Matt O’Brien

Bitcoin is still a total disaster

There’s a reason why bitcoin has attracted so many scammers: all its transactions are irreversible. Updated 13 Aug, 2018 08:30am

Venezuela won’t have one million per cent inflation soon

The truth is, nobody knows how much worse this is going to get Published 30 Jul, 2018 07:19am

A decade later, US economy is back where it started

By most measures, the American economy is finally back to where it was before the Great Recession hit. Updated 07 May, 2017 09:28am

Donald Trump really might start a trade war

Maybe we should take Donald Trump seriously and literally when he says he’ll start a trade war with China.That,... Published 25 Dec, 2016 07:16am

Capitalism is working better in France than the US

In other words, American democracy works for the top one per cent because American capitalism does. Published 19 Dec, 2016 06:58am

The number that tells us American economy might be doomed

Ever since 1990, recessions have happened when bubbles have burst rather than when rates have risen to fight inflation. Updated 27 Mar, 2016 11:22am

Is the stock market telling us we’re headed for a recession?

US industrial production is falling as fast as it does when there’s historically been a recession Updated 24 Jan, 2016 11:36am

Why the Fed is paying Wall Street banks billions of dollars

It is just how the Fed is trying to keep inflation in check now that it has printed so much money. Updated 22 Dec, 2015 07:41am

Fed is about to take a big gamble by hiking rates

WASHINGTON: It only took seven years, but zero interest rates are about to be a thing of the past. The question,... Published 06 Dec, 2015 06:31am

US Fed is going to increase interest rates next month

WASHINGTON: Nine-year-olds are about to see something they haven’t their entire lives: the Federal Reserve is ... Published 08 Nov, 2015 06:51am

This is the best time to borrow. In all of history.

Interest rates are all-but-zero in the United States, United Kingdom, eurozone, and, for the last 16 years now, Japan. Updated 25 Sep, 2015 05:41am

Is it right time for Fed to lift rate?

WASHINGTON: People used to say the Federal Reserve had to raise rates to fight nonexistent inflation. Then they said... Published 06 Sep, 2015 06:46am

Italy is the most likely country to leave the euro

What do you call a country that has grown 4.6pc in total since it joined the euro 16 years ago? Updated 02 Aug, 2015 09:55am

Not so rich? Countries’ incomes are all relative

WASHINGTON: If you want to be in the top 1 per cent of the world, the most important thing you can do is be born in ... Published 07 Jun, 2015 07:00am

Are Russia’s banks or its currency more doomed?

WASHINGTON: Russia might not be a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma anymore, but there’s still one... Published 04 Feb, 2015 05:54am

US economic boom is here to stay

WASHINGTON: On Friday, the US government announced that economy grew at a slower-than-expected 2.6 per cent annual... Published 03 Feb, 2015 06:49am

Travelling to Europe is about to get a whole lot cheaper

If you’ve been thinking about taking a European vacation, it’s almost time to book those tickets. Updated 18 Jan, 2015 10:13am