This paper examines Singapore’s shift from the Selective En-bloc Redevelopment Scheme (SERS) to the Voluntary Early Redevelopment Scheme (VERS) as a response to housing lease decay. It analyses their economic rationale, fiscal sustainability, and social implications, highlighting how this transition marks a paradigm shift from state-led asset enhancement to shared responsibility in managing housing value decay amid land scarcity, intergenerational equity, and fiscal constraints.

While social media has lapped up “new” recession indicators such as the rise of Labubus and the increase in sale for lipsticks, are these really true? This essay aims to discuss the validity of such recession indicators and the role of traditional, tried and tested indicators that economists rely on to identify a recession. It also explores why anecdotal recession indicators tend to be more popular in society.

This essay examines why users often struggle to form meaningful connections on dating platforms such as Hinge. It argues that user dissatisfaction stems from two main sources: algorithmic distortions within the platform’s design and behavioural biases that shape decision-making. Drawing on matching theory, particularly the Gale-Shapley algorithm, and insights from behavioural economics, this essay explores how dating app structures and user psychology jointly undermine stable matches.

This essay evaluates whether Argentina’s latest International Monetary Fund (IMF) programme meaningfully alters the country’s long-standing cycle of sovereign distress and repeat IMF intervention. The analysis examines the mechanisms through which IMF conditionality shapes reform durability, evaluating competing reform trajectories through frameworks such as the political budget cycle and exchange rate management. This essay argues that IMF’s loan programme risks substituting liquidity for solvency, while Argentina’s socially unsustainable reform programmes risk perpetuating its historical cycle of political backlash and prolonging rather than ending the lending cycle.

The Global South is on the brink of a renewable energy revolution, fueled by falling technology costs and untapped resources. But despite the growing momentum, deep-rooted challenges like financing gaps and slow adoption threaten to derail this transformation. Can the region truly reshape the global energy landscape, or will these obstacles hold it back? This article dives into the high-stakes battle for energy dominance and what’s at stake for the Global South’s future.

This paper discusses the conflict between protectionism and food security in the agricultural industry, specifically the trade offs of food security that often arise as a result of protectionist trade policies. Japan’s protectionist agricultural policies are used as a case study to examine the impacts, with a focus on its Acreage Reduction Policy and 800% rice tariff.

Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs) are digital forms of government-backed money designed to enhance financial inclusion, reduce transaction costs, and improve global payment systems. Their development varies by region, with countries like China and India leading, while others like Nigeria face challenges due to trust and infrastructure gaps. The success of CBDCs hinges on balancing innovation with regional needs, as a universal model is unlikely to work.

Nordic model focused on building a effective free market economy while achieving a fairer welfare society. The model was successful in helping the Scandinavia address the pandemic and its following economic disruptions. This article further assessed the applicability of the model to Singapore in face of greater uncertainty in the modern world.

Microfinance has been instrumental in reducing poverty in Bangladesh by enabling low-income individuals to access financial resources, with key contributions from microfinance institutions (MFIs) such as Grameen Bank. It has strengthened rural economies by supporting small enterprises and farming activities. However, challenges such over-indebtedness and financial distress among borrowers threaten the long-term stability of MFIs.

This paper examined the effects of increasing the money supply on real output in both the short and long run. The Keynesian Sticky Nominal Wage Model suggests a short-run rise in output, while heterodox theories propose potential long-run gains through mechanisms like interest stabilization and crisis prevention, though these are strongly challenged by the Austrian school. Empirical evidence points to a possible positive relationship, but many argue it falls short of proving causality. The paper explored how practical application depends on the relative shifts in aggregate demand and long-run aggregate supply, as well as public tolerance for inflation, ultimately reflecting that more output is not always the optimal choice in economics.

Mexico is becoming a top near-shoring hub, surpassing China in U.S. exports and attracting record investment. Yet, inflation, labour costs, and U.S. trade tensions pose challenges. Can it sustain its manufacturing edge?