Politics, commentary, and public debate by Stefan Schubert
Charity shop profits decrease in UK amid online rivalry, FT notes
Charity shop profits are declining in the UK, with competition from online second-hand platforms identified as a contributing factor, according to the Financial Times. Stefan Schubert highlighted ...
Stefan Schubert: France has highest tax-to-GDP ratio in EU, Eurostat data show
France currently holds the highest tax-to-GDP ratio among European Union member states, according to new data released by Eurostat. Stefan Schubert reported this information in a recent ...
Britain should change personal tax thresholds, Stefan Schubert suggests
Stefan Schubert recommended that Britain lower the personal allowance while increasing the threshold at which the 40 percent tax rate applies. Schubert made the suggestion in a recent ...
Stefan Schubert: Greece’s debt recovery shows political will can address fiscal challenges
Stefan Schubert stated that Greece was once in significantly deeper financial difficulty than France is now, but its experience demonstrates how debt problems can be addressed if there is ...
Bond yield minus growth gap widens between U.S. and Europe, Stefan Schubert notes
Stefan Schubert points out that using bond yields minus nominal growth as a metric highlights a growing divergence between the U.S. and European countries such as France, Italy, and Britain. He ...
Stefan Schubert: Germany-France bond spread remains below 2012 levels
Stefan Schubert highlights that the spread between German and French bonds is currently smaller than it was in 2012. He observes that overall spreads are relatively small compared to that ...
Using revenue trends to gauge productivity is effective, Stefan Schubert notes
Stefan Schubert suggests that analyzing revenue trends can provide an indirect but useful perspective on productivity effects. Schubert points out that while measuring productivity, especially ...
Stefan Schubert: Challenges in beating financial markets and addressing catastrophic risks
Stefan Schubert raises two thought-provoking questions about society and markets. He asks whether smart individuals can easily outperform financial markets and whether society is prepared to take ...
Swedish households now have greater stock wealth than property, Stefan Schubert notes
Stefan Schubert reports that Swedes now have more wealth invested in stocks compared to property. The third major category for Swedish assets is interest-bearing instruments. This shift ...
Stefan Schubert: U.S. business confidence much higher among large firms
Stefan Schubert highlights a significant gap in confidence levels between large and small businesses in the U.S., citing figures of 15 percent versus 70 percent. He argues that small businesses ...
OpenAI and Anthropic combined revenue run rate surpasses $105 billion, Stefan Schubert notes
Stefan Schubert highlights predictions from superforecasters regarding OpenAI and Anthropic's combined annualized revenue run rate. The forecast anticipated $90 billion in 2026. Since the ...
Stefan Schubert: British net debt-to-GDP ratio remains elevated after financial crisis
Stefan Schubert highlights that the British net debt-to-GDP ratio increased much more quickly during and after the financial crisis than it has in recent years. Schubert also observes that the ...
Housebuilding expenses rise faster than property prices, Stefan Schubert notes
Stefan Schubert highlights that British housebuilding costs are increasing more rapidly than house prices. This growing disparity is discouraging new construction activity across the United ...
Stefan Schubert: Norwegian Oil Fund now valued at $420,000 per citizen
Stefan Schubert highlights that the value of the Norwegian Oil Fund has risen to $420,000 per Norwegian, citing a boost from rising stock markets. The statement underscores the continued strong ...
Feng shui beliefs impact investment and GDP in China, Stefan Schubert notes
Stefan Schubert highlights research suggesting that Chinese mayors invest less in areas considered inauspicious according to feng shui beliefs. The paper estimates this behavior leads to a ...
Stefan Schubert: Danish study finds major economic benefits from GLP-1 drugs
Stefan Schubert reports that a Danish paper has identified significant economic benefits associated with GLP-1 drugs. According to the study, GLP-1 treatment leads to a 17.3 percent reduction in ...
Swedish households account for 71 percent of net wealth, Stefan Schubert notes
Stefan Schubert highlights a significant shift in Sweden's net wealth distribution. In 1980, net wealth in the country was roughly divided among the public sector, households, and companies. ...
Stefan Schubert: Recent unemployment rate changes are minor compared to pre-Covid drop
Stefan Schubert highlights that recent fluctuations in the unemployment rate have been relatively insignificant compared to the sharp decline observed before the Covid pandemic. His comments ...
Economic benefits seem modest, Stefan Schubert notes
Stefan Schubert finds it notable that the economic returns of the referenced subject seem relatively small, though not zero. No additional details about the specific initiative or returns are ...
Stefan Schubert: Inheritances may reduce wealth inequality despite larger sums for rich heirs
Stefan Schubert highlights a counterintuitive finding regarding inheritances and wealth inequality. According to Schubert, while richer heirs receive larger inheritances, the relative importance ...
Anthropic valuation more than triples before IPO filing, Stefan Schubert notes
Stefan Schubert reports that Anthropic's valuation in pre-IPO markets has more than tripled over the past three months. The company is now moving forward with its IPO ...
