Category Archives: Regulations and regulators

This Is What Can Happen When a Cross-Border Bank Merger Goes Horribly Wrong

As Banco Sabadell’s disastrous acquisition of UK TSB has shown, a bank merger can founder due to botched IT integration.

Rapid COVID-19 Tests Can Be Useful – But There Are Far Too Few To Put a Dent in the Pandemic

Why Covid antigen tests, which are easy to administer and produce results in less than a half hour, are not a magic bullet.

MMT and the EU: A Case for Capturing the Prevailing Narrative

A political economy take on the EU.

Regulating Fintech in Europe: Lessons from the Collapse of Wirecard

Since Fintech companies can be very complex, their oversight requires understanding their business model and combining regulation and supervision based on both entities and activities.

Insurance Companies Flag “Driver Disengagement” as Factor in Robot Car Safety

The irony of automation….

Investigation: How Pesticide Companies Are Marketing Themselves as a Solution to Climate Change

After decades of denial and delay by big agribusiness, the pesticides industry now appears to have become a climate champion.

Is Development for the World Bank Mainly Doing Business?

The World Bank finally gives up defending its controversial but influential Doing Business Report. It’s about time.

How Biden Can Protect Workers on Day 1

By using the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, Biden could improve worker safety during the pandemic without Congress’s help.

Tapped-Out Tenants Take Charge as Landlords Pursue End Runs Around Eviction Moratorium

Tenants face harassment and lockouts to pressure them to leave their homes — but renters are fighting back.

Home Health Aide Services for the Elderly as a Lemon Market

Some shaggy dog stories and analysis on wh the home health care aide industry performs poorly, at least here in the US.

The Super Cold Covid Vaccine Distribution Problem

The more you look at Pfizer’s vaccine, the more you have to think they really really needed that first mover advantage.

Why Google Is Facing Serious Accusations of Monopoly Practices

The regulatory worm seems to be turning against Google in many countries, even in the U.S. where it had been hibernating.

China Takes Step Against Securitization, Consumer Borrowing With Suspension of Ant IPO

With its smackdown of Ant and its billionaire founder Jack Ma, China has made clear that financiers do not call the shots.

Gig Worker Employment Fights Like Those in California Pit Flexibility Against a Livable Wage – But ‘Platform Cooperatives’ Could Ensure Workers Get Both

A proposal to improve gig worker bargaining power and solidarity.