The OMFIF Podcast

Synopsis: Plaza 2, Italian surrealism, and Trump's unmet economic promises

In this episode of Synopsis, OMFIF's weekly roundup of news and analysis, Senior Editor Julian Frazer looks back over the most recent articles published on the OMFIF website, including those on the possibility of a second Plaza accord, Italy's surreal political crisis, and Donald Trump's unmet economic promises. To receive our newsletters,visit https://thinktank.omfif.org/subscribe.

Articles and other items referenced:

1. Scepticism on second Plaza accord
2. Italy a picture of political surrealism
3. Trump's unmet economic promises
4. Reflections on Lagarde, Germany and the future of the ECB
5. The future of the euro area: Capital market integration
6. Investment opportunities in sub-Saharan Africa

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

Reflections on Lagarde, Germany and the future of the ECB

In her first week as president of the European Central Bank, Christine Lagarde presented former German finance Minister Wolfgang Schäuble with an award from the association of German magazine publishers. During this engagement she did not speak of monetary policy but rather called for Europe to have ‘strength, resolve and courage’.

In a discussion with Ellie Groves, OMFIF Chairman David Marsh and his US counterpart Mark Sobel offer differing views on how Lagarde will best achieve the ECB mandate of ensuring price stability. Sobel argues that the continuation of loose monetary policy is required, whereas Marsh focuses on Germany’s wish for policy normalisation. Both agree that ECB policies should be pan-European and the central bank's new chief has a great strength in her convivial leadership style.

 

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

Fed Talk: Can structural problems in money markets be resolved?

Bill Nelson, chief economist at the Bank Policy Institute and Allan Malz, Adjunct Professor of Public Affairs at Columbia University, both former Federal Reserve staffers, join Pierre Ortlieb, Economist at OMFIF, to discuss the outcome and consequences of the late October FOMC meeting. They discuss, among other things, whether the chosen measures are warranted given the relative strength of the US economy, and what the Fed might undertake to resolve deeper, structural problems in money markets.

 

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

Women in finance: How fintech can promote gender balance

Digital disruption is forcing the financial industry to change and upskill, creating new opportunities and removing conventional barriers to entry. Tram Anh Nguyen, co-founder of the Centre for Finance, Technology and Entrepreneurship, talks to OMFIF’s Kat Usita about how fintech is opening up new ways for women to enter the traditionally male-dominated field of finance.

Download OMFIF's annual Gender Balance Index which tracks the presence of men and women in senior positions of public financial institutions globally here.

To register for the launch of the Sixth Gender Balance Index in Singapore, see here.

 

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

Synopsis: The ECB's return to QE, claustrophobia on the Fed balance sheet, and Facebook's Libra

In this episode of Synopsis, OMFIF's weekly roundup of news and analysis, Senior Editor Julian Frazer looks back over the most recent articles published on the OMFIF website, including those on US President Donald Trump's isolationist tendencies, the pressures facing incoming ECB President Christine Lagarde, and the complexities of central bank communications. To receive our newsletters,visit https://thinktank.omfif.org/subscribe.

Articles and other items referenced:

1. 'Only one justification' for fresh ECB QE
2. Claustrophobia on the Fed balance sheet
3. Libra and the global monetary system
4. Second Libra podcast with co-creator Christian Catalini
5. Simon Ridley on negotiating an EU-UK trade deal
6. The future of regulation with FCA CEO Andrew Bailey

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

Correction: The growth of the Fed's balance sheet stands at $80bn a month, rather than $120bn as reported in this podcast. The text of the article reflects the correction.

Libra: Practicalities, technology, and the future of payments

Christian Catalini, co-creator of Libra and head economist at Calibra, and Teunis Brosens, lead economist for digital finance and regulation at ING, continue their discussion with OMFIF’s Bhavin Patel. In the second instalment of this series on Libra they address: whether existing technologies can meet the digital currency’s objectives; guaranteeing stability, security and convertibility; how the permissioned system will work and develop over time; and how global payments systems will transform over the next five years.

 

For more on Libra and digital currencies, see the OMFIF-IBM report here. 

 

 

 

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

Synopsis: Donald Trump's multipolar world, pressures on Christine Lagarde, and central bank communications

In this episode of Synopsis, OMFIF's weekly roundup of news and analysis, Senior Editor Julian Frazer looks back over the most recent articles published on the OMFIF website, including those on US President Donald Trump's isolationist tendencies, the pressures facing incoming ECB President Christine Lagarde, and the complexities of central bank communications. To receive our newsletters,visit https://thinktank.omfif.org/subscribe.

Articles and other items referenced:

1. Trump hastens advent of multipolar world
2. Lagarde's communications challenge
3. Politics, manipulation and credibility
4. Podcast with Libra co-creator Christian Catalini
5. Tara Rice on challenges to traditional banking
6. 90th anniversary of the Bank of China's London branch

    

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

Libra and its potential role in the global monetary system

 Facebook's plans for a global cryptocurrency have caused a stir among regulators and finance ministries. The company sought to announce Libra before launching it to gather feedback from regulators and central banks on the proposed economic design and regulatory frameworks. However, it has exacerbated speculation on its impact and purpose.

Christian Catalini, co-creator of Libra and head economist at Calibra, and Teunis Brosens, lead economist for digital finance and regulation at ING, join OMFIF's Bhavin Patel to explore Libra's position in the global monetary system. They discuss how it differs from other currencies and payment systems, how the reserve works, its impact on emerging markets and the risks to monetary sovereignty.

Part II of this discussion covers Libras' practicalities, technology, and the future of payments. Listen here

For more on Libra and digital currencies, see the OMFIF-IBM report here. 

 

 

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

Synopsis: IMF in peril, Europe's ever-closer union, and unconventional policy tools

In this episode of Synopsis, OMFIF's weekly roundup of news and analysis, Senior Editor Julian Frazer looks back over the most recent articles published on the OMFIF website, including those on the litany of challenges facing the International Monetary Fund and its new leadership, ever closer union in Europe, and the limits of conventional and unconventional monetary policy tools. To receive our newsletters,visit https://thinktank.omfif.org/subscribe.

Articles and other items referenced:

1. Imperilled co-operation at IMF annual meetings
2. IMF's raison d’être in jeopardy
3. Europe's fiscal fisticuffs
4. In conversation with Jean Boivin
5. Governor Marouane El Abassi in London
6. Deputy Governor Fernanda Nechio in New York
   
   

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

Examining prospects for monetary and fiscal policy coordination

Jean Boivin, managing director and head of global research at the Blackrock Investment Institute, joins OMFIF’s Mark Sobel to discuss the limits of conventional and unconventional monetary policy tools, and the prospect for closer co-operation between monetary and fiscal policy. They touch upon the adverse impact of long-term low interest rates, the creation of an emergency fiscal facility and the potential risk to central bank independence.

 

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