By Topic

Europe

Capital Markets Union

This European survey examines (a) Creation of a more unified capital market in Europe - with a common pool of capital, a single rule book and a strengthened European Securities and Markets Authority, comparable to the US Securities and Exchange Commission – would lead to a substantial shift in the balance of companies listing their shares in the EU vis-a-vis the US; (b) Creation of a more unified capital market in Europe - with a common pool of capital, a single rule book and a strengthened European Securities and Markets Authority, comparable to the US Securities and Exchange Commission – would substantially increase the availability of funding for start-ups and growing companies across the EU 
Europe

City of London

This week's European Economic Experts Panel statements: A) All else equal, there are substantial advantages to having much of Europe’s human capital and infrastructure for international financial activity clustered in a single city, as they are at present in London. B) All else equal, Britain’s rules on hiring, firing and working hours are significantly more conducive to financial activity than those in other large European countries. 
Finance

Commercial Real Estate

This Finance survey examines (a) The impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on working and shopping habits has not been fully priced into current private valuations of downtown commercial properties in major cities; (b) A continued fall in commercial real estate valuations would trigger another round of banking panic 
US

Congestion Pricing

This week’s IGM Economic Experts Panel poll statement: In general, using more congestion charges in crowded transportation networks — such as higher tolls during peak travel times in cities, and peak fees for airplane takeoff and landing slots — and using the proceeds to lower other taxes would make citizens on average better off. 
Europe

Congestion Pricing

This week's IGM European Economic Experts Panel statement: In general, using more congestion charges in crowded transportation networks — such as higher tolls during peak travel times in cities, and peak fees for airplane takeoff and landing slots — and using the proceeds to lower other taxes would make citizens on average better off. 
US

Congestion Pricing in New York

This US survey examines: A tolling program for New York City is out for public consultation with proposed charges on vehicles entering the central business district of Manhattan summarized here: https://new.mta.info/document/129191 (a) The proposed tolls on vehicles entering the central business district of Manhattan are likely to lead to a substantial reduction in traffic congestion in the targeted area; (b) The proposed tolls on vehicles entering Manhattan are likely to lead to a substantial increase in traffic congestion just outside the central business district, above 60th Street, in the outer boroughs and New Jersey 
Europe

Electricity

This European survey examines (a) The high cost of electricity for industrial users in the European Union relative to other big economies is a substantial constraint on growth; (b) Problems with the intermittency of renewable energy sources mean that over the next five years, electricity prices are more likely to rise than fall; (c) Substantial European investment in electricity infrastructure is essential to address high prices and unreliable supply 
Europe

Europe’s Defense Sector

This European survey examines (a) The likely need for increased European public investment in defense should come with substantial reallocations of public budgets at the national and EU levels; (b) Greater use of joint EU-level procurement of military equipment and defense research/innovation would promote substantially enhanced capacity in Europe's defense industry; (c) Increased defense spending would deliver a measurable boost to economic growth in Europe over the next five years 
Europe

European Capital Markets

This European survey examines (a) Creating a ‘28th regime’ - an optional, EU-wide code of corporate, securities and insolvency law that firms could adopt and which would pre-empt the application of any of the 27 national rulebooks - would be substantially more effective in building a European capital market than continuing efforts to achieve harmonisation of the national rulebooks; (b) Creating the 28th regime would substantially increase the supply of capital to new ventures and growing businesses; (c) A well-functioning and efficient single EU capital market requires a strengthened European Securities and Markets Authority, comparable to the US Securities and Exchange Commission, to operate as a single market regulator