The OMFIF Podcast

Investing in digital infrastructure

Infrastructure is the bedrock of connectivity and the smooth flow of goods and services. Quality infrastructure is a major contributor – if not an essential prerequisite – for economic development. Paul Lam, digital infrastructure strategy lead at Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, joins OMFIF's Brandon Chye to discuss the growing importance of investment in digital infrastructure. They talk about the drivers, risks and opportunities in this area and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank's draft digital strategy.

Music: https://www.bensound.com/royalty-free-music

Synopsis: Central banks v coronavirus, Biden's surge, and more

In this episode of Synopsis, OMFIF Subeditor Julie Levy-Abegnoli looks back over the most recent articles published on the OMFIF website, including those the Joe Biden's surge, the future of the EBRD, and how the Fed and ECB are responding to the coronavirus crisis.

Articles and other items referenced:

1. Biden's surge and the power of fear
2. Future of the EBRD
3. Outlines of US response to coronavirus coming into relief
4. Time to reset euro policy mix
5. ECB should turn to supervisory forbearance
6. Lagarde to shoot high and go big
7. ECB puts the ball in the fiscal court
8. Lamont analyses end of austerity

Music: Hey Mercy by Pierce Murphy is licensed under an Attribution License.

Lamont analyses end of austerity

Britain has launched a £30bn fiscal stimulus to counter the coronavirus outbreak, the biggest increase in borrowing since 1992. Lord (Norman) Lamont, chancellor of the exchequer in 1992, joins David Marsh, OMFIF chairman, to discuss the end of austerity.

 

Music: https://www.bensound.com/royalty-free-music

Ahead of the ECB: Responding to coronavirus

Ahead of the much-anticipated ECB policy meeting on 12 March, Danae Kyriakopoulou, OMFIF’s Chief Economist and Director of Research, speaks to former Governing Council Member and Central Bank of Cyprus Governor Panicos Demetriades and Bank of America Merrill Lynch Research Analyst Alastair Ryan on the economic impact of Covid-19 and expectations for the ECB’s response to the shock. They discuss banks’ preparedness to economic shocks, the potential impact of a rate cut on bank profitability, and the range of measures at the ECB’s menu including expanding quantitative easing and making use of its expanded supervisory role through supervisory forbearance. Finally, they explore the need for fiscal policy and discuss the options for optimising the fiscal-monetary policy mix to respond to economic shocks.

 

Music: https://www.bensound.com/royalty-free-music

Synopsis: Coronavirus with a side of gender balance

In this episode of Synopsis, OMFIF Subeditor Julie Levy-Abegnoli looks back over the most recent articles published on the OMFIF website, including those on Libor, Japanese austerity, and how central banks should respond to the coronavirus crisis. Later, she talks about the Gender Balance Index 2020, which was launched on 5 March.

Articles and other items referenced:

1. Volatility threatens Libor replacement
2. Japan’s austerity lessons
3. Fed’s coronavirus conundrum
4. Fed should bring back dollar swap lines
5. First big test for Lagarde
6. Gender Balance Index 2020

Music: Hey Mercy by Pierce Murphy is licensed under an Attribution License.

What Super Tuesday means for the US election

In a somewhat unexpected turn of events, Joe Biden has emerged as the frontrunner in the US Democratic primaries. The contest to find the candidate to beat President Donald Trump is quickly becoming a two-horse race to scoop up the remaining delegate votes and build a coalition of supporters in key states. Mark Sobel, US chairman of OMFIF, and Tony Fratto, partner at Hamilton Place Strategies and former deputy press secretary at the White House and assistant secretary at the US Department of the Treasury, discuss the results of Super Tuesday and the implications for the US presidential election, the Democratic party and the economy.

 

Music: https://www.bensound.com/royalty-free-music

What to expect from Brexit negotiations

On 27 February, the UK government released a policy paper on its approach to negotiations with the European Union. Andrew Pilgrim, associate partner for financial services and government at EY, and Georgina Wright, senior researcher at the Institute for Government, join OMFIF’s Ben Rands to provide an overview of what this paper means for the future UK-EU relationship. They discuss the explicit link between fisheries and finance in the negotiations, prospects for a ‘level playing field’, and the need for Brussels to manage the likelihood of dynamic alignment.

 

Further Listening:

Are financial services prepared for a no deal Brexit?

Music: https://www.bensound.com/royalty-free-music

Synopsis: Buttigieg takes on the US deficit, The future of payments, and Norway's sovereign wealth push

In this episode of Synopsis, OMFIF Subeditor Julie Levy-Abegnoli looks back over the most recent articles published on the OMFIF website, including those on how Pete Buttigieg is attempting to set himself apart from his Democratic rivals, central banks' role in shaping the future of payments, and Norway's sovereign wealth push.

Articles and other items referenced:

1. Buttigieg positions himself as Obama successor
2. The future of payments
3. Norway’s green sovereign wealth push
4. Developing European capital markets: Ensuring economic stability through strengthening capital markets across the euro area
5. OMFIF Gender Balance Index 2020 launch
6. The role of Poland in the EU

Music: Hey Mercy by Pierce Murphy is licensed under an Attribution License.

China and the economic impact of coronavirus

On 21 February, Andy Rothman, investment strategist at Matthews Asia, joined Mark Sobel, US chairman of OMFIF, to discuss the impact of coronavirus on the Chinese economy and its neighbouring countries. They assessed the issues surrounding the accuracy of economic and health data, the epidemic's effect on the consumer and services sectors, and prospects for rebound. They also compared the situation to that of the Sars outbreak, and outlined what macroeconomic or financial mitigation we can expect to see from the Chinese government. Later, they provided an overview of the latest on the US-China trade deal.

 

Music: https://www.bensound.com/royalty-free-music

Synopsis: When central bankers' powers run out, trust in central banks, tackling climate change, and more

In this episode of Synopsis, OMFIF Subeditor Julie Levy-Abegnoli looks back over the most recent articles published on the OMFIF website, including those on central banks' barometer of political independence, the effect of monetary policy on trust in central banks, and sustainable finance initiatives in Southeast Asia. Later, Julie presents OMFIF's latest report, 'Tackling climate change: The role of banking regulation and supervision'.

Articles and other items referenced:

1. When central bankers' powers run out
2. Low trust impedes digital currency plans
3. Scaling up sustainable finance in Asia
4. Tackling climate change: The role of banking regulation and supervision
5. The next decade of digital finance
6. Winners and losers in the low-interest environment
7. Responding to uncertainty across Europe
8. The Australian and global economic outlooks
9. The UK's global economic position after Brexit

Music: Hey Mercy by Pierce Murphy is licensed under an Attribution License.