Dispelling Myths Regarding International Trade

McKinsey Global Institute report does an excellent job in dispelling widely held myths regarding international trade

http://www.mckinsey.com/Insights/MGI/Research/Productivity_Competitiveness_and_Growth/Six_myths_about_trade

Where to Invest?

Explaining the Sudden Collapse of the Indus Valley Civilization

Explaining the Sudden Collapse of the Indus Valley Civilization

http://news.yahoo.com/huge-ancient-civilization-collapse-explained-123449804.html

Poor Quality of Governments

Factors behind the poor quality of governance:

UC Berkeley Economist Pranab Bardhan examines the political challenges facing China, India and the US
http://yaleglobal.yale.edu/content/plague-all-houses

Francis Fukuyama considers the political dysfunction afflicting Southern Europe
http://blogs.the-american-interest.com/fukuyama/2012/05/08/the-two-europes/

21st Century Global Power Dynamics

FT's Martin Wolf addresses important global economic and political issues surrounding America's status as the global superpower:

Meanwhile, Ezra Klein makes a great point on the ‘rise of the rest’:
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-05-16/american-decline-a-mirage-in-a-world-that-s-rising.html

“If American preeminence relies on the continued immiseration of Brazil, China and India, then, even in the most selfish terms, I’m not sure that it’s worth having. Yet it seems that some Americans would prefer to be the only superpower in hell than the foremost member of a more prosperous Group of 20 in heaven.”

What if Greece Exits the Euro?

Also, from the BBC:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-18067764


CBS 60 Minutes on Greece and the Eurozone Debt Crisis

Fresh Take on Economic Growth and Development

Paul Romer’s Charter Cities Idea

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/13/magazine/who-wants-to-buy-honduras.html

For details about Paul Romer’s vision, see:

http://www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/2010/01/for-richer-for-poorer/


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Innovation by Indian Companies

FT Interview - Anand Mahindra

Anand Mahindra, head of Mahindra & Mahindra, discusses issues related to the Indian business environment in this interview with the Financial Times.

Is it Time to Abandon CAPM?

Financial Times has an interesting look at the increasing irrelevance of the Capital Asset Pricing Model (CAPM):
http://video.ft.com/v/1628273057001/How-logic-can-lead-to-a-crisis

Economic Debate

The Economic Debate on the Great Recession and its Aftermath Continues:

http://www.project-syndicate.org/commentary/central-bankers-under-siege

http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/battle-of-the-beards-paul-krugman-vs-ben-bernanke/2012/05/06/gIQAbwsY6T_story.html

http://faculty.chicagobooth.edu/raghuram.rajan/research/papers/FA%20May%202012.pdf

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/ezra-klein/post/larry-summers-vs-the-long-termers/2012/05/08/gIQApWWPAU_blog.html

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/08/opinion/brooks-the-structural-revolution.html

http://www.economist.com/node/21551069

Update:
Robert Barro offers his take on the 'Stimulus vs. Austerity' debate:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304451104577390482019129156.html

Interesting Economic and financial Issues

World’s Strongest Banks

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-05-02/canadians-dominate-world-s-10-strongest-banks.html

Singapore’s OCBC is ranked #1.

Economists in Agreement

http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2012/04/4-politically-controversial-issues-where-all-economists-agree/255600/

One factor behind declining US labor force participation rate – increasing use of social security disability funds by Americans

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-05-03/disabled-americans-shrink-size-of-u-s-labor-force.html

Economist Laura Tyson on Corporate Taxes:

http://www.project-syndicate.org/commentary/the-corporate-tax-conundrum