Natural Disasters Force 26 Million People into Poverty and Cost $520bn in Losses Every Year, New World Bank Analysis Finds
Human and economic costs of disasters underestimated by up to 60 percent
November 14, 2016--The impact of extreme natural disasters is equivalent to a global $520 billion loss in annual consumption, and forces some 26 million people into poverty each year, a new report from the World Bank and the Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery (GFDRR) reveals.
"Severe climate shocks threaten to roll back decades of progress against poverty," said World Bank Group President Jim Yong Kim. "Storms, floods, and droughts have dire human and economic consequences, with poor people often paying the heaviest price. Building resilience to disasters not only makes economic sense, it is a moral imperative.
Source: World Bank
Deutsche sets sight on smart beta for ETF inflows
November 14, 2016--German bank's exchange-traded funds business has had a year to forget so far, suffering heavy outflows.
Source: Financial News
Values and the Fourth Industrial Revolution: Connecting the Dots Between Value, Values, Profit and Purpose
November 14, 2016--Today, society faces the mammoth task of creating 1.5 billion new livelihoods by 2050 while at the same time exceeding the planet's crucial ecological limits.
With the start of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, human progress may either suffer through a catastrophic setback or experience a positive transformation. What will make the difference? Values.
Source: WEF (World Economic Forum)
Big banks lead way in FX blockchain patent filings
November 14, 2016--'Small steps' may lead to large cost savings further down the road.
Patent applications are surfacing for blockchain technology in foreign exchange, but that doesn't mean the technology known for bitcoin transactions will soon be applied to the world's largest over-the-counter market.
Source: pionline.com
Nasdaq has crowned one of the most senior women on Wall Street
November 14, 2016--Nasdaq has a new CEO.
The exchange group has named Adena Friedman as chief executive, replacing Bob Greifeld, who will become chairman of the board.
Source: businessinsider.com
Artificial Intelligence, Robotics Top List of Technologies in Need of Better Governance
November 12, 2016--While technology holds great promise of improving quality of life and addressing global challenges, action is needed to put in place governance that enables them to achieve their full potential
A new survey by the World Economic Forum feeding into its Global Risks research finds artificial intelligence and robotics to be the emerging technology most in need of better governance, followed by biotechnologies and energy capture, storage and transmission.
Source: WEF (World Economic Forum)
OPEC-Monthly Oil Market Report November 2016
November 11, 2016--Oil market highlights
Crude Oil Price Movements-The OPEC Reference Basket rose by $4.98 in October, to average $47.87/b. ICE Brent
and NYMEX WTI also surged, up by $4.15 and $4.71, to average $51.39/b and $49.94/b, respectively.
Prices were lifted by declining US oil inventory levels and discussions to bring forward market rebalancing.
However, prices came under pressure from a rise in US oil rig counts, a stronger US dollar, and profit taking.
Source: OPEC
BlackRock ETP Landscape October 2016
November 11, 2016--OCTOBER FLOWS FUELED BY U.S. AND BROAD EMERGING
MARKETS EQUITIES FOLLOWING RECORD Q3
Global ETPs slowed to $18.6bn in October after record quarterly flows in Q3, driven by U.S., broad emerging markets (EM) and EAFE equities along with solid gains in U.S. TIPS
Positive Q3 corporate earnings and economic growth boosted flows to U.S. large cap equities which generated $7.5bn but prospects for higher rates weighed on flows to real estate equity sector funds
Better economic data from China propelled broad EM equity flows to $3.4bn in October, bolstering the category's record year-to-date pace
Fixed income remains on record year-to-date pace, led this month by U.S. TIPS amid stronger economic growth while conventional government bonds and high yield were dampened by rising rates and oil price volatility
Source: BlackRock
UK-China 8th Economic and Financial Dialogue: financial services
November 10, 2016--The London-Shanghai Stock Connect-the first of its kind outside China-will proceed to the next stage, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Philip Hammond, announced today (10 November 2016).
The initiative will create a diverse range of new investment opportunities for both UK and Chinese investors, and open the doors to a pool of new investors for UK and Chinese firms.
Source: HM Treasury
The global climate 2011-2015: hot and wild
Extreme weather increasingly linked to global warming
November 8, 2016--The World Meteorological Organization has published a detailed analysis of the global climate 2011-2015-the hottest five-year period on record-and the increasingly visible human footprint on extreme weather and climate events with dangerous and costly impacts.
The record temperatures were accompanied by rising sea levels and declines in Arctic sea-ice extent, continental glaciers and northern hemisphere snow cover.
All these climate change indicators confirmed the long-term warming trend caused by greenhouse gases. Carbon dioxide reached the significant milestone of 400 parts per million in the atmosphere for the first time in 2015, according to the WMO report which was submitted to U.N. climate change conference.
view the The Global Climate 2011-2015
Source: World Meteorological Organization (WMO)