while the US accounted for 58% of …
Continue reading Global military spending rose 45% between 1999 and 2008
Carbon risks and opportunities in the S&P 500
Carbon risks and opportunities in the S&P 500 a report by TruCost, commissioned by IRRCi, finds the carbon intensity of companies varies widely even within sectors. This has important implications for investors: * Companies that are less carbon intensive than their sector peers stand to gain competitive advantage from proposed ‘polluter pays’ cap-and-trade regulation. * …
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Rebuilding Banks
A Special Report on Banking from The Economist offers insight in to the changes we might expect from the world of finance. I like the first few paragraphs (below) which put the scale of the problem in to perspective. The report shows that the industry will be ruled by attention to liabilities (and risks) rather …
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World Business Council for Sustainable Development news digest
Just linking around … A handy digest of international business news relevant to sustainable business. A free subscription is available for this fortnightly newsletter. Sign up here or read articles on the WBCSD website here.