Economics

Awakening giant?

Some circumstances endure long enough to become embedded in the unexamined assumptions of a generation. In the case of the Japanese economy, these assumptions could prove costly, argues David Rowe

Burying a problem

As North American power generators prepare for a carbon-constrained world, new coal plants are being built with the option of installing carbon capture and storage technology. And the economics could be about to improve, finds Catherine Lacoursiere

Credit Spreads: the new horizon

Despite recent volatility in global markets and the prospect of a rising default rate, spreads in corporate debt - particularly high yield - remain tight. Credit talks to four market participants to find out where they see performance for the rest of 2006

John Ryding

The chief US fixed-income economist at Bear Stearns gives his views on the outlook for inflation, the Fed's interest rate policy in the year ahead and how asset markets will react to further rate increases. Interview by Saskia Scholtes

Industry gets energised

Attracting some 300 delegates, this year's Energy Risk USA conference was by far the biggest and most successful it's been since the fall of Enron, writes Stella Farrington

Women in credit

Credit magazine profiles 50 top-achievers working in the global credit markets today

Return of a heavyweight

Sustained economic recovery in Japan will probably lead to the end of the country's zero interest rate levels in the third quarter of this year. What impact will this have on risk management and the use of derivatives? And how will it affect the…

Joined-up risk assessment

The nature of risk is changing. Energy companies, well-skilled in managing market risk and operational risks, may now need to adopt a new stance towards risk management, write Rohit Bhapkar, Roland Rechtsteiner and John Stroughair

All risk, no reward

Don't be fooled by tight spreads in emerging markets, warns Amy Falls. Just because you're not being paid to take on risk doesn't mean there isn't any

Payback time for Latin America

Brazil and Argentina have repaid in full the debt owed to the IMF. But while Brazil seemed grateful for the loan, Argentina's president made a bridge-burning speech attacking the Fund's policies. Josh Goodman looks at the two nations' economic outlook

The new man at the helm of the US economy

Fed chairman Ben Bernanke's maiden testimony in February reassured the bond markets with soothing tones of continuity with the Greenspan era. But with question marks still hanging over his inflation policy, and how much of an impact his personal style of…