The European Central Bank (ECB) is under renewed criticism for buying fewer Italian sovereign bonds in May, when political instability meant it was a time when Rome may have needed it the most. The new populist Italian government was quick to highlight a data release Monday that showed the euro zone’s central bank bought a […]
Read moreThe world’s largest esports company is looking to establish an ecosystem in Asia. Speaking with CNBC’s Dan Murphy, Frank Sliwka, the COO of Asia for ESL Gaming, said there is a “huge opportunity” for esports to grow in the regional emerging markets. “We have a lot of communities already established,” he said, “so it makes […]
Read moreIt is dangerous for the world’s trading system when countries impose protectionist measures, and even self-defeating given that production chains are global, Singapore’s trade and industry minister said. Speaking to CNBC on Tuesday, Chan Chun Sing said there are no winners in a situation where countries impose protectionist measures. “This is very dangerous for the […]
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Switzerland is set to vote on a radical sovereign money plan: Here’s what you need to know
An upcoming referendum in the wealthy Alpine nation of Switzerland could be set to dramatically transform the global banking industry. Swiss voters go to the polls Sunday to decide whether the country should switch to a so-called sovereign money system. The referendum is attracting international interest because of how it reflects debates held by economists […]
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Italy's populists are on a roll as coalition looks to pass confidence votes
Italy’s new populist government, made up of a coalition of relative political newcomers, will face its first test Tuesday. The Italian Senate will debate and then hold a vote of confidence on the new cabinet and government program, before the Parliament’s other chamber holds a similar vote. The two anti-establishment parties, Lega and the Five […]
Read morePlans to develop a high-speed rail project linking Kuala Lumpur and Singapore have been scuttled and that’s likely to dent the potential fortunes of some that had stood to benefit from the massive endeavor. Malaysia said it was scrapping plans to build a 350-kilometer high-speed rail, costing some $17 billion, that would have by 2026 […]
Read moreSoutheast Asian start-up Grab has been “battled-tested” to take on Indonesian counterpart Go-Jek as the latter expands abroad, a Grab co-founder said on Tuesday. “Grab is very clear. We are battle-tested. We have fought much bigger competitors … We fought Uber tooth and nail. They were much bigger and they still are bigger than us […]
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Italy's populists take power, but can they control the country's purse?
The creation of a new Italian government proved to be a long, uncertain and publicly painful process for all involved. But after almost three months, Lega and Five-Star Movement (M5S) formally joined forces last week, with a hybrid cabinet consisting of some rather odd political bedfellows, drawn from across the ideological and professional spectrum. These […]
Read moreBritain is selling some of its stake in Royal Bank of Scotland for about 2.6 billion pounds ($3.5 billion), although it will realize a significant loss as it unwinds its holding and returns the bailed-out lender to private hands. The government said on Monday it would sell about 7.7 percent of RBS, which was rescued […]
Read moreVoice technology gadgets, including Amazon‘s Alexa and Google‘s Duplex, could get caught up in the next data protection battleground. The implementation of new data rules in Europe, coupled with increased consumer awareness following the Facebook and Cambridge Analytica scandal, is helping to bring voice data privacy into the spotlight. Google recently made headlines when CEO […]
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