CBDCs – Moving forward (slowly)Central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) have been characterized as a solution in search of a problem, but central banks seem resolute in their ultimate adoption, in spite of implied threats to commercial banks and financial stability. According to the Atlantic Council there are now 105 countries whose central banks’ are actively

Rates turmoil strikes financial system The spike in interest rates over the past couple of years has transformed the banking landscape and placed immense pressure on individual institutions, leading to dramatic rescues in the US and Switzerland, and raising the dual spectres of systemic failure and a credit crunch. Since late 2021, the

Climate risk – Regulatory response gathers pace It is widely accepted that climate change and how we respond to it has significant consequences, both for the global economy and for society in general. While banks and other financial institutions are increasingly dealing with the effect of both physical and transition climate-related risks on all aspects

The state of hedge funds – Is global macro back? After a fallow period following the global financial crisis, global macro funds last year delivered their best performance since 2008, with aggressive bets on soaring interest rates. This comes as no surprise, as macro funds are supposed to thrive during seismic shifts in the

Inflation targeting – What it is, and has the 2% goal run its course? Inflation targeting has been used as a monetary policy tool by central banks since the late 1980s, but recent events have raised the question as to whether the sacrosanct 2% target should be raised. What would be the implications of

Ratings divergence complicates anti-greenwashing measures The risks associated with greenwashing – false/misleading marketing regarding the sustainability attributes of a product or service – are on the rise with signs that net-zero and other commitments made by some members of the financial sector may not be credible. But identification of greenwashing practices remains problematic as

Sustainable Commodities – Can they play a role in the transition to a low-carbon economy? Many commodities have become key inputs to the global economy, but their production is often associated with processes that have serious environmental and ethical issues – deforestation, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and forced/child labor, to name but a few. Are

The Ethereum “Merge” – What are the implications for the future of the crypto industry? While the failed crypto exchange FTX has heightened uncertainty over this asset class, another potentially seismic event for the industry took place recently when the Ethereum blockchain merged with another blockchain (Beacon Chain). “The Merge” saw Ethereum switch its

How to Identify and Manage Problem Loans With many economies bracing for downturn and a higher interest rate environment, a sharp spike in default rates is a likely prospect. What steps should banks and other lenders take to manage this? All lenders provide credit facilities in the belief that their customers will meet repayment