Author: Mark J

Some recent Japanese financial markets have seen a lot of fluctuations in the past weeks due to party political system changes as well as the global market condition. The recent plan to assume Shigeru Ishiba as the LDP and the incoming prime minister has created a chain of movements in the market with different and scrutinized views over his economic plans for particular industries. Japan’s Nikkei Stock Average will tell the story, having delivered some volatile sessions lately in terms of both deep selloffs and strong recoveries. One trading day stood out as especially volatile as the index dropped as…

Newly elected Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) leader Shigeru Ishiba, set to become Japan’s next prime minister, has outlined his economic vision that largely aligns with his predecessor’s policies while emphasizing tax reform and efforts to combat rising prices. In his first press conference since winning the party leadership, Ishiba expressed his intention to “solidify” the economic initiatives of former Prime Minister Fumio Kishida while introducing his own priorities. It also looks at its accommodative monetary policy stance, inflation anxiety, and tax incentives needed to spur the economy, according to Ishiba. The prime minister-designate stated that the Bank of Japan’s current…

The banks… In a nutshell, these changes herald a new direction in the Italian banking industry. New trends in monetary discipline together with constant transformations in Italian banking sector create new conditions for the activity of financial institutions and their consumers. This turning point for the Italian banking sector can be tied back to the ECB’s move to reduce the key interest rates by 25 bps in June. With the view of facilitating economic growth as well as curbing inflation, this shift has significant impacts on Italian banks’ credit dynamics and income statements in the short term. Moreover, the ECB’s…

New economic data and the opinions of experts show that the Italian economy is gradually adapting to these obstacles more effectively than before. Despite the downgrade, Italy holds the third-largest economy in the Eurozone, which makes it a significant benchmark of the overall continental financial condition. While it is still below the recovery phase, the country has maintained a slow but steady growth path since the recovery. According to the latest figures from the Bank of Italy, it is reported that Italian GDP increased further in the second quarter of 2024 with a propeller to the service industry. Thus, one…

Despite the headwinds that have characterised the African continent’s economy in 2024, the country’s tech startups have recorded their highest points of investment they have received to date. This increase in venture capital funding is evidence of the increasing awareness of the African tech space as a passionate, innovative and valuable market. Recent news shared reveal that, technology startups in Africa have been able to garner over $ 5 billion in funding since the beginning of the year, which is a major boost compared to year before. This is invested across different sub-sectors, but emerging as the most popular niches…

In as much as the structure of Africa’s economy has grown over the last decade, it is still being shaped by today’s volatile commodity prices. A continent mainly relying on the exports of natural resources, the economic prospects of the continent have been seen to present mixed fortunes for some countries, and more pressure in others. Within the West African region, Nigeria is the most populous nation and has the largest economy, but despite existing problems in the oil sector, it is experiencing very slow growth. The recent decision to abandon the current distorted value of the country’s foreign exchange…

Just days after announcing the first recession this century, Italy has released its long awaited Economic and Financial Document (DEF) for 2024, a declaration of the country’s economic and fiscal strategies ahead of the year. This report, submitted to Parliament as required by law, is the main reference in terms of financial planning Italy, and it offers a key indicator on the country’s economic perspective and the main policy targets. At a crossroads in what is a complex set of challenges for the Italian economy, domestically and internationally, the DEF 2024 arrives. This document indicates that the government has endeavoured…

Italy’s growing uncertainty over its economic outlook for 2024 as the government’s ambitious growth target gets further away. Italy’s Economy Minister Giancarlo Giorgetti conceded on Sunday that headwinds had increased the chances that the 1 per cent GDP growth target for this year would be missed. This comes after national statistics bureau ISTAT made recent downward revisions to estimates of both 2022 and the first half of 2023. The Italian economy has stepped into more difficult terrain, both at home and abroad, bolstered by resilience in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic and 2021’s energy shocks. The feasibility of the…

In Israel, real estate has long been a pillar of the country’s economy: high demand coupled with low supply. In recent months, however, the sector has seen a number of challenges occur, causing the way business is run to change. From regulatory changes, to rising interest rates, to shifts in global investment trends, developers, investors and homebuyers alike are in face of a new reality. Market is still robust in a number of places, but there is a growing feeling that the fast price increament and easy financing days may be ending. There is currently no factor more powerful in…

Despite the world economy stumbling, Israel’s business landscape, including its tech sector, saw strong growth in the past few years. Often referred to as the “Startup Nation,” Israel’s innovation-driven economy has continued to push the boundaries of technological advancement, carving out a prominent place on the global stage. Many countries are struggling with inflation, supply chain disruption, and geopolitical uncertainty and in this context, Israel has not only weathered but even added fuel to its high tech ecosystem under its combustible combination in cybersecurity, artificial intelligence and fintech. The culture of innovation and supportiveness that exists in Israel’s infrastructure helps…