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Financial

David O'Neill

Europe’s Growth-at-Risk shows a heavy downside, despite upbeat markets High debt and defence needs tighten budgets, squeezing education Tie budgets to GaR triggers, secure funding now, protect teaching time The euro area owes a

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Ethan McGowan

Real home prices are slipping—rents cooling and high costs signal housing price deflation Agglomeration can’t beat affordability limits or hybrid work Plan for gentle deflation: lock cheaper leases, support incomes, keep building

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David O'Neill

Interconnectedness keeps small, open economies exposed despite stronger policies Dollar dominance—88% of FX trades, ~40% invoicing, $100T+ swaps—transmits shocks Fix the plumbing: stress-test FX markets, add regional lines, tighten rules, expand local-currency invoicing

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Ethan McGowan

China blocks stablecoins to guard monetary control Goal: curb capital flight and AML risks; push users to e-CNY/mBridge Ed-tech: use bank rails and e-CNY in China; stablecoins only abroad So, here’s the deal:

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David O'Neill

Leadership brings the trading edge; power beats tips Buys precede contracts, sales precede heat—disclosure failed Ban lawmakers’ individual stocks or require true blind trusts Here's the thing that screams out at

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David O'Neill

US fiscal sustainability is strained; interest now tops defense Italy rebounds with primary surpluses; France lags with 5%+ deficits A near-term US primary surplus would stabilize debt and shield education Interest

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Ethan McGowan

EU freezes ~€210bn; windfall profits flow, not principal Route proceeds via EU/G7 loans to steady, education-first support Preserve trust: strict legality, transparency, shared risk A single number now shapes the conversatio

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David O'Neill

Benefits and working conditions make up a third to two-fifths of pay Unions shift value into enforceable rights when cash is tight, boosting retention Measure and fund non-monetary compensation to stabilize schools According t

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Ethan McGowan

Omnibus simplification risks deepening Big Tech lock-in Bind it to portability, open APIs, and switching If others copy, copy the guardrails—not consolidation Europe spent roughly €61 billion on cloud services

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Ethan McGowan

EU-Bonds cost more than Bunds due to design and index rules Make them sovereign: permanent issuance, one agency, hedging tools, clear own resources Tighter spreads free billions for education and investment In mid-2025, the European

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Keith Lee

Remote work and development drives growth Automation narrows factory-led paths Teach English, wire broadband, fix payments One key number should change how ministries of education, finance, and trade plan for the next decade.

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Ethan McGowan

The fiscal sentiment multiplier can crowd in investment—if credit is open and demand credible Japan’s new stimulus tests this channel amid record debt, higher yields, and shaky confidence Aim spending at skills-linked, high-productivity sectors to avoid over-investment and lock in growth

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David O'Neill

Stagflation: Abenomics won’t work Targeted relief; skills first Credible consolidation; productivity growth Alarming data, not just rhetoric, backs Japan’s stagflation.

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Ethan McGowan

Shocks drain savings and push retirees to Medicaid Make LTC countercyclical: shock-based eligibility, rapid HCBS, reinsurance Pre-fund modest universal benefits to slow spend-down and keep care at home A

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David O'Neill

UK GDP per head is 6–8% below its no-Brexit path The slow-burn hit was masked by transition rules and the pandemic Without lower frictions and restored mobility, the drag endures; the U.S.

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Keith Lee

Biotech knowledge spillovers cut global wait times for lifesaving therapies Rich countries gain when diffusion is designed, priced, and measured—not blocked Universities and funders should hard-wire reciprocity, open methods, and cross-border teams

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Ethan McGowan

QR code payments cut entry costs and let micro-merchants sell digitally Cash use is falling, ATMs are shrinking, and cards and wallets are rising Policy should standardize open QR rails, keep fees low, and teach acceptance skills

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Ethan McGowan

Thick markets discourage energy-efficient renovations Thin markets often push owners to upgrade Subsidies should depend on local market thickness Energy-efficient housing renovations are meant to be the quie

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Keith Lee

Central banks leaned on single models and badly misread the inflation surge Ensemble monetary policy blends many models to create safer, more robust rate rules Teaching and adopting ensemble monetary policy can rebuild trust through cautious, transparent decisions

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Ethan McGowan

Trade benefit ratio maps hidden partner losses Heterogeneity stems from supply diversity Policy and education: protect high-ratio sectors, diversify The key number to start the debate isn’t the tariff rate or the trade d

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