Clark Center Forum

About the Clark Center Forum

The Forum for the Kent A. Clark Center for Global Markets is home to the European, Finance, and US Economic Experts Panels as well as a repository of thoughtful, current, and reliable information regarding topics of the day.
US

Sovereign Wealth Funds

Question A:

The Democrats and Republicans have floated the idea of a US sovereign wealth fund. For background, see here and here.

Establishing a domestic sovereign wealth fund to invest in infrastructure, emerging technologies, and/or strategic sectors would bring substantial benefits to the US economy over a ten-year horizon.

Responses

Source: Clark Center Economic Experts Panel
Methodology
Question B:

The typical advanced economy could substantially boost growth by establishing a sovereign wealth fund to invest in infrastructure, emerging technologies, and/or strategic sectors.

Responses

Source: Clark Center Economic Experts Panel
Methodology
Question C:

For a typical advanced economy, establishing a sovereign wealth fund would be substantially better for citizens relative to paying down the debt as a use for excess revenue.

Responses

Source: Clark Center Economic Experts Panel
Methodology
 
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Economic Growth, Development, & Productivity
On Global Markets

Europe’s Lagging Tech Sector

The last month has seen much in the way of, often justified, gloomy introspection from European policymakers. Isabel Schnabel, a member of the European Central Bank’s policy-setting executive board made a useful speech on the 2nd of October rather tellingly entitled “Escaping Stagnation”. The raw facts speak for themselves, since the pandemic, the European economy […] 
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Articles
Europe

Constraints on Innovation in Europe

This European survey examines (a) Current enforcement of competition policy in Europe is not working to promote innovation and growth; b) European Union bureaucracy and regulations are a substantial constraint on innovation in Europe; c) The conduct of the dominant US tech companies in European markets (including lobbying and acquisition of start-ups and competitors) is a substantial constraint on innovation in Europe 
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Business, Management, & Corporate Performance
Finance

Cryptocurrency

This Finance survey examines (a) A bitcoin's value derives from the belief that others will want to use it, which implies that its purchasing power is likely to fluctuate over time to a degree that will limit its usefulness; b) A substantial source of the value of unbacked decentralized private cryptocurrencies, such as Bitcoin, arises from their convenience for use in illegal activities; c) A properly diversified portfolio should include crypto assets 
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Investment Management
Articles

WSJ: Voters Love the Policies that Economists Love to Hate

The Wall Street Journal polled voters’ attitudes on the presidential candidates’ economic policies . They then, in collaboration with the Clark Center, surveyed the Clark Center’s US Experts Panel.  The article is available here (subscription required).  The summary results of the US Experts Panels survey is below. View US Panel results of the survey >> 
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Articles
On Global Markets

How Far? How Fast?

Federal Reserve meetings are rarely, outside of an immediate crisis, especially tense for market participants. Whilst On Global Markets has noted – more than once – that the market implied path of policy rates is rarely a useful guide to actual police outcomes over the medium to longer term, investors usually have a good handle […] 
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Articles
Finance

Trends in Banking

This Finance survey examines (a) The trend of consolidation in the US banking sector will lead to fewer, but more profitable, mega-banks with over $250 billion in assets dominating the market; (b) The current liquidity and capital regulations are inadequate to address run risks of banks in a digital era 
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Banking
FT-Booth US Macroeconomists Survey

FTxBooth: US headed for soft landing?

This installment of the FTxBooth US Macroeconomists Survey examines a likely soft landing for the US economy. The summary results are below and you can read the Financial Times article here, subscription required. View the results of this survey >> For social media: Please use the hashtag #FTxBooth when referring to the FT-Booth US Macroeconomists […] 
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FT-Booth US Macroeconomists Survey
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