Should Rishi Sunak issue perpetual bonds to combat UK's budget deficit? An excerpt from the Financial Times article:
"Perpetual bonds are the ideal tool to use to resolve a serious financial crisis like the present one. Not having to repay the principal provides a tremendous advantage that dwarfs the temporary cost of a high coupon. It could help solve both the housing and pension crises."
A short reading on the impact of global inflation on sukuk issuance here. Excerpt:
"Expectations: Despite the increase in the revenues of the Gulf countries from the increase in oil and natural gas prices, which represent the main source of national income in them, with which we may expect a decrease in sovereign sukuk issuance in these countries, but on the other hand, we must take into account the high food import bill for these countries Because of the Russian-Ukrainian war on the one hand, and the imposition of some countries' ban on some agricultural exports on the other hand. And some of these countries may resort, in the event of a surplus of income, to investing it in their sovereign funds and keeping the sukuk issuances as they are."
Source: The National
According to the recent IMF article, "Authorities must tighten macroeconomic policies to bring down inflation, while helping vulnerable households and viable firms cope with the energy crisis."
Source: IMF Blog
Excerpt Taken from the IMF Blog:
"The global economy continues to face steep challenges, shaped by the Russian invasion of Ukraine, a cost-of-living crisis caused by persistent and broadening inflation pressures, and the slowdown in China.
Our global growth forecast for this year is unchanged at 3.2 percent, while our projection for next year is lowered to 2.7 percent—0.2 percentage points lower than the July forecast. The 2023 slowdown will be broad-based, with countries accounting for about one-third of the global economy poised to contract this year or next. The three largest economies, the United States, China, and the euro area will continue to stall. Overall, this year’s shocks will re-open economic wounds that were only partially healed post-pandemic. In short, the worst is yet to come and, for many people, 2023 will feel like a recession."
Source: IMF Blog
I was reading latest invention by Japan, and came across emoji creation. The word “emoji” is actually a Japanese portmanteau of two words: “e,” meaning picture, and “moji,” meaning character. Below is a short description from the Internet.
"In the late 1990s, a Japanese artist named Shigetaka Kurita created the first emoji. He was working for a mobile communications company called NTT Docomo. They were developing a new internet platform. Since it allowed for a limited number of characters, Kurita came up with the idea to replace words with pictures."
Source: Wired
The Budget 2023 will be tabled sometimes in October this year. A quick take from this article:
"KUALA LUMPUR: The World Bank expects Malaysia’s Budget 2023 to be expansive and people-centric with the aim to meet the 12th Malaysia Plan goals of sustainability and digitalisation.
"There are three principles (for the government to adhere to) - manage the budget within the limits of fiscal policy, align it to medium-term strategic priorities, and focus on the execution."
Note: Budget 2023 was tabled in Parliament on 7 October 2022. On October 10, Parliament has been dissolved paving the way for the 15th General Election (5GE).
Source: Statista
According to the article from IMF Blog, some East Asia countries will be the fastest aging-societies in the world in the next few decades. Cost of aging? Slower growth rate and smaller workforce. Over the years, these will be translated into rising health-care cost and pension expenditure. Potential solutions? An excerpt below:
"Raising the labor force participation of women by, for example, expanding child-care facilities in countries like Japan, and promoting flexible employment can also help reduce labor shortages, and mitigate the adverse growth effects of aging."
Global economic damage from natural disasters, differentiated by disaster category and measured in US$ per year. Data are sourced from OurWo...
