North America
America’s complicated relationship with the minimum wage
Raising the U.S. minimum wage is a powerful political idea that will increase both sales and labor costs for businesses. The debate over increasing the minimum wage in the U.S.
How will the Volcker Rule affect markets?
On April 1st, the Volcker Rule comes into effect. What does that mean for banks, businesses and markets? The Volcker Rule is designed to address conflicts of interest in proprietary
Fed debates changing forward guidance
The quickly falling US unemployment rate has caused the Federal Reserve to reevaluate how it communicates when it will raise interest rates. Recently released minutes of the Federal Reserve’s last
Can monetary policy address U.S. long-term unemployment?
With Janet Yellen newly confirmed as Chairman of the Federal Reserve, investors are now parsing her testimony to gain insight on the future direction of interest rates. One particularly interesting piece
California drought threatens food security
Food availability, affordability and quality drive food security problems in the world. The drought in California threatens to exacerbate food security problems in all three issue areas. The state of
As global defense spending rises, US firms push abroad
Global defense spending is set to rise for the first time since 2009, as Middle Eastern and Asian-Pacific nations invest more heavily in their militaries. US contractors, squeezed by tight
Yellen’s first statements chart clear path for Federal Reserve
The new Fed Chairwoman made clear to Congress that her Fed will focus on improving the labor market and being straightforward in its messaging. In her first major appearance since becoming
Why Stan Fischer’s next job matters to global finance
The US Federal Reserve is getting a new face: Stan Fischer will likely become the body’s new vice chairman. All eyes are on where he stands on the Fed’s increasingly regulatory
4 numbers tell the story of U.S. immigration reform
Just behind the rhetoric of the debate, the numbers show what a massive undertaking immigration reform is. With the budget and debt ceiling having been dealt with already this year,
Missed opportunity to make US food aid more effective
The United States Congress looks set to approve a farm bill in the coming weeks that would pass on a chance to improve the way the US distributes aid. The
