Articles from ‘Independent News Roundup’ in ‘Economics’

The United States Treasury may be able to influence bond markets in the short term, but economist Steve Hanke argues it cannot override the underlying forces driving borrowing costs higher. With U.S. federal debt now above $40 trillion, Hanke says the real problem is no longer simply the size of America's debt — it is the mounting cost of servicing it INR Report: Based on an interview with economist Dr Steve Hanke by Lena Petrova for World…

Japan's rapidly weakening yen is no longer simply a domestic economic issue. According to geopolitical and economic analyst Lena Petrova, mounting pressure on Japan's currency could eventually spill into US Treasury markets, raising borrowing costs worldwide and exposing vulnerabilities throughout the global financial system. INR Report: Based on commentary by Lena Petrova for World Affairs In Context. · The yen's dramatic decline · For…

China is tightening restrictions on leveraged retail gold trading rather than banning gold ownership, marking a shift towards physical bullion and away from speculative paper markets. Analysts say the move could gradually influence how global gold prices are determined as central banks continue accumulating physical reserves INR Report: Based on reporting by Lena Petrova for World Affairs In Context HERE. · China is quietly implementing changes…

The International Monetary Fund is warning that rising geopolitical tensions, trade restrictions and economic rivalry are accelerating a fragmentation of the global economy. While the IMF is not predicting the end of the US dollar, it says governments are increasingly restructuring trade relationships, supply chains and financial systems around national security rather than economic efficiency. INR Report: Based on reporting and analysis by…

For decades, Japan has quietly played a central role in the global financial system. · While most central banks moved interest rates up and down through economic cycles, Japan kept rates near zero for almost three decades. The result was an enormous flow of Japanese capital into overseas markets and the creation of one of the most important funding mechanisms in global finance: the yen carry trade. Report By INR · Now, according to geopolitical…

World Affairs In Context · Overview · In a wide-ranging and highly critical interview, economist Dr. Steve Hanke delivers a stark assessment of the United States economy, warning that the gap between political rhetoric and economic reality is widening rapidly. · Speaking on the World Affairs and Context podcast, Hanke outlines a system under pressure from inflation, policy missteps, geopolitical conflict, and structural financial instability —…

World Affairs In Context · Middle East War Escalation: Narrative vs Reality · Key Themes · - Growing gap between official Western narratives and on-the-ground reality in Iran - Ongoing military escalation between the US, Israel, and Iran - Increasing risk of a wider regional war · War Reality vs Public Messaging · - Claims of Iran’s military being “destroyed” are disputed - Iran continues launching ballistic missiles and drones daily -…

World Affairs In Context · What if the next financial crisis is already unfolding—hidden in plain sight? · This video exposes the private credit bubble that could trigger the next global meltdown. Born after the 2008 crisis and fueled by regulations like Basel III and the Dodd-Frank Act, private credit has exploded into a $3 trillion market—but cracks are forming fast. · With nearly 40% of loans tied to the struggling software sector, and AI…

The state is lecturing its citizens about the supposed danger of their diets, again By Rachel Marsden, a columnist, political strategist, and host of independently produced talk-shows in French and English. https://www.rt.com/op-ed/authors/rachel-marsden/rachelmarsden.com · ©  Getty Images/Rawpixel · Here comes the 1st battalion of desk jockeys to lecture you about your dinner’s carbon footprint. · Daily life in France used…

World Affairs In Context · In this new geopolitical breakdown, we dive into the latest analysis from the European Council on Foreign Relations and unpack what may be a historic turning point in European strategic thinking. · At this year’s Munich Security Conference, the message coming from mainstream European elites is clear: the liberal “rules-based international order” that defined global politics for nearly three decades is structurally…