Posts From Mikala Sorenson
September rate hike could push US back into recession
Although July’s jobs report looks rosy, several areas of weakness remain. The recovery of the US economy is still fragile, and a premature rate increase could send the economy back
Is the time ripe for a new global reserve currency?
China’s push for the adoption of a super-sovereign reserve currency points to a possible larger role for IMF’s Special Drawing Rights (SDR). The current international monetary system is a historical
Danish election results reflect a domestic identity crisis
Last week’s Danish election results, which saw the ruling Social Democrats ousted by a centre-right coalition that includes the far-right Danish People’s Party (PPP), reflect a growing domestic crisis of
Private sector debt in EMEs poses risk as US dollar appreciates
A latent risk associated with probable increases in interest rates is the currency composition of debt issued by non-financial corporations in emerging markets. The Fed is expected to begin raising
Indonesian president Widodo using executions to demonstrate authority
In the face of international reproach, the executions of Australian citizens Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran are intended to make Joko Widodo appear decisive. More than anything, they are an
OECD interim assessment shows moderate growth
The OECD Interim Assessment indicates slightly higher, albeit still moderate world growth, and the report underscores a warning against a hollow recovery driven by monetary policy rather than fundamentals. The
Front National poised to win first round of regional elections in March
Front National (FN), led by Marine Le Pen, the daughter of founder Jean-Marie Le Pen, has gained a lot of ground in polls lately. This is a warning to the centre-right
Five challenges Croatia’s new president ‘Barbie’ faces
Recently elected President of Croatia inherits a country faced with a shrinking economy, unemployment, insufficient education, infrastructure issues and corruption. With a slim margin, right-wing Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic, nicknamed Barbie, won the
Greece’s snap elections increase uncertainty about EU future
It came as a shock to most, and certainly to markets, when Greek PM Antonis Samaras announced that presidential elections would take place on December 17th rather than in March
What does a political reshuffle mean for North Korea?
A recent rise to prominence of Kim Jong-un’s sister, Kim Yo-jong, reveals the internal dynamics of North Korea’s power structure. The northern half of the Korean peninsula is infamous for
