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EconoGraphics

Apr 1, 2020

Coronavirus versus financial crisis: US policy responses compared

By Ole Moehr | Graphics by Nikolai Albishausen

A look at the economic harm done so far and contrasts the measures taken by the Federal Reserve (Fed), Congress, and the G20 in response to coronavirus.

Economy & Business
Macroeconomics

EconoGraphics

Aug 28, 2019

US-EU Auto Tariffs: What’s at Stake?

By OLE MOEHR | GRAPHICS BY MARIANNA ASLUND, NICK BROWN, ANDREW LASCALEIA

Escalating trade tensions between the world’s major economies are widely considered the greatest threat to the global economy’s health. Following the White House’s cancellation of its threatened tariffs on all Mexican imports on June 7, attention swiftly turned back to the brewing US-China trade war. This edition of the EconoGraphic, however, puts the focus on how US tariffs on cars and car parts might disrupt transatlantic trade flow.

Economy & Business
European Union

EconoGraphics

Aug 9, 2019

Breaking Down France’s Digital Tax

By BY ANDREW LASCALEIA, EDITED BY OLE MOEHR | GRAPHICS BY MARIANNA ASLUND AND ANDREW LASCALEIA

In July, France’s parliament ratified a new law to tax big digital tech firms making it the first country to pass a tax law of this manner. Paris’ new tax scheme triggered criticism from the Trump Administration and is further complicating the transatlantic relationship. This edition of the EconoGraphic explains the motivation behind taxing digital technology firms more aggressively, the way that the French tax will work, and the potential impacts and response to the tax.

Economy & Business
Financial Regulation

EconoGraphics

Jul 23, 2019

My Way or the Huawei: 5G at the Center of US-China Strategic Competition

By OLE MOEHR | GRAPHICS BY MARIANNA ASLUND, NICK BROWN, ANDREW LASCALEIA

On July 22, President Trump met with a group of major tech CEOs to discuss the easing of some restrictions on US companies supplying high-tech parts to Chinese telecommunications company Huawei. In May, the US Commerce Department banned US companies from selling any products to Huawei. The Chinese company’s position as the world’s leading provider of 5G technology has made it a focal point of the escalating great power competition between China and the United States. This edition of the EconoGraphic explains the US government’s move to blacklist Huawei, outlines the ban’s potential costs, and describes why US allies are conflicted about banning Huawei.

China
Economy & Business

EconoGraphics

Jun 3, 2019

US Cuba policy: EU and Canadian firms to suffer?

By BY OLE MOEHR | GRAPHICS BY SHIQING HUA, FRANCIS AUBEE, AND NICK BROWN

On April 17 2019, US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo announced an important change in the United States’ policy toward Cuba: Title III of the Cuban Liberty and Democracy Solidarity Act of 1996 (LIBERTAD Act) would no longer be suspended. As a result of this decision, US claimants can now seek compensation for property confiscated by the Castro government. The move has important implications for US and foreign companies doing business in Cuba. This edition of the EconoGraphic explains the history and purpose of the LIBERTAD Act, evaluates the policy’s potential impact on US allies’ economic interests in Cuba, and highlights its implications for the pressure campaign against the Maduro regime in Venezuela.

Cuba
Economic Sanctions

EconoGraphics

Apr 29, 2019

Central Bank Independence Under Scrutiny

By Ole Moehr | Graphics by Shiqing Hua and Francis Aubee

On April 26, following stronger than expected US economic growth numbers, the White House’s National Economic Council director, Larry Kudlow, urged the Federal Reserve (Fed) to cut interest rates by 50 basis points.

Economy & Business
Financial Regulation

EconoGraphics

Feb 6, 2019

A Breakdown of the Sanctions Deal between the United States and Oleg Deripaska

By Ole Moehr | Graphics by Shiqing Hua and Zachary Coles

On January 16, a US Senate resolution to maintain US sanctions on the Russian aluminum giant RUSAL and its holding company EN+ failed to garner the necessary 60 votes to pass. As a result, the Trump administration lifted its economic sanctions on RUSAL and EN+ on January 27.

Economic Sanctions
Economy & Business

Blogs

Dec 21, 2018

Economic Outlook for 2019

By Global Business & Economics Program

December 2018 is set to become the worst year-end finish for US markets since 1931. A yield curve inversion combined with the fourth annual rate hike by the US Federal Reserve (Fed) and growing geo-political uncertainty, triggered widespread angst among US investors about an economic slowdown and the increasing probability of a recession. This edition of the EconoGraphic assesses key economic indicators to make a case that while a slowing of the US economy seems certain, a recession in the next two years remains unlikely.

China
Economy & Business

EconoGraphics

Dec 5, 2018

Trade Disrupted: US and China Need More Than a Truce

By Ole Moehr

At this year’s G20 summit in Buenos Aires, the trade dispute between China and the United States took center stage. Chinese President Xi and his US counterpart President Donald Trump agreed to avoid further escalations of the ongoing bilateral trade war for the next 90 days. The temporary deal does not assuage the escalatory measures already taken, leaving the existing tariffs in place. This edition of the EconoGraphic explores how the brewing trade conflict is impacting manufacturing supply chains, soybean cargo routes, and trade flows of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) among the United States, China, and the rest of the world.

China
Economic Sanctions

EconoGraphics

Oct 30, 2018

SWIFTly Disconnecting Iran

By Ole Moehr

With the snapback of significant US sanctions against Iran fast approaching on November 5th, speculation is mounting over how the Trump Administration will enforce the sanctions, and how its European allies might attempt to bypass them. The previous EconoGraphic outlined how a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) may facilitate trade between European small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and Iran after US sanctions go back into effect. This edition of the EconoGraphic provides a primer on the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication (SWIFT) and explains why sanctioning the financial messaging service would likely cause more harm than good.

Economic Sanctions
Economy & Business

Content

Econographics

Jul 27, 2023

The G20 still hasn’t made a breakthrough on sovereign debt restructuring

By Hung Tran

The G20's recent meeting failed to make progress on sovereign debt restructuring, disappointing low and middle-income countries. Zambia's deal favored China's preferences, revealing the challenges in establishing an equitable framework for debt relief.

Africa
China

Econographics

Jul 19, 2023

Global Sanctions Dashboard: Sanctions alone won’t stop the Wagner Group 

By Kimberly Donovan, Maia Nikoladze, and Ryan Murphy

Existing sanctions against the Wagner Group, limitations around enforcing them, and what more Western allies can do to counter Wagner's influence in Africa.

Africa
Economic Sanctions

Econographics

Jul 12, 2023

Progress on debt restructuring provides a glimmer of hope for developing countries

By Jeremy Mark and Vasuki Shastry

As government and private-sector creditors finally take steps to restructure debt, questions remain over their readiness to meaningfully reduce debt burdens.

Africa
China

Econographics

Jun 27, 2023

Lessons from the Paris Summit for a New Global Financing Pact

By Hung Tran

Dressing up concrete measures as parts of a “new global financial architecture” risks conflating them with the geopolitical conflict about the future of the current world order.

China
Economy & Business

Econographics

Jun 21, 2023

How ESG investing can better serve sustainable development

By Nisha Narayanan

2022 revealed several roadblocks preventing ESG from contributing to sustainable development. To change course, more clarity and agreement from both private data providers and from regulators is necessary.

Economy & Business
Financial Regulation

Econographics

Jun 19, 2023

China is losing Eastern Europe

By Sona Muzikarova

Eastern Europe was once touted as China’s economic ‘gateway to Europe,’ but China's failure to condemn the Russian invasion of Ukraine has put strain on the relationship.

China
Eastern Europe

Econographics

Jun 16, 2023

What the EU’s economic security strategy needs to achieve

By Elmar Hellendoorn

The Commission must balance members' economic relations with China and simultaneously coax them toward a more “realpolitik” view of the world. None of that will be easy.

China
Economy & Business

Econographics

Jun 14, 2023

How is China mitigating the effects of sanctions on Russia? 

By Maia Nikoladze, Phillip Meng and Jessie Yin

Despite Xi and Putin’s public proclamation of a ‘no limits’ partnership, China and Russia’s economic ties are limited by Beijing’s strategic interests.

China
Economic Sanctions

Econographics

Jun 7, 2023

Three challenges in cryptocurrency regulation

By Greg Brownstein

Cryptocurrency regulators around the world face multiple challenges. They must protect customers and put in place safeguards to prevent the next FTX-style collapse, all while coordinating across diverse jurisdictions.

Digital Currencies
Economy & Business

Econographics

Jun 5, 2023

Investors have been “de-risking” from China for years

By Jeremy Mark

The bottomline from Washington is clear: putting money in China is going to become riskier, and de-risking is only going to become more commonplace.

China
Economy & Business