Tag Archive for: economic

Why Stock Market Has Been Stable During Economic Chaos: Quants


  • Amid a chaotic few months in the US economy, the stock market has remained relatively stable.
  • Quant funds, which use computer models to trade, are helping calm the markets, The Wall Street Journal reported.
  • Here’s how quant funds work and the impact they’re having on the market.

Economic pandemonium has swept our financial systems for the last few months: We entered the year with stubborn inflation; the March collapse of Silicon Valley Bank spurred fear for investors, business owners, and bankers alike; and recent discussions on breaching the debt ceiling have caused uncertainty about the future of Social Security or potential job loss, among other scares.

Yet still, the stock market has remained somewhat calm. 

In fact, the S&P is up nearly 10% year to date, as of May 29. Meanwhile, the VIX, also known as the volatility index, has remained below 20 — a level that suggests a relatively stable market — every trading day but two since March 28. 

That stability is at least in part thanks to quant funds, according to The Wall Street Journal. Quant funds, or quantitative hedge funds, are investment funds that use computer-created algorithms, mathematical models, and artificial intelligence to make stock predictions.

While some investors have stepped back from equity…

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US trade rep seeks close economic security ties in Asia


TOKYO — The United States hopes to deepen trade ties with Japan as it fortifies cooperation on economic security with its Asian allies and partners, the top U.S. trade envoy said Wednesday.

U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai’s visit to Tokyo follows a trip to the Philippine capital, Manila, that she said highlighted a newly emerging partnership among the three countries as they build both economic and defense ties.

Tai met with Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi to discuss making supply chains more resilient and secure, the Japanese Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

Tai also reviewed the status of negotiations on the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework, or IPEF, a new trade pact proposed by Washington, emphasizing the importance of cooperation with Japan, it said.

The framework has 13 members, including the U.S., that account for 40% of global gross domestic product: Australia, Brunei, India, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

Hayashi responded by welcoming more U.S. engagement in the regional economy, saying Japan will proactively discuss the plan with other partners.

Japan and the United States have been promoting multilateral cooperation, most recently with the Philippines as they share common concern over China’s growing influence and assertiveness in both security and economic activities.

But the U.S. has stepped up diplomacy across the region, with Secretary of State Antony Blinken stopping over the weekend in Vietnam, which Washington sees as a key component of its strategy for the region given the country’s traditional rivalry with its much larger neighbor China.

Tai also met Wednesday with Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Yasutoshi Nishimura. The trade ministry said the two discussed strengthening supply chains — an issue that gained urgency amid shortages of computer chips and other goods during the pandemic. They also discussed ways to cooperate in the protection of human rights in business, the ministry said.

Japan and the United States have set up a taskforce that aims to eliminate human rights violations in international supply chains and to ban use of materials from…

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aiims: AIIMS ransomware attack: Servers remain paralysed for 4th day; key patient data at risk of leakage – The Economic Times Video


With the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, still struggling to get its servers up and running after a massive ransomware attack earlier this week, cyber-security researchers on Saturday said the most reported attacks in the healthcare industry, which rose during the pandemic, involve the leak or sale of databases on the Dark Web. The exploited databases contain Personally Identifiable Information (PII) of patients and healthcare workers, as well as administrative information such as blood donor records, ambulance records, vaccination records, caregiver records, login credentials, etc.

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Joint Statement of the U.S.-Japan Economic Policy Consultative Committee: Strengthening Economic Security and the Rules-Based Order


The text of the following statement was released by the Governments of the United States of America and Japan on the occasion of the inaugural ministerial meeting of the U.S.-Japan Economic Policy Consultative Committee.

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United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo co-hosted Japan’s Minister for Foreign Affairs HAYASHI Yoshimasa and Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry HAGIUDA Koichi for the inaugural ministerial meeting of the U.S.-Japan Economic Policy Consultative Committee (EPCC) on July 29, 2022. The Ministers affirmed their shared resolve to present a positive economic vision that highlights the benefits of a rules-based international economic order and emphasized the need to make our economies more competitive and resilient.

The Ministers considered the complex global economic context that has produced increased levels of risk and uncertainty for all. They noted recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic remains incomplete, and the pandemic has contributed to various economic challenges including supply chain disruptions, increasing commodity prices, and greater inequalities, many of which have disproportionately impacted historically underserved communities. The Ministers strongly condemned Russia’s brutal, unprovoked, and unjustified aggression against Ukraine and shared the view that it has exacerbated such challenges and undermined energy and food security around the world. The Ministers affirmed the need to address the climate crisis in the face of complications due to energy insecurity.

The Ministers also recognized the pandemic has significantly altered social and economic life through accelerated adoption of various technologies, including digital transformation, providing new opportunities as well as challenges. They noted technological innovation – including in critical and emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, quantum technologies, and renewable and circular technologies – presents transformative potential, as well as risks for our economies if abused. The Ministers committed to continue taking steps to realize a full and sustainable recovery from the pandemic and enhance…

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