Global Economic Governance
Will Putin go to the Brisbane G20 Summit?
One consequence of the tragedy over MH17, apparently at the hands of Russian-backed separatists, is that it raises the question of whether President Putin should attend the…
China's banking sector: More equity, less debt
So China's economy will soon overtake the US in PPP terms.
Some commentators believe market-rate calculation is more meaningful than PPP, and forecast that on this basis China…
Argentina and the problem of sovereign debt restructuring
The long running Argentine debt-default saga has taken another step forward (or backwards, depending on your viewpoint). The US Supreme Court has ruled definitively against…
Reports
G20: dealing with too-big-to-fail banks, corporate tax avoidance, and development
This issue of the G20 Monitor addresses the ‘too big to fail’ dilemma of major financial institutions, combating tax evasion and avoidance through ‘base erosion and profit…
When should the IMF apologise?
If you make a mistake, common courtesy says you should apologise. The IMF made a mistake in its forecasts for the UK economy — a high profile mistake. It admitted it got it wrong…
Global financial crisis: Did the system really work?
Much of the mountain of commentary and analysis of the 2008 Great Recession has been either critical (Paul Krugman might be typical), or a self-interested defence (Tim Geithner…
Climate change: The G20 can add value
Yesterday I gave an interview to the Sydney Morning Herald for a story published today: 'Stopping climate change talks "could hurt" G20' (p. 8 in the paper version). Here I want…
Review: Tim Geithner's 'Stress Test' can't take the strain
Tim Geithner's Stress Test: Reflections on Financial Crises will be read mainly for its take on the 2008 financial crisis, as the author was head of the New York Federal Reserve…
Women in finance (or: Why is there no Lehman Sisters?)
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As I mentioned previously, I was in the US last week to attend the Council of Councils conference in New York. Council of Councils is an initiative…
G20: BRICS muscle up over Russia
The good news is that the odds are clearly in favour of the Brisbane G20 Summit going ahead: Sportsbet is offering $1.05 that the Summit will be held and $8.00 that it won't. The…