Pulse


Whither the US in 2018? US and the Americas and Globally

We conclude 2017, clinging tightly to a still uncertain confidence that job expansion and strong consumer spending can somehow continue, that advancing gains in the capital markets will persist and the promise of global growth engines in China and India, the world’s two most populous countries, is realistic. Growth projections are now pushing north of three percent – and yet there is an uneasy undertow to such an outlook for investors. 

Lexington, Concord and Medicaid Drug Formularies: Massachusetts Fires Another “Shot Heard Round the World”

On the 19th of April in 1775, a ragtag Massachusetts militia confronted the mighty British army in search of Colonial munitions and rebellion leaders. The Battle of Lexington and Concord marked the first military engagement between American revolutionaries and their British colonizers. The Americans carried the day and began their long arduous march toward independence.
 
Poet Ralph Waldo Emerson captured the battle’s mythical meaning to American patriots at the July 4, 1837 dedication ceremony for the Battle of Concord memorial. In his “Concord Hymn” Emerson wrote:

EconVue Spotlight

All eyes are on Chicago this week. On Sunday, the CBOE launched bitcoin futures trading, and all bets are off in terms of what to expect in terms of pricing and volatility. If you would like to follow the action, here is a link to the CBOE site. The CME is launching a similar product next week. 

US Commitment to Latin America Can Foster Regional Stability

Last week, Venezuela’s government threatened that if the U.S. did not withdraw its economic sanctions, it might call off the 2018 presidential election. Although such a grossly unconstitutional act would prolong the suffering of the Venezuelan people, it could ironically help limit a turn to the left in Latin America as the region faces one the largest and most significant series of electoral events in recent years.

The Payments Elephant

THE WEEK IN FINTECH 12/08/17

The Payments Elephant

I moderated a meeting of the Chicago Payments Forum this week to discuss payments developments in 2017 and how they will affect business in 2018 and beyond. In putting together the overview, it occurred to me that right up front we had to address the elephant in the room: bitcoin.

At Money2020 at the end of October, I heard a number of people talk about it as a new "asset class," a statement I saw quoted almost daily as bitcoin's price rose steadily.

Spare Change

"If the current financial industry is to remain relevant, it must brace for a FinTech-tonic shift of unprecedented proportions," writes Jim Marous in the Financial Brand. "FinTech carries awesome potential for creative disruption, and the financial industry—the very creators of money—must manage this global dash towards both disintermediation and demonetization."

Outlook for the Australian Economy against a Global Economic Backdrop

Here is my PowerPoint presentation to the ACTE-CAPA (Association of Corporate Travel Executives – Centre for Asia-Pacific Aviation) Conference, which was held in Sydney on 29th November 2017.

Honey vs. Vinegar: Value-Based Pricing Wins Customers and Market-Share

Common wisdom holds that “it’s easier to catch flies with honey than vinegar.” That aphorism also applies to payers seeking lower prices for routine healthcare procedures. It “tastes” better when providers attract new customers with “bottom-up” high-value services than when payers hammer providers through “top-down” payment reform.

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