Impact of higher interest rates

This is the right time to listen more intensively from sufferers than theoreticians on the impact of higher interest rates. Sufferers (or, businesses), on average, talks on the same line: higher lending rates push up the cost of doing business.

News link on the issue.  

Default loans rise

Banks in Bangladesh recorded default loans Tk.290 billion out of their outstanding loans at the end of June 2012, up from Tk.253 billion at the end of March 2012, an increase of 14.6%. Rise in interest rates, and ongoing sluggish economic activities are the reasons, as mentioned by top bankers of the country.

Link of the news.

Export update

Exports grew by only 4.3% in July 2012, the first month of FY2013, against the 28.7% growth in July 2011.  Though woven garments export grew by 11.9%, knitwear exports rose by only 0.7% in July 2012.

Here is the news link.

Where is economics going?

Eight of the World's top young economists discuss where is the field, economics, going. In particular, they were discussing on the biggest unanswered questions in economics and predicting what breakthroughs will define it a decade or two. A very interesting discussion to read and know the views from them. May be one doesn't need to fully believe what they said, but, at least, you can see what is the leaders in the field are thinking, which will eventually (and/or partly) lead the future of the field (if not fully). A suggested one for new economics graduate.

Link of the article.

2005-06: New Base Year

Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) will launch new base year (Fiscal Year 2005-06) from today to measure price-based macroeconomic indicators including inflation.

Link for the news.