finance | Public Interest Media

What’s causing inflation? 🔊

Dec 14, 2021 | Business & Economics

Since the COVID pandemic, the United States and other countries have faced challenges in terms of economic recovery. This has resulted in issues such as supply chain disruptions and what has been reported as high rates of inflation. What is inflation? What is causing...

Are banks days numbered?

Jun 29, 2021 | Business & Economics

By Alex Sims The growth of crypto is confounding critics and forcing central banks like New Zealand’s Reserve Bank to investigate their own digital currencies. Last weekend saw Miami host the Bitcoin 2021 conference. While we don’t know the exact numbers of...

How environmentally friendly is cryptocurrency?

Apr 15, 2021 | Business & Economics

By Peter Howson Bitcoin isn’t getting greener: four environmental myths about cryptocurrency debunked. The price of bitcoin has reached US$50,000 (£36,095) – another all-time high. It’s hard to believe that 10,000 bitcoin would only buy a couple of pizzas ten years...

Is the blockchain revolution coming?

Sep 24, 2020 | Business & Economics

By Gilbert Wong The technology behind cryptocurrency is going to change the way the world handles information. The tale of the Facebook Cambridge Analytica data scandal has all the ingredients of a Hollywood potboiler: dirty politics, faceless consultants for hire and...

Fossil fuel-free superannuation: What is the deal? 🔊

Mar 11, 2020 | Business & Economics, Politics & Society

Last week an announcement was made by the government surrounding changes to default KiwiSaver funds. In a bid to align with the zero-carbon bill, in 2021, when the terms of default KiwiSaver end, they will no longer be able to invest in fossil fuels or illegal...

What does a death in Malta have to do with trusts in New Zealand?

Dec 10, 2019 | Politics & Society

By Ben Goldson What does the death of a journalist in Malta have to do with trusts in New Zealand? Ben Goldson investigates. New Zealand has traditionally prided itself on being relatively free from corruption, despite revelations of its role in transnational money...

Could a recession be just around the corner?

Dec 18, 2018 | Business & Economics

By Amitrajeet A. Batabyal The U.S. economy is growing at the fastest pace in five years, and unemployment is at the lowest level in almost half a century. So why are Wall Street and some economists suddenly worried about a recession? The U.S. economy is growing at...

Can international finance help protect human rights? 🔊

Sep 26, 2018 | Business & Economics

Can international finance systems be harnessed to protect human rights? While historically, financiers have funded some of the worst human rights abuses, finances also enabled great human leaps. David Kinley argues that it is time to alter the financial system for the...

What’s behind Turkey’s tumbling currency?

Aug 16, 2018 | Business & Economics, Politics & Society

By Emre Tarim Emre Tarim investigates what is behind Turkey’s tumbling economy. Global markets are on edge once again, this time thanks to the Turkish lira. It crashed more than 15% against the US dollar, euro and pound sterling on August 10 and continued to...

Will cryptocurrency profoundly alter the monetary system? 🔊

Apr 19, 2018 | Business & Economics

Will cryptocurrency profoundly alter the monetary system? What is the future of cryptocurrency? What are the pros and cons? And what do they mean for economics, for power, and for society? Maria Amoudian discusses the questions around cryptocurrency with David...