Month: January 2023

Why China’s shrinking population is a big deal – counting the social, economic and political costs of an aging, smaller society

Throughout much of recorded human history, China has boasted the largest population in the world – and until recently, by some margin. So news that the Chinese population is now in decline, and will sometime later this year be surpassed by that of India, is big news even if long predicted. As a scholar of […]

Inflation report is a mixed bag – an economist explains why some items are rising faster than others

Economists worried about soaring inflation got some good news to start the year: The rate of inflation has eased. The first report card of 2023 on consumer prices, released on Jan. 12, showed that the overall cost of goods and services decelerated to an annual pace of 6.5% in December, the slowest in over a […]

here’s how it could work

The credit rating industry in Africa is dominated by the three international agencies: Moody’s, S&P and Fitch. Together they control an estimated 95% of the credit rating business globally. Credit rating agencies are institutions that assess a borrower’s creditworthiness in general terms, or with respect to a particular debt or financial obligation. A credit rating […]

Government to spend $11.3 billion over four years to fund 15% pay rise for aged care workers

Tuesday’s budget will include $11.3 billion over four years to fund the 15% pay rise aged care workers will receive from July 1. The rise was awarded by the Fair Work Commission. Labor committed at last year’s election to fully fund a rise in pay for this sector. Given acute staff shortages, it is hoped […]

The Russian economy is headed for collapse

To justify invading Ukraine, Vladimir Putin has painted Russia as a hegemonic power re-asserting its rightful claim to imperial greatness. Yet even before the invasion, Russia’s economic capabilities were hardly capable of sustaining an empire. Now, with foreign sanctions presiding over a plummeting Russian ruble, Russia’s economic standing has fallen further still. If measured at […]

Why stagflation is an economic nightmare – and may already be here

The economy is cooling while inflation remains elevated. And that is raising alarm bells among economists who worry it means “stagflation” is on the way. But what is stagflation exactly? We asked Veronika Dolar, an economist at SUNY Old Westbury and a visiting professor at Stony Brook University, to explain what it is, what causes […]

Back To Top