Over the past few years, the Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) issues shifted to the peripheral zone of corporate responsibility to the core of business strategy. The Social dimension of the three-pillar has become more prominent, and the Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) is currently becoming a major priority among organizations that want to achieve long-term … Read More “Diversity and Inclusion as an ESG Priority” »
The global energy transition is the paradigm transition of moving the energy system who relies on fossil fuels toward cleaner, renewable, and more sustainable energy sources, including solar, wind, hydro, nuclear, and new technologies like green hydrogen. Several forces have led to this change through the issues of climate change, technological advancement, energy security, and … Read More “Global Energy Transition and Its Impact on Economies” »
Introduction Shipping and logistics constitute the core of the global trade by carrying more than 80% of total goods of the world. The industry is currently facing pressure because of the rapid climatic change, governments with their ambitious climate targets, and the expectations placed on the industry to move towards lower emissions. This action is … Read More “The Future of Shipping and Logistics in a Carbon-Neutral World” »
When an individual is investing or planning for long-term financial goals, one of the most important concepts to understand is the difference between nominal return and real return. Although both terms describe how much an investment grows, they represent two very different ways of measuring financial performance. Failing to distinguish between them can lead to … Read More “Understanding Nominal Return and Real Return: A Complete Guide” »
During the last 70 years, the Western led institutions such as the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the World Bank and the U.S. dollar-related monetary order have dominated world trade and finance. The emergent economic boom has however raised new debates on multipolarity, equity and future of international cooperation. The focal point of this change is … Read More “How BRICS Is Influencing the Future of Global Trade and Finance” »
Introduction Globalization was perceived as an irresistible power over the course of decades, something that is integrating the markets, faster than ever, and connecting societies together by means of capital, information, and culture flows. However, in recent years there has been a discernible backlash to this in the form of deglobalization in the world. The … Read More “Globalization vs. Deglobalization: Where Are We Headed?” »
Share repurchase programs (also called stock buy backs) have become one of the most popular concepts in corporate finance. Companies in the S&P 500 collectively spend substantial amounts on buybacks, which in some periods exceed their investments in areas such as R&D, capex, or payroll. This has elicited great controversy among analysts: Do stock buybacks … Read More “Stock buybacks Do they add shareholder value?” »
Over the last twenty years, e-commerce and online trade has evolved into a marginal online business to form a major component of the global economy. What started as mere online purchases has now become a complex digital environment that is continental, industry, and consumer-market-wide. Digital trade is currently not only transforming the nature of buying … Read More “E-commerce and Digital Trade: The New Frontier of Global Commerce” »
Financial markets generate massive data sets every second, and tools that assist in converting these data into practical knowledge are required by investors, both the individual saver and the international investment institution. Among the most widely used tools are market indices which are vital in assessing market trends, economic, and portfolio performances. Be it the … Read More “The Role of Market Indices in Investor Decision-Making” »
Over the decades, the chief financial officer (CFO) had been largely referred to as the custodian of financial reporting, cost control and compliance. Although these roles can be considered core, with the digital age, the role of the CFO is changing radically. The modern CFO is not just the protector of financial integrity, but he … Read More “The Changing Role of CFOs in the Digital Age” »
