A frustrating economic malady is stagflation, in which typical remedies to solve one aspect (inflation) aggravate the second facet (stagnation). As the world’s economies struggle with the COVID effect, stagflation is rearing its head after being in remission for nearly half a century. How policymakers respond now will determine its future course.
Earlier this year, the U.S. Treasury Department’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) issued a $390 million penalty against Capital One for “willful” anti-money-laundering (AML) failures that happened during a period between 2008-2014. For compliance operators in the space, the action was a strong signal of rigorous enforcement, and perhaps a sign of increased pressures to come.
After encouraging economic performance during the first half of 2021, Indonesia’s enviable advance was thwarted by a resurgence in Delta-variant COVID cases during the third quarter, prompting forecasters to lower their GDP growth projections. Will Southeast Asia’s leading economy pull through this downturn and regain its momentum?
With home prices surging, many homeowners are sitting on high-value properties while remaining cash-poor. Owners can unlock some of the equity in their homes through secured credit arrangements, but the shared home-equity agreement offers a popular way for cash-strapped owners to access some of the riches locked inside their properties.
2020 delivered the biggest shock to the financial services industry since the financial crash. Business continuity plans and other contingency measures were put to the test like never before, putting compliance officers under pressure to adapt annual compliance programmes. Many financial institutions grappled with the operational, financial, risk and regulatory compliance implications.
In Australia, it seems a while ago that pundits were hailing the country’s rebound from the pandemic. With a record 9.6-percent annual growth through June 2021, the nation was en route to a stellar recovery. Then Delta hit, and strict lockdowns cut expectations to recession-level territory. Will “Down Under” define this country’s economy?
The Amazon rainforest is one of Earth’s most valuable natural resources, but recently, it has been under intensifying attack from ranchers, miners and wood harvesters intent on exploiting the region, aided by the current presidential administration. Foreign investors can either run the other way or take a stand and be part of the solution.
Although female-led businesses have proven to be a good investment, you’d never know it by looking at the asset mix of fund managers worldwide. The financial world still suffers from a dearth of women investment decision-makers and women investees. The argument for gender-balanced investing speaks for itself—to those willing to listen.
Digital payments promise greater convenience and efficiency with lower cost but also carry substantial potential risk to the economy at large. The long-term success of this innovation will depend on the development of a top-down, holistic regulatory framework to securely govern digital payments, maximizing benefits while minimizing risks.
In 2020, Thailand was the envy of the world for its deft handling of COVID-19. But this year, not so much, as the Delta variant surges and squashes hopes of recovery for the country’s usually buoyant tourist industry, which accounts for a large share of its economic activity. What are the realistic expectations for the Thai economy?