Category: Finance

The International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group, has announced the successful issuance of its largest-ever social bond, raising $2 billion through a three-year bond to support low-income communities in emerging markets. The bond, which saw an impressive $11 billion orderbook, is the largest US dollar-denominated social bond ever issued by […]

When Donald Trump returns to the White House, he’ll be accompanied by a coterie of China hawks, all vowing to use tariffs and export bans to stop Beijing from challenging the United States’ supremacy in technology. This isn’t entirely new; China has faced such trade pressure since Trump first became president in 2017, and it […]

In the remote Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, a rare fungus grows inside dead caterpillars. In traditional Chinese medicine, this parasitic fungus is prized for its purported medicinal effects. Known as Ophiocordyceps sinensis – colloquially, caterpillar fungus or “Himalayan gold” – it can fetch astronomical prices on the herbal medicine market: up to US$63,000 per pound. Ophiocordyceps sinensis […]

Republicans are feuding over how many people can obtain H-1B visas, permits that allow foreign professionals to legally work in the United States. Today an estimated 600,000 foreigners with H-1B visas have tech, academic, medical and other jobs. Two of President-elect Donald Trump’s most influential – yet informal – advisers, Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, […]

Imagine being unable to borrow money for basic needs or emergencies because the bank is too far away or demands collateral or identification that you can’t provide. For millions of rural people living in poverty around the world, this is a daily reality. Yet a recent study my research team conducted suggests that a simple, […]

The Office of Management and Budget sounds obscure, yet the agency plays a crucial role throughout the federal government. Presidents rely on the office to turn their ideas and wishes into actionable and funded policies. To explain what the Office of Management and Budget does, the role of its director and the challenges it faces, […]

In a significant move to support global infrastructure and renewable energy projects, Apollo Global Management and Standard Chartered PLC have formed a strategic partnership. The collaboration, valued at $3 billion, aims to accelerate financing for critical projects focused on the transition to cleaner energy and sustainable infrastructure worldwide. Key Details of the Partnership Apollo’s sustainable […]

The wildfires that have devastated large parts of Los Angeles County have drawn fresh attention to the struggles many Americans face insuring their homes. Since 2022, seven of the 12 largest insurance companies have stopped issuing new policies to homeowners in California, citing increased risks due to climate change. California isn’t alone: The same thing […]

Succession planning is one of the biggest challenges family businesses face, with aging leaders often reluctant to let go of their power. While we’re experts in family business and not politics, we couldn’t help but notice striking parallels between our research and the dynamics of the 2024 election campaign. For much of the race, the […]

The wildfires raging across Los Angeles are setting the scene for a real estate nightmare. Thousands of homes and other structures are destroyed and hundreds of thousands of residents have been evacuated at various times. Many will not return for months, if ever. Homeless in an instant, they are now flooding the housing market, desperately […]