International Monetary Fund (IMF) economists have warned of the environmental impact of crypto mining and AI data centers, which are projected to increase global electricity consumption to 3.5% by 2027, leading to higher carbon emissions. Proposing a targeted electricity tax, the authors estimate a potential reduction in emissions by 100 million tons annually, while generating […]
Economists Rally Behind Honduras in $10.8 Billion Legal Fight Over Crypto Island Project
A group of 85 economists has supported the Honduran government’s decision to leave the World Bank’s arbitration body, the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID), amidst a legal conflict with the crypto island project Próspera Inc., which seeks $ 10.8 billion in compensation after losing its special economic status due to legislative …
ECB Economists: Bitcoin Fails to Become Global Decentralized Digital Currency, BTC’s Fair Value Is Still Zero
The European Central Bank (ECB) has published a blog post claiming that “bitcoin has failed to fulfill its original promise to become a global decentralized digital currency.” The ECB economists who authored the post added that bitcoin’s fair value is still zero and bitcoin transactions are “still inconvenient, slow, and costly.” Moreover, they asserted that […]
Economists Warn Direct Iran-Israel War Could Trigger Global Recession
Bloomberg’s economists have warned that a direct war between Iran and Israel could trigger a global recession. “Soaring oil prices and plunging risk assets would deal a substantial blow to growth, and take inflation a notch higher,” they said. “The wider the conflict spreads, the more its impact becomes global rather than regional.” Economists Warn […]
Consensus Pause: Majority of Economists Predict No Rate Hikes for 2023, With Cuts Delayed Until March 2024
A newly published Reuters poll reveals that most economists concur: the U.S. Federal Reserve has likely capped its rate hikes. Yet, rate cuts aren’t anticipated until March 2024. This survey drops just as markets approach the annual Jackson Hole Economic Symposium scheduled for next week. All eyes are on Fed chairman Jerome Powell, as investors […]