About John Beirne
John Beirne is vice-chair of research and a senior research fellow at ADBI.Fintech’s pandemic-related boost to financial inclusion, MSME resilience, and women’s empowerment in Asia
Fintech has been instrumental in helping to sustain businesses and households during the COVID-19 pandemic, with scope to be an integral driver of sustainable economic development in the post-pandemic era.
What can the quality of institutions tell us about macrofinancial resilience in Asia?
Asia has made substantial progress on economic development over the past 3 decades, with the quality of institutions playing an important role.
Unconventional monetary policy in Southeast Asia eased market turmoil during COVID-19
Quantitative easing measures in Southeast Asia helped to alleviate pressure on long-term bond yields and support stability in asset markets.
Plunging yen hit by widening interest rate differentials and rising commodity prices
The yen’s safe-haven status has been called into question after sharp depreciations amid rising energy prices and widening global interest rate differentials relative to Japan.
Harnessing digitalization on the path to sustainable economic development in Asia
Digitalization is helping to transform economies by enhancing economy-wide competitiveness and productivity, with trade being an important channel. The use of big data and the emergence of online platforms have further bolstered the progression of the digital economy, particularly in Asia.
COVID-19’s impact in Asia shapes blueprint for sustainable economic recovery
The economic impact of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic in Asia highlights the importance of entrenching longer-term sustainability and economic resilience into the recovery process. The macroeconomic effects of the pandemic, as well as the impact on firms and households in Asia, are featured in a new ADBI edited book, COVID-19 Impacts and Policy Options: An Asian Perspective.
Should emerging Asia worry about a “taper tantrum” post-COVID-19?
With an improved growth outlook in the United States (US) in the second half of 2021 as the economy recovers from the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in part related to the substantial fiscal stimulus in the US introduced at the start of 2021, the Federal Reserve (Fed) is on course to slow down its asset purchases program, or so-called quantitative easing (QE) tapering.
Foreign holdings of local currency bonds: A double-edged sword for emerging Asia
Local currency bond markets (LCBMs) have continued to develop in emerging Asian economies since the early 2000s, with foreign investor participation rising markedly since the global financial crisis of 2007–2008. LCBMs help to enhance domestic financial stability by enabling governments and companies to borrow in domestic currency.
Which financing sources matter for private investment in renewable energy in Asia?
The mobilization of climate finance is critical for limiting global warming to within 1.5°C and preventing catastrophic climate change (IPCC 2018). Annual green investments totaling $1.5 trillion are needed (United Nations 2017). Despite the falling cost of renewable energy technologies, energy investments remain dominated by investments in fossil fuels. In Asia and the Pacific, annual investments fell after 2017 and until 2020 remained below the 2017 level.
Do persistent current account imbalances hamper regional and global growth?
Current account surpluses have persisted in a number of Asian and European economies throughout the global financial crisis and thereafter. Along with Germany, Japan has a decades-long history of recording current account surpluses. Due to rapid improvements in the competitiveness of its manufacturing sector, Japan has almost continuously recorded trade surpluses since the mid-1960s, and as a result, record current account surpluses (Shirakawa 2011).
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