Economy, Finance and Markets

Not only interest rates, but above all political decisions determine the risks on the real estate market
To avoid risks on the real estate markets, real estate policy should aim to match supply to demand and counteract market distortions, argue Andreas Dombret and Oliver Wünsch.
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Transatlantic Forum on GeoEconomics 2023
At the Transatlantic Forum on GeoEconomics, our second co-hosted conference with the Atlantic Council, high-level stakeholders spoke about current issues at the nexus of economics and foreign policy.
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The Importance of Innovation for Transatlantic Partners
During their recent Strategy Session, Members and Young Leaders Alumni of Atlantik-Brücke engaged in discussions regarding the significance of innovation and production as fundamental pillars of the transatlantic economies.
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De-risking as an economic strategy
Ursula von der Leyen, President of the EU Commission, has proposed a "De-risking" strategy for Europe vis-à-vis China in contrast to a "De-coupling" approach. Bruegel's Senior Fellow Maria Demertzis analyzes the prospects of success.
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Global Economic Disruptions and Transatlantic Alliances
The COVID-19 pandemic, the war in Ukraine, and climate change have created huge disruptions – with lasting implications at the global, national, and local levels. At this critical juncture, the American Council on Germany and Atlantik-Brücke convened their annual transatlantic conference in Washington, D.C. to explore the recent economic impacts to the transatlantic partnership – and worldwide.
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A Taiwan Crisis Looms on the Transatlantic Horizon
The status of Taiwan is increasingly preoccupying the states of the democratic West. What are the current risks of escalation by China? And what could possible sanctions look like in response?
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Six reasons Silicon Valley Bank isn’t another 2008 crisis
Former German central banker Andreas Dombret sees the failure of the Silicon Valley Bank as a warning signal, but not necessarily as a harbinger of another financial crisis.
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Disruption in the US Tech Sector: Layoffs, Stock Buybacks, and Business Plan Pivots
In a column for Atlantik-Brücke, publisher and author Steven Hill examines the recent upheaval of the US tech sector and the complex reasons for mass layoffs.
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„We are focused on diplomatic outcomes that have a real effect for middle-class America“
Under Secretary Jose W. Fernandez, U.S. Department of State, details the Biden administration's approach to economic diplomacy and the need for transatlantic cooperation on issues from the supply chain to China.
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Is the U.S. Inflation Reduction Act Hurting the German Economy?
Michael Hüther, Director and Member of the Executive Board of the German Economic Institute (IW), and Jürgen Matthes, Head of IW's Global and Regional Markets Cluster, assess the implications of the U.S. Inflation Reduction Act for Germany and Europe.
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Towards a more sustainable energy economy
Dirk Nowak analyzes the energy markets in Texas and Louisiana and draws possible conclusions for Germany and Europe.
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The ECB should further tighten its course
In an op-ed first published in the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, Andreas Dombret, member of Atlantik-Brücke's board and Global Senior Advisor at Oliver Wyman, makes the case that ECB President Lagarde should not leave her path of interest rates.
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Frankfurt Forum
The Frankfurt Forum, a groundbreaking conference on geoeconomics in cooperation with the Atlantic Council, featured high-level stakeholders on questions of trade, currency governance, digital assets and state craft. Among the speakers were Christine Lagarde, President of the ECB, and Paolo Gentiloni, EU Commissioner for Economic and Monetary Affairs and Commissioner for Taxation and Customs Union.
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Frankfurt Forum
You can watch the recording of the Frankfurt Forum, a high-level conference on geoeconomics in cooperation with the Atlantic Council, here. Among the speakers: Christine Lagarde, President of the ECB, and Paolo Gentiloni, EU Commissioner for Economic and Monetary Affairs and Commissioner for Taxation and Customs Union.
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The Case for Central Bank Digital Currencies
Andreas Dombret and Oliver Wünsch see an important opportunity in digital currencies issued by central banks.
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“China is front of mind in the US”
Heidi Crebo-Rediker, former first chief economist at the State Department, speaks about transatlantic relations and China at an Atlantik-Brücke event in New York City.
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Female Founders on Challenges and Opportunities in the Startup World
Startup entrepreneurs Hannah Helmke and Laura Behrens Wu speak about their experience as founders in Germany and the US.
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USA and EU remain each other’s most important economic partners
Despite numerous challenges in recent years, the EU and the US remain each other's most important economic partners. That is the result of a study conducted by the German Economic Institute for Atlantik-Brücke.
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What Does the Future of Money Hold?
Michael Miebach, Mastercard, and Burkhard Balz, Deutsche Bundesbank, discuss the impact of digitalisation on money with Julia Friedlander, Atlantic Council.
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“To move forward on modernizing the WTO rules, we must first address China”
The Word Trade Organization’s need for reform is often closely linked with challenging policies by China, says trade expert Daniel S. Hamilton.
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OECD Moves Deadline for Global Tax Decision to 2021
Rick Minor gives insights into the efforts of the OECD for a global tax reform that would secure $100 billion in tax revenue.
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“An Inspiration for the World“
At Atlantik-Brücke's summer reception in Frankfurt, Stéphane Dion, Canadian Ambassador to Germany and Special Envoy to the EU and Europe, shared his views on German-Canadian relations.
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German-Canadian Dialogue on Health Policy
During a two-day workshop in Cologne, researchers from Germany and North America discussed their respective health care systems in order to improve the bilateral understanding of systemic differences and similarities and to discuss current policy options.
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“We can’t afford not to be part of the future“
Goldy Hyder of the Business Council of Canada talks about values and trade relations and the role of EU-Canadian ties vis-à-vis China.
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Lamy: „If a US-EU trade agreement is concluded, it will be very limited“
The former WTO Director General talks about the potential for a US-EU trade deal, the implications of a cooling of US-China relations for Europe, and the need for a reform of some aspects of the WTO rule book.
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Trouble Ahead for Transatlantic Commerce
Phil Levy argues that the USMCA is not a “done deal”; it does not provide a template for overcoming the administration's concerns; and there are serious indications of trouble for transatlantic commerce.
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“The trade war with China will be resolved within six months”
Frank Lavin, the CEO of the Export Now Incorporation, regards U.S. president Trump as the driving factor for a solution in the conflict between the USA and China.
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“One of the key factors is our openness to the world”
Dr. Ailish Campbell is Canada’s Chief Trade Commissioner and assesses the outcomes one year after CETA’s implementation: 99 percent of the Canadian-European Free Trade Agreement have already come into force.
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Tax Policy Catches Up With the Future
By Rick Minor “Big Supreme Court win on internet sales tax – about time! Big victory for fairness and for our country. Great victory for consumers and retailers.” (@realDonaldTrump on Twitter, June 21) In this tweet, set off after the Supreme Court’s decision in the case of South Dakota v. Wayfair, President Trump praised the […]
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Steel Tariffs are a Distraction from Transatlantic Cooperation on China
Peter Rashish argues that the EU should make a case to the US for tariff exemptions, instead of going to the WTO. The focus of the transatlantic partners should be cooperation on China.
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“We need to listen to concerns about CETA”
Dr. Ailish Campbell, Chief Trade Commissioner of Canada, speaks about the German-Canadian free trade agreement and the future of NAFTA.
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“We can work it out – or can we? Current challenges in Brexit talks”
Prof. Dr. Andreas Dombret, member of the Board of Deutsche Bundesbank, spoke about the current challenges of the Brexit talks at an event in London.
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The “New South”, New Skills, and Old Alliances
Over the course of six days, the Atlantik-Brücke delegation traveled to the United States and met with a diverse group of politicians, CEOs, journalists, academics, and others, in Charlotte, North Carolina and Washington, DC.
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Delegation Trip to San Francisco and Silicon Valley
San Francisco was at the heart of this spring’s Atlantik-Brücke delegation trip to the USA. Located in the Bay Area to the North of Silicon Valley, San Francisco has become a rival to traditional tech boom-centers like Palo Alto, Cupertino, and Menlo Park. Many of the young employees working in the Valley’s tech businesses prefer […]
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“Geostrategic Implications of Energy (In)Dependence” – Keynote Speech by Sigmar Gabriel
On October 9, 2014, Vice Chancellor and Federal Minster for Economic Affairs Sigmar Gabriel gave a keynote speech on the geostrategic aspects of energy policy. In light of the current crises in Ukraine and the Middle East, the issue of energy security was highly relevant, Gabriel stressed before 90 members and guests of Atlantik-Brücke. At […]
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“Protectionism might lead to an interruption of trade” – Transatlantic Call with David Lipton, First Deputy Manager of the IMF
On the occasion of Atlantik-Brücke’s first Transatlantic Call, Dr. Christian Pfrang, Lex Columnist at the Financial Times in New York, interwieved Dr. David Lipton, First Deputy Managing Director at the International Monetary Fund. During their phone call they talked about the G20 and its new leaders on stage, international growth, the importance of free trade […]
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“Enhancing International Collaboration among Global Financial Markets” with Rodge Cohen and Martin Blessing
On May 14th, the working group Economy, Finance and Markets gathered in the Commerzbank AG building in Frankfurt am Main. Rodge Cohen, Senior Chairman of Sullivan and Cromwell LLP, whom the Financial Times has called “one of the biggest players on Wall Street,” spoke on the problem of system-relevant banks that are deemed “too big […]
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“TTIP: A Historic Opportunity for the Transatlantic Partnership?”
Speech & Discussion with Jeffrey Tessler (Deutsche Börse), Kathryn Ruemmler (Latham & Watkins), Prof. Dr. Michael Hüther (Institut der Deutschen Wirtschaft Köln), and Dr. Simone Peter (Bündnis 90/Die Grünen) On March 3, close to 80 members and Young Leaders Alumni came to the Frankfurter Wertpapierbörse (Old Stock Exchange) in order to attend a speech and […]
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XXIII Arthur Burns Memorial Lecture
Mario Draghi, President of the European Central Bank, joined 180 Atlantik-Brücke members and guests in the Deutsche Bundesbank in Frankfurt on March 27th to deliver the XXIII Arthur Burns Memorial Lecture. His lecture on the ECB’s monetary policy in the context of the global financial crisis continued the tradition of bringing key players in the […]
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“Society is more open than ever before for completely new ideas”
Interview with Albert Wenger, Partner, Union Square Ventures and Hans Raffauf, Co-Founder & COO, Clue Mr. Wenger, you are originally from Germany, went to the US to study computer science, founded a company and now you are an investor. Is it still necessary today to cross the Atlantic or can someone follow the same path […]
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For Blue Collar Workers in the United States, Donald Trump’s Victory is Personal
By Nelson D. Schwartz For nearly a quarter of a century Robin Maynard has worked at the Carrier plant in Indianapolis, Indiana, building furnaces and creating a middle-class life for himself and his family. Indeed, Mr. Maynard’s hourly salary of $24 was enough to put his two eldest children through college, and he had high […]
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