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Economic

Why deleveraging is the true culprit weighing on global growth

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Fears over “secular stagnation” appear to be overdone. Persistent low and negative interest rates have prompted fears that the global economy has entered a period of chronic weak demand, famously described by former U.S. Treasury Secretary Larry Summers as “secular stagnation.” It is easy to see why people are concerned: Since the 2007–2008 global financial crisis (GFC), … [Read more...] about Why deleveraging is the true culprit weighing on global growth

The economic outlook for Ireland in 2020

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THE EXTERNAL ECONOMIC FORCES In 2019, the global economic backgrounded was shrouded in uncertainty. 2019 was a challenging year for the global economy. It could be described as a year of sluggish growth, rather than recessionary conditions. Economic growth was the lowest since 2008, with all regions experiencing more subdued growth. The US economy slowed as the year … [Read more...] about The economic outlook for Ireland in 2020

Will the US economy survive the politics

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None of the doom-and-gloom predictions materialised in 2019. Trade tensions did not spiral into out-of-control trade wars; new tariffs affected selected companies and industries, but they did not have a major macro impact. The US economic expansion did not halt—it went on to become the longest in history, with unemployment at a 50-year low. China’s economy did not stall; it … [Read more...] about Will the US economy survive the politics

Public versus private debt – what’s the difference?

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With interest rates at historic lows, asset classes such as commercial real estate debt, infrastructure debt and corporate debt are increasingly attractive. But this is not just because of their potentially higher yields. In this article, we compare private debt with public debt (i.e. bond markets). We highlight some of the benefits of private debt investments and the main … [Read more...] about Public versus private debt – what’s the difference?