Category: Economy & Business

Economy & Business

The US is revisiting its trade relations with African countries: key issues on the table

Kefa M. Otiso August 8, 2022

Last year, the US’s Biden administration announced plans to increase two-way trade and investment between the US and Africa. The starting point was a revamp of the Trump-era “Prosper Africa initiative”. As American secretary of state Antony Blinken visits three African nations – South Africa, Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda – Kefa Otiso and Francis Owusu provide insights into US-Africa trade relations and what’s being planned to improve them.

By Kefa M. Otiso and Francis Owusu

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Economy & Business Situation Reports

Oil price shocks have a long history, but today’s situation may be the most complex ever

Scott L. Montgomery March 12, 2022

The world is in the grip of an oil price shock. In just a few months, prices have risen from US$65 a barrel to over $130, causing fuel costs to surge, inflationary pressure to rise and consumer tempers to flare. Even before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, prices were climbing rapidly because of roaring demand and limited supply growth.

By Scott L. Montgomery

View More Oil price shocks have a long history, but today’s situation may be the most complex ever
Economy & Business FEATURED

How companies should respond to U.S.-China tensions and global supply chain disruptions

Felix Arndt February 20, 2022

Ongoing tensions between the United States and China have affected many companies around the world, and in this challenging and uncertain time, many companies are trying to reorganize their supply chains and reduce dependencies that are vulnerable to political tensions and rising costs. Find out the factors that are most important when making decisions on how to respond to the U.S.-China trade war.

By Felix Arndt, Abby Jingzi Zhou, Christiaan Röell, Steven Shijin Zhou, Xiaomeng Liu

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Asia Economy & Business Energy & Environment Situation Reports

Seizing Business Opportunities in China’s Transition Towards a Nature-positive Economy

Compiled by ICNA January 20, 2022

From forbidding moonscape to verdant grassland in a decade. Here are the benefits of China investing in nature. Read more about the New Nature Economy Insight Report – January 2022 published by the World Economic Forum

By Compiled by ICNA

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Economy & Business

Scandal involving World Bank’s ‘Doing Business’ index exposes problems in using sportslike rankings to guide development goals

Fernanda G Nicola October 18, 2021

The crux of the crisis relates to its Doing Business Index, which ranks the ease of opening and operating companies in 190 countries. In September 2021, an investigation alleged that senior leadership at the bank manipulated the index’s data in response to pressure from China and Saudi Arabia.

By Fernanda G Nicola

View More Scandal involving World Bank’s ‘Doing Business’ index exposes problems in using sportslike rankings to guide development goals